Stucco Veneziano, better known as venetian plaster, was developed in 15th century Venice to replace the use of real marble, which was proving too heavy for the sinking city of Venice. The traditional recipe of using lime and marble-dust in the finish coat of a wall surface dates back thousands of years. The earliest documentation is by the roman scholar Vitruvius, in the 1st century AD.

The popularity of venetian plaster continued throughout the 16th century and can still be seen in the villas and estates around Rome. But it wasn't until the italian architect, Carlo Scarpa incorporated the technique into modern design in the 1960's that venetian plaster became popular in the United States. The success of venetian plaster in contemporary design lies in its refinement, durability and versatility of color.