Stone of the Season
Calacatta Lincoln is a classic marble that is popular for several reasons. It is a new type of Colorado Yule marble that was discovered in 2012. With its elegant and delicate veining, Calacatta Lincoln has become a reference in the market and one of the most desirable marbles, especially in the United States market. Made in the USA, specifically Colorado, this material has a warm white background with brown-grayish veining. The vein structure ranges from medium to wide vein. It is the perfect choice for kitchen countertops and large projects.
MARVEL IN MARBLE
"Statement marble is a trend. Clients want bold and beautiful natural materials that make an impact. These elements will continue to hold as people become more and more adventurous with strong veining and colors. People have grown tired of boring white bathrooms with basic white marble and are looking to differentiate their homes to fit their personalities and color sensibilities better.” - Wendy Labrum, Wendy Labrum Interiors.
Think Lilac, Calacatta Viola, and Cippolino Rosso Ondulato marbles with intricate, unique, veining patterns that would be a great focal piece as a kitchen island, bathroom vanity, wall art, shower surround, etc.
FAB SLABS
“Stone slabs are having a moment, especially stones with color tones like lilac. The idea of taking marble and sculpting things from it, such as a matching sink and vanity, has been rising in popularity and can become the centerpiece of a breathtaking bathroom. A less expensive option that achieves a similar effect is slab-size travertine that looks almost exactly like stone. Whether it is marble or travertine, the trend seems to be using stone, and a lot of it, in multiple places in a bathroom.”—Jessica Shaw.
Shower and tub surrounds, flooring, countertops, backsplash, the possibilities of applying stone in the bathroom are endless! You can’t go wrong with classic marbles such as Michelangelo Prime, but if you’re looking for color, we have a Lilac Marble that showcases rich & striking lilac veins across a white surface, along with a few travertine options that ground the space with their organic, natural feel.
2023 PASADENA SHOWCASE HOUSE
For the second year in a row, we have had the opportunity to get involved with the 2023 Pasadena Showcase House of Design. This is the fundraiser produced by Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts to fund their music programs and award gifts and grants to other non-profit organizations to support their efforts. It is open for tours from mid-April to mid-May. Each year, the committee selects a house that matches their list of criteria, but no matter the square footage, each estate is renovated from top to bottom by leading designers using the latest concepts and materials. The 58th annual home was an 11,000 square foot, 1933, grand colonial estate with spectacular acreage in a storied Pasadena neighborhood with a four-car garage, pool, changing rooms and pool cabana, and an enclosed tennis court.
This year we were lucky enough to feature our exotic natural stones in three areas of the home: the kitchen, laundry room, and primary bathroom. Kirsten Poole used our Fantasy Lux quartzite in the kitchen for two large islands (one was a whopping 128” x 72”) and the surrounding countertops, paired with Cristallo quartzite on the countertops in the laundry room. Courtney Thomas went bold and used our Calacatta Viola marble on the primary bathroom vanity tops with our Lilac marble cladding the shower walls.
NKBA/CEU EVENT AT ELEMENTS ROOM NH
At the beginning of May, our Elements Room North Hollywood location had the pleasure of partnering with the National Kitchen and Bath Association Central Coast and Valleys chapter (NKBA CCV) to put on an evening of stone education for designers and architects. Our team brought out certified guest speaker André Zucchi, a Brazilian/Italian Stone Trade Specialist who today resides in the USA, representing one of the biggest natural stone manufacturers in the world. André has over 20 years of experience in the natural stone business and has been a certified speaker member of the Natural Stone Institute since 2019. He discussed the basic principles of natural stone, including but not limited to granite, marble, quartzite, travertine, and onyx, along with standard quarrying techniques, fabrication, and finishing techniques. In addition, he presented his newly certified Brazilian Marble Revolution topic covering relevant historical facts about the natural stone industry in Brazil until recent days when Brazilian marble re-emerged as the fastest-growing product in the American stone market.
With more than 36,000 members in 50 states and seven Canadian provinces, the NKBA promotes the interests of all facets of the kitchen and bath industry, so it is always a pleasure to work with them and put on educational events for our industry professionals.
STAFF UPDATES
NORTH HOLLYWOOD:
Rafael Ferreira
ER NH:
Juan Garcia
IRVINE:
Leo Melo
TULSA:
Wesli Turner
CORPORATE:
Amanda Velasquez
Alvah Tharp
RENO:
Alexis Martinez
SACRAMENTO:
Cody Encalade
STAFF MILESTONES
5 YEARS:
Tiffany Provencher
Linda Chavez
10 YEARS:
Denise Leon
Fidel Castro
15 YEARS:
Jeyson Araujo