Blog: From the Bedrock

​​Facades Systems: Characteristics and Performance of Cast Stone Vs Natural Stone

Posted by Steve Schrenk

It’s essential for architects to know how the material chosen for a project will perform under a variety of conditions and circumstances. Architects are faced with many building material options, but for designs or applications that call for cladding stone, there are fundamentally two options:

Topics: Granite, Marble, Limestone, Marble and granite, American natural stone, Exterior applications, Sustainable Design, exterior, Indiana Limestone, French limestone, Stone Facades, Natural stone cladding

Mt. Airy White Granite Joins the Polycor Portfolio of World Class Natural Stones

Posted by Steven Schrenk

Locals in Mount Airy, North Carolina call it “The Rock.” “The Rock” is the world’s largest open face quarry, encompassing territory roughly equivalent to 66 football fields. It’s so massive that it is rumored that astronauts can see “The Rock” as they orbit the Earth. (Mount Airy is called The

Topics: History and Heritage, Granite, Origin, American natural stone

The White Granite That's Replacing Carrara Marble is Quarried in Vermont

Posted by Steven Schrenk

The Grande Arche de la Défense was completed in 1989 to celebrate the bicentennial of the French Revolution, however, in the years since, there has been little to celebrate: There were issues with the exterior of the arch from nearly the start. The area around the north side was even sealed

Topics: Architecture & Design Trends, Granite, Bethel white, American natural stone, Exterior applications

Sleek, Sexy and Sophisticated: Introducing The Black Box Kitchen

Posted by Steven Schrenk

For the edgiest of designers the white kitchen is on its way out.

Topics: Granite, Kitchen, Saint Henry Black

A Love Affair With Saint Henry Black Granite Kitchen Countertops

Posted by Steven Schrenk

Have you ever been so in love with a piece of furniture that you designed the whole room around it? For two French Canadian homeowners, it just happened to be their countertops.

Topics: Granite, Backsplashes, Countertops, American black granite, honed finish, saint henry

The Benefits of 1cm Ultra-Thin Slabs and How They're Fabricated and Installed

Posted by Steven Schrenk

The trend is clear, designers are moving to larger format surface installations. And as a result the custom building products market is following suit. We've been seeing this trend clearly as designers break out of the 24" X 36" box and into the world of full slab installations like full wall

Topics: Thin Stone, Granite, Marble and granite, Thin countertops, Backsplashes

The Fashion Kitchen: Scavolini and Diesel Meld Rustic and Luxury

Posted by Steven Schrenk

Because you can never go wrong with a great pair of jeans, two Italian creative companies have joined forces to create a luxury kitchen collection that's sleek and modern with a distinctive vintage vibe.

Topics: Granite, Cambrian Black, Kitchen, Black, Islands, Rustic modern, Scavolini

From Modern Rustic to Mid-century, Marble and Granite, Designs That Mix It Up from The Kitchen to The Backyard

Posted by Steven Schrenk

Maybe it's the change of seasons but we've had new combinations on our minds lately.  Cool mornings and hot afternoons, rustic wood and high polish lacquer, deep black granite and subtle grey marble. (You know, things stone people think about.)

Topics: Home Design, Material Selection, Architecture & Design Trends, Thin Stone, Soapstone, Granite, Marble, Limestone, Kitchen

Meet Mega Crystal: Likes Shiny, Plays Well With Wood [PHOTOS]

Posted by Steven Schrenk

Move around a St. Henry granite kitchen and you’ll do a double take as you round the corner of the island to put your coffee cup in the sink.

What looked like straight black from far off turns out to be black and grey opalescent mega crystals nestled within. This is a natural stone that doesn’t so

Topics: Granite, St. Henry, Antiqued finish, Marble and granite, Brushed finish, High polish finish

This Scavolini Dealer’s Home Kitchen Will Have You Craving Matte Black

Posted by Annie Roy

 Niki Serras and her husband in their Detroit home kitchen.

Like a Delta One touching down at JFK from a weekend fling in Milan, black is back and it’s bringing matte with it. And I couldn’t love it more.

With European influence black is coming home to our kitchens and living rooms (even the

Topics: Home Design, Material Selection, Notable Installations, Architecture & Design Trends, stone sourcing, Granite, Renovation, Cambrian Black, Leathered finish, Antiqued finish, Kitchen, Black, Brushed finish

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