Architects and designers alike are finding that by using stone and tile in complementary ways -- such as featuring similar materials, flowing patterns or a monochromatic palette -- designs can be subtly carried throughout a home's entirety, creating an even transition from one room to another. More specifically, the designs of kitchens and bathrooms, ideal spaces for stone and tile features, can essentially tie a home together.
For the recent design of the 400,000-square-foot Lowe’s Corporate Headquarters in Mooresville, NC, architects from the firm of Calloway, Johnson, Moore & West incorporated sandstone, Bluestone and fieldstone into the exterior design. The materials were selected to meet the client’s request that the character of the building be timeless and blend with its 157-acre wooded valley surroundings, as well as to achieve the goal of setting the building apart from competing work environments.
Standing in the heart of the Village of Tinley Park in Illinois is an Arts and Crafts style train station with limestone cladding and a slate roof, which has become the center of attraction in the community. In particular, the station’s three-story clock tower with an observation deck contributes to the overall character of the design. The train station was the first step in a master plan targeted at resurfacing the “Old World charm” of the village.
In terms of education in the stone industry, it seems the one area that is a bit lacking is information on perfecting countertop installations and unexpected issues on the jobsite. With this in mind, the “Installer Forums” that take place at StonExpo are particularly lively, as attendees are able to discuss their problems and experiences with fellow countertop installers. The most recent session was presented by Mark Lauzon of Stoneworks in Hubbard, OR, and Jim Isaminger and Terry Isaminger of DMI Tile and Marble, Inc. of Birmingham, AL.
For some time now, the “Fabricator Forums” held at trade shows around the country are among the best-attended events in the stone industry. One of the most recent large-scale Fabricator Forums was held at the last StonExpo trade show in Las Vegas, NV, and attendees discussed a wide variety of topics.
Serving the Baltimore/Washington, DC, Metro area, including parts of central Pennsylvania, Designer Surfaces Unlimited, Inc. produces an average of 3,500 to 4,000 square feet of stone and quartz surfacing on a weekly basis. The company was founded in 1990 when brothers Greg and Don Fisher realized the value that Corian® countertops brought to the marketplace. Located in Frederick, MD, Designer Surfaces Unlimited began as a fabrication and installation business for Corian, but has since expanded to include other surfaces such as granite and soapstone.
As president and owner of Northwestern Marble & Granite Co. since 1988, David C. Gramling - named after his grandfather who had also once served as company owner and president - has dedicated himself to continuing to run a successful fabrication business, which has been in his family for more than 100 years. Since its start in 1896, the company has experienced several name changes, actively supported World War II and relocated its facility a few times. Today, Northwestern Marble & Granite Co. operates out of a 20,000-square-foot shop - with an additional 7,000 square feet of office/showroom space - in Edina, MN, and the company works hard to serve both the residential and commercial markets across the U.S.
When Bob Costa established Cadillac Stone Works in North Las Vegas, NV, he relied on his background in building and manufacturing operations in the Detroit, MI, area. This meant placing an emphasis on automation and efficiency, and this vision has taken shape as a large-scale, state-of-the-art stone production facility.
In the late 1990s, I was asked by a high school friend to help install some kitchens for a granite shop that he managed. I owned a small home remodeling business that was slow at the time, and I was looking for some “busy work.” We spent the next month installing a few kitchens a day. The more I worked with granite, the more I was drawn to the allure of natural stone. I closed my home remodeling business and went to work for that granite shop full time. Over the next several years, I worked my way from installer to measure tech. I spent a few more years measuring and developing a templating system that we still use today. Meanwhile, my friend Matt, who had gotten me into the business, moved off to another company. This opened a position for me in the office doing bookkeeping and scheduling. Over the next few years, I worked my way to operations manager. The shop grew considerably, and at one point, we were producing 10 to 15 kitchens per day. With that type of volume, efficiency became an issue. Customers became numbers instead of names. We lost the ability to spend the quality time needed to produce a custom product.
Cold Spring Granite Co. dates back to 1886, when Scottish stoneworker Henry Alexander formed a partnership with several other stonemen from his native homeland. Through the years, the company continually expanded. In 1958, Cold Spring Granite purchased the Melrose Granite Co. of St. Cloud, MN. The property where the company sat included a large fabricating plant and several older quarries, including the Carnelian quarry just east of Milbank. Today, this site operates as “Carnelian No. 1 Quarry.”
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