Scagliola (pronounced "scahl-yo-lah”) is a traditional faux-marble process invented in Europe in the 1600s. Scagliola is a composite substance made from a mixture of natural compounds such as gypsum, glue, and earth pigments. It originates from the Italian word scaglia, meaning “chips.” The process of Scagliola imitates complex characteristics of marble or other decorative stone through careful manipulation of its base ingredient, colored and tinted plaster.

A natural organic look is intrinsic to this process and part of the material’s allure.

Scagliola excelled during the Baroque era, with masterful examples dating before the seventeenth century found in widespread use in churches, synagogues, palaces, and castles across the continental Europe and surrounding regions. First used as a replacement for costly and time-consuming marble inlay and quickly gained a reputation as a complex art form. The recipes and processes were typically handed down through generations and each lineage of craftspersons had distinct styles and methods.

We are versed in both the Italian and American styles of Scagliola, which we learned from kind and generous artisans from Italy, the USA, and England.