"Textures are the new Color". While on a whirlwind tour of Northern Italy this past April we had the pleasure of visiting the Antolini Luigi facility in Verona. Antolini is, without question, the barometer of the Natural Stone Industry and who we look to for the next trends in natural stone. "Textures are the new Color" was the mantra being repeated over and over throughout our visit.
Textures, whether Leathered, Brushed, Honed, or Caressed, bring a whole new level of sophistication to natural stone. Textures provide an unrivaled subtle beauty to granite and marble and enhance the epicurean experience.
We recently purchased a GMM Sirio Bed Polisher which allows us to texture any Granite, Marble, Travertine, Limestone and even Quartz surface.
Using a series of brushes and polishing bricks coupled with pressures and time we are able to achieve a variety of "textures" on any stone of your choosing. The result is a stunning finish of indescribable beauty. Want something different, something your friends and neighbors don't have or may not have even seen? Consider textured stone.
Outdoor kitchens are a growing trend and an area where the GMM Sirio polisher is also proving to be an effective tool. We, historically, advised customers to stay away from the pretty, exotic stone varieties in outside applications due to the polymer resins used in Exotic Slab processing. Polymers and the UV rays from the sun generally don't typically get along and while some unethical salespeople may tell you otherwise, I can assure you that it won't be long before the resin in your exotic slabs gives up its fight and begins to peel and flake. However, using the Sirio Bed Polisher we can remove these factory-applied resins and repolish or brush your slabs allowing you to use virtually any granite you wish in an exterior environment.
Whether your desire is Brushed, Antiqued, Riverwashed, Caressed, Honed, or Leathered, we can do here, in house, with any stone you choose.
This is the only machine of its kind in the Carolinas and it is bringing a whole new dimension to the Stone Industry in the Charlotte area.
Marble is made up primarily of Calcite and works beautifully in bath areas where the subtle veining patterns and colors that appear can be used to create exquisite designs. Marble is sensitive to acids and acidic foods such as vinegar, lemons, tomatoes, wine as well as aggressive cleaning products which can and will etch the finish on marble countertops.
Granite, one of the hardest natural materials known to man, is composed primarily of quartz, feldspar and mica. The stone is quarried in large blocks which are then cut into slabs and polished. Granite is being used for all sort of building applications. Its bullet-proof characteristics coupled with incredible natural beauty make it a wonderful choice for a host of residential applications. We are the premier choice for custom granite countertops in Charlotte.
Engineered stone products are primarily—more than 90 percent—made of natural quartz, the hardest non-precious stone, bound together by resins. On the other hand, granite is only about 40 percent to 60 percent quartz; the rest is made up of softer minerals and impurities. Engineered stone products require less maintenance than granite because they are non-porous. For example, they don't have to be sealed periodically. Their impervious surface provides more stain and bacterial resistance than granite.
"Textures are the new Color". This quote presented to us by Antolini Luigi in Verona, Italy who, without question, is the barometer of the Natural Stone Industry. We recently purchased a GMM Sirio Bed Polisher which allows us to texture any Granite, Marble, Travertine, Limestone and even Quartz surface in your choice of texture.
