The Natural Stone Council has had a busy year so far, with a sustainability standard for natural stone and establishment  of best practices as major priorities for the organization

Designed by Gensler, Tesoro Corporation’s new headquarters features Texas Pearl limestone for both its interior and exterior design, along with Texas Hadrian limestone which accents the exterior.

Large-format natural stone tile is in demand for a variety of reasons. Designers like the aesthetically pleasing, open look it gives floors and walls in residential and commercial applications. Consumers like the natural beauty of a large stone expanse and appreciate the easier maintenance resulting from fewer grouted joints. But large-format tile also has its installation challenges. Working with large-format stone requires tighter tolerances in the substrate. In addition, its weight makes it harder to handle in both floor and wall applications.