Marble for The Sloane Club Renovation in Chelsea, London

Project Overview

The recent renovation of The Sloane Club in Chelsea, London marks a significant transformation of one of the capital’s most historic private members’ clubs. Led by Russell Sage Studio, the redesign introduces a richer, more contemporary material palette while preserving the club’s heritage character. Natural marble plays a central role in this evolution, bringing depth, luxury, and timelessness to the newly refurbished spaces, which made this project such a joy to be involved in.

The Demob Cocktail Bar – Luana Multicolour Marble

The Demob Bar sits at the heart of the recently completed renovation of The Sloane Club in Chelsea, London, a landmark project led by Russell Sage Studio. The bar’s name pays homage to the club’s origins as the Ex‑Service Women’s Club, founded in 1922 for women returning from military service. The concept of “demobilising” – stepping out of duty and into rest – inspired the atmosphere and material palette of the space.

Cullifords supplied all of the natural marble used throughout the renovation, working closely with the designers and fabricators to deliver a refined, heritage feeling interior with contemporary luxury.

Material Spotlight

Luana Multicolour Marble from Italy is known for:

• Expressive stone known for its painterly blend of warm and cool tones, fluid veining, and naturally artistic movement.
• Tones of warm chocolate browns.
• Waves of green and white veining.
• A luxurious, heritage feel suited to boutique hospitality.
• It’s dramatic yet harmonious presence is suited to both contemporary and classical design schemes.

The Tea Room – Rose Aurora Macchia Vecchia Marble

Material Spotlight

Rose Aurora Macchia Vecchia is a warm, expressive stone known for:

• Its soft pink‑cream base, bold terracotta‑gold veining.
• Richly layered mineral movement.
• Romantic warmth, dramatic patterning, and timeless architectural appeal.
• This natural variation gives Rosa Aurora Macchia Vecchia a luxurious, artistic presence suited to boutique hospitality.

The Lobby – Crema Evora, Rosso Griotte & Arabescato Orobico Rosso Marble

Material Spotlight

Crema Evora is a Portuguese marble known for:

• Creamy beige base and gently pronounced veining.
• Soft linear movement, harmonious tonality, and naturally elegant presence.
• Its warm palette and subtle venato patterning make it ideal for interiors that favour understated luxury,
• This natural variation gives Crema Evora a serene feel, suited to both contemporary and classic interiors.

Rosso Griotte is one of the most historically significant and visually distinctive red stones, known for:

• It’s colour ranges from ruby red to warm cherry, with white, cream, or violet nodular patterns.
• Being used extensively used in Versailles, especially for fireplaces commissioned by Louis XIV, who was particularly fond of its colour.
• Its name comes from the French word “griotte”, meaning Morello cherry, referencing both its colour and the cherry‑like fossil nodules.
• Its dramatic colour and fossil patterning make it a favourite for designers seeking a bold, historically rich material.

Arabescato Orobico Rosso is an Italian marble known for:

• Dramatic, richly patterned stone defined by its warm red tones.
• Vibrant, warm‑toned palette, making it a favourite for bold, design‑led interiors.
• Its striking blend of deep terracotta, warm rust, soft rose, smoky taupe, and charcoal grey.
• Its sculptural, expressive presence that stands out in both contemporary and classical settings.

Sourcing Insight

Sourcing the stones for this project required a highly curated approach, drawing on Cullifords’ long‑standing relationships with quarries across Italy, Portugal and France. Each material was selected not only for its aesthetic qualities but for its heritage, geological character and suitability for the club’s high‑traffic hospitality environment.

Across all materials, Cullifords’ role centred on block selection, slab approval, and logistical coordination, ensuring every stone arrived with the clarity, consistency and quality required for a project of this scale. The result is a palette that feels both historically rooted and visually contemporary – perfectly aligned with the design narrative of The Sloane Club.

Luana Multicolour is one of those stones where selection is everything. Its appeal lies in the complexity of its palette – ribbons of burgundy, terracotta, charcoal, cream, and soft blush tones moving through the slab in broad, painterly sweeps. No two pieces are ever alike, which makes sourcing the right block a highly curated process.

Cullifords works directly with quarries and distributors who specialise in expressive, multicoloured marbles, allowing us to review multiple blocks at once to assess the balance of movement, contrast, and tonal harmony. For Luana Multicolour, the priority is always pattern flow: ensuring the veining travels across the slab in a way that can be book‑matched, mitred, or vein‑matched without visual interruption.

During selection, we look for:

• Strong chromatic variation without becoming chaotic.
• Clean transitions between colour zones
• Defined, structural veining that fabricators can align across edges and returns.
• Warm undertones that pair well with brass, walnut, and heritage palettes.
• Consistent density to ensure stability during fabrication.

Because Luana Multicolour is often used as a statement material – bar fronts, feature walls, vanity tops, and hospitality focal points – the chosen block must have both drama and coherence. The stone’s natural movement needs to feel intentional, not accidental.

Cullifords’ role is to identify blocks that offer this balance. We visit to see the block in person, photograph, map, and evaluate each slab, ensuring the designer receives a selection that aligns with the project’s palette and architectural rhythm. Once approved, we coordinate with fabricators to plan vein‑matching layouts and book‑matched panels so the final installation feels sculptural and seamless.

The result is a stone that delivers colour, character, and contemporary luxury, while still retaining the organic unpredictability that makes multicoloured marbles so compelling.

Design & Fabrication Process

The design and fabrication process for The Sloane Club’s renovation required an exceptional level of coordination between Russell Sage Studio, West London Tile Company, and Cullifords. With a palette built around expressive, heritage‑rich marbles, every decision – from slab orientation to edge detailing – had a direct impact on the final atmosphere of the space.

Russell Sage Studio’s design intent centred on creating interiors that felt layered, characterful, and deeply rooted in the club’s history, while still delivering the refinement expected of a modern private members’ environment. Natural stone played a central role in achieving this balance, acting as both a visual anchor and a storytelling material.

Working from the approved slab selections, West London Tile Company developed detailed fabrication plans to ensure the movement of each stone was showcased to its fullest. This included mapping veining across multiple surfaces, identifying natural book‑match opportunities, and planning bullnose edges that would allow the stone to wrap seamlessly around architectural forms.

Design & Fabrication Details

West London Tile Company team skilfully executed:

• Triple bullnosed bars across each room.
• Book-matched, symmetrical, scalloped Demob Bar.
• Tiled lobby flooring with decorative florets inlaid

Results

• The renovation delivers interiors that feel layered, luxurious and deeply connected to The Sloane Club’s heritage.
• Natural stone introduces warmth, movement and sculptural presence across the bar, tea room and adjoining hospitality spaces.
• The interplay between marble, brass, walnut and heritage colour tones produces an interior that feels immersive, characterful and contemporary.
• Collaboration between Russell Sage Studio, West London Tile Company, and Cullifords results in installations that are meticulously crafted and visually harmonious.
• The completed spaces give The Sloane Club a renewed sense of identity: refined, welcoming and unmistakably bespoke.
• Natural stone acts as the material anchor throughout, delivering durability, beauty and timelessness in equal measure.

Materials Used

Stone: Luana Multicolour Marble
Country of Origin: Italy
Finish: Polished
Application: Demob Bar
Supplier: Gerald Culliford Ltd.

Stone: Rose Aurora Maccchia Vecchia
Country of Origin: Italy
Finish: Polished
Application: Tea Room Bar Top
Supplier: Gerald Culliford Ltd.

Stone: Arabescato Orobico Rosso
Country of Origin: Italy
Finish: Polished
Application: Reception Desk
Supplier: Gerald Culliford Ltd.

Stone: Crema Evora
Country of Origin: Portugal
Finish: Polished
Application: Tiled lobby floor
Supplier: Gerald Culliford Ltd.

Stone: Rouge Griotte
Country of Origin: France
Finish: Polished
Application: Decorative florets in lobby floor
Supplier: Gerald Culliford Ltd.

Credits

Interior Design: Russell Sage Studio
Stone Supplier: Cullifords
Fabrication & Installation: West London Tile Co.
Photography: Cullifords & Sam Luke Walton

Get in touch

If you’re an interior designer, hospitality brand, or developer looking to incorporate natural stone into your next project, our team can support you with material selection, sourcing, and supply. Contact us to discuss your commercial requirements.