From New York to California, designers are using more stone in mixtures of multiple colors and finishes, and using larger slabs for larger rooms. Today’s homeowner is much more sophisticated and wants to use many types of surfaces throughout the home. It’s not a hindrance if a stone wears softly or is more permeable; in fact, it’s often viewed as more natural—an imperfect and very desired look today.
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New Arrivals
Used extensively in construction, granite has long been revered for its distinct durability. Granite lined the tunnels of the Great Pyramids of Egypt and added depth and grandeur to the exterior of the Empire State Building. Impervious to grease, stains, scratches and heat, granite can be an ideal choice for countertops, tabletops, floors and other heavy-duty applications.
Granite
From Michelangelo’s David to the Taj Mahal, marble has been stone of choice for sculptors and architects in many of the world’s great works of art. Elegant, dramatic and lustrous, marble’s subtle veining and special reflective play of light adds a distinct dimension to vanities, bathrooms, flooring and walls.
Marble
Onyx is gaining popularity as an interior design material for properties in the top end of the residential and commercial market. Known today as a “sexy” material, it is quite rare, compared to other natural stones, which is partly responsible for the relatively high prices it commands. It is also considered to be a semi-precious natural stone, along with alabaster and lapis lazuli.
Onyx
Beautiful, versatile limestone has been the fine stone choice of world-renowned architects, especially throughout Europe and North America, for centuries. Because of its subtle patterning and pale neutral colorations, limestone has been used to construct landmarks such as banks, train stations and monuments—structures that have withstood the tests of time.
Limestone
Travertine is a natural stone from the Limestone family, which can (over time) transform into Marble. It is also often called Travertine Marble. Made of calcium carbonate and usually found near warm or hot springs, it was frequently used in ancient times as a building material. Today, Travertine is most commonly used for countertops and flooring, but may also be used in showers and tub surrounds as well as in exterior decor.
Aside from its obvious beauty (available in colors and finishes -- from natural, neutrals such as creamy white and gold, to tan and reddish brown depending upon the impurities and iron content), durability is one of the elements that lead people to choose Travertine.
Travertine
Soapstone was traditionally used in fine colonial New England homes for fireplaces, hearths, sinks, and countertops. It’s beauty and reverence allow it to be used in other parts of the world as sculpture and carving materials, revered by many collectors from Kenya to Brazil to Alaska. Unlike many other fine stones, Soapstone warms quickly and releases its heat slowly, making it a beautiful choice for fireplace interiors, floors and wood burning stoves.
Soapstone