Published: 07:58 EDT, 1 May 2015 | Updated: 08:00 EDT, 1 May 2015

Marble has always been a high-end luxury product, mainly the preserve of the super-rich, but not any more.

Quietly, it has been finding its way into more ordinary homes as the trend for moving away from man‑made products continues.

Fabulous flooring: Ceramic marble effect tiles by Casa Ceramica add a feeling of granduer to this space

Prized for its beauty and resilience, the use of marble has an awe-inspiring history. From the Roman Pantheon, built in 27 BC, to the glorious palaces of the Taj Mahal and Versailles, it exudes romance, glamour and grandeur.

But these days it is as likely to be used for a clock or lampstand as an expansive bathroom — and you can find marble (and faux marble) all over the High Street.

Jake Hurley, of Hurley Marble, says there has been a ‘staggering’ increase in demand over the past 18 months. ‘Customers don’t want to keep replacing their interiors so they are looking for natural products that last,’ he said.

His company specialises in pietra dura, the Italian art of inlaying cut stone, and the firm’s one-off tables are often created from fragments found in stone mason’s yards.

Sumptuous stone: Marble is a popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms, like this Fired Earth one pictured 

Marble is formed when heat and pressure cause changes to the rock. The characteristic lines and swirls are usually due to mineral impurities such as clay and silt which were present in the original stone. Colours and patterns vary enormously according to the quarry it comes from.

One of the most popular is the white marble from the town of Carrara, northern Tuscany. Easy to carve it has a uniform colour, which pleased artists going back to Michelangelo, who used it for his statue of David. It allows the light to penetrate several millimetres into the stone.

According to the Marble Institute of America, which gathers information on marble sales around the world, the Italian marble market is growing year on year with a 9 per cent increase in the first half of 2014. About one million tonnes is exported annually from these quarries alone.

Sleek look: The marble work surface in this kitchen reflects the lights and gives a contemporary feel

Jamie Blake, owner of Blakes London, says out of the last 40 kitchens he has designed, 35 have had marble worktops. ‘White is always popular in kitchens and white marble is a fantastic way to bring in more light,’ he says. ‘What’s more, it’s mid-range pricewise.’

You can expect to pay from £300 per sq m for Carrara marble, compared to between £100 to £150 per sq m for wood and upwards of £450 per sq m for man-made Corian.

Stacey Chandler, partner at Chandler Stoneworks, says demand has increased by 100 per cent in the past couple of years, but warns that it’s not right for everyone.

‘It’s a natural material so it’s porous,’ she says. ‘You have to reseal it once a year and, while that won’t prevent stains, it will give you slightly more time to fetch a cloth before there is any permanent damage.’

Top table: The Carve coffee table by designer Bethan Gray uses a solid 32mm slab of hand-polished marble

Interior designer Andrew Dunning often chooses tiles with a marble design for clients. ‘Tiles are easier to fit and easier to look after as you can clean the water marks off,’ he says.

But another interior designer, Sophie Paterson, prefers to use real marble, where budget and lifestyle permit: ‘I’ve yet to see a man-made product that looks like the real thing.

‘Done the right way, marble is a timeless material and there is a trend towards interiors that are less faddy — people don’t want to spend money on something not knowing if it will still look relevant in five years. If you avoid harsh cleaning products and red wine spills, it will look fabulous.’

But if you aren’t planning to redo your kitchen, there are other ways to tap into this trend.

High Street accessories: Wallpaper by Ferm Living and a marble table lamp by Westelm

Heals sells lights made from marble while the High Street store French Connection has just added a marble-topped coffee table to its collection. The design also appears on numerous textiles from cushions to wallpaper.

Ferm Living has produced a wallpaper which is remarkably realistic, and at about £65 a roll, far cheaper than the real thing.

Or you can buy a cushion from the Nordic Design Collective for £85. Luxury homewares store Occa Home has everything from a marble platter for £31 to a side-table for £935.

No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group