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 If you’re like most homeowners, you’ve probably spent hours scrolling through photos of luxurious marble islands, but just can’t bring yourself to add up the cost of a renovation.

When done right, an updated kitchen can have a huge impact on your daily quality of life. It can be a space that invites more family time and helps you relax even when dinner is late and the kids are starving. It is important to plan ahead to make sure your time, energy, and money will be well spent.

Preparing for a kitchen remodel may seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips on how to navigate the planning of your kitchen remodel.

How do I find a kitchen remodeling contractor?

Photo courtesy of Stone Interiors LLC

1. Check their credentials.

Most experienced contractors will have a professional affiliation, such as being a member of the National Kitchen and Bath Association or Natural Stone Institute.

2. If possible, partner with a company you already know and trust.

Chances are, someone has helped you with smaller home improvement projects in the past. If you’ve already worked with a local company, even if it was for something specific like flooring or countertop fabrication, get in touch and ask if they can recommend a general contractor. Their honest opinion could end up saving you thousands of dollars (and headaches).

How should I put together a kitchen remodeling budget?

Photo by Stone Interiors LLC.

1. Prioritize your projects.

Choose one or two larger aspects of your kitchen remodel (such as flooring, countertops, or cabinets) that matter most to you. Everyone has different opinions of this, so think about the changes that will have the biggest effect on your daily life, from aesthetics to functionality.

Start choosing your materials and researching installation professionals early in the process. This way, you can compromise on pricing for smaller projects later, and still rest assured that you’re investing in the items that are most important to you and your family.

2. Partner with your stone fabricator early on.

Photo by Stone Interiors LLC.

Most kitchen remodels involve new countertops, a new kitchen island, or both. It’s easy to start a Pinterest board and choose your favorite colors and styles, but there are a range of factors that will affect the look and cost of your countertops, including material type, slab size, and entrance sizes.

Find a stone fabricator you trust before you even start renovating. Talk to them about your plans, and invite them to check out the space so they can identify any challenges you might run into later on.

3. Track your expenses in a spreadsheet.

Once you know pricing for the high dollar items, materials, and installation costs, you can start planning your overall budget. List it all out in a spreadsheet to help you plan, and allow for an extra 5% so you’re prepared for any unexpected issues that might arise.

What are the benefits of renovating my kitchen?

Photo by Stone Interiors LLC.

1. Higher resale value on your home.

It’s common knowledge that a modern kitchen is one of the first things prospective homeowners consider when purchasing. The good news is that even relatively small kitchen renovations ($15,000 and under) can increase the purchase price of your home.

2. Better quality of life.

The monetary cost is important, but consider the benefits of a renovation that don’t come with a dollar value. Think about how much time you spend getting dinner ready, pouring a few glasses of wine with the neighbors, or having an after-school snack with the kids. If you and your family feel more content walking into a space with sturdy new cabinets and countertops, then that in itself makes a renovation a worthy investment.

Once you set your budget and choose your key partners, the whole project will become much more manageable.

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Installing natural stone in your home is an investment you’ll enjoy for years to come. While it’s important to choose the right material, you also need to find the right stone fabricator. A fabricator is the craftsman who turns a rough slab into a finished product. The best way to find a good fabricator is by visiting the Natural Stone Institute’s website, which offers a list of accredited fabricators, says Mark Meriaux, Accreditation & Technical Manager for the Natural Stone Institute.

“Being accredited means the company has been third-party verified and is an established, reliable company with the proper equipment as well as customer satisfaction processes,” he says.

Mineral Black Saratoga soapstone. Photo courtesy of Stone Store.

If an accredited fabricator isn’t available in your area, the next step should be to get referrals from friends or family. Try to get three names, suggests Laura Grandlienard, principal of ROCKin’teriors in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“All three will likely have different business models,” she says. “By interviewing more than one you can get a sense as to what is the best fit for you.”

You can also get referrals from stone yards, says Jon Lancto, a fabrication and installation consultant. “Typically they’re prequalified to some extent,” he says.

Be sure to hire the fabricator directly, says Dave Paxton, president and CEO of Paxton Countertops in Lansing, Michigan. “Don’t go through a second party,” he says. “You want a good relationship with the person who’ll be providing the service.”

Once you’ve found your list of fabricators, ask them these six questions:

Monte Carlo granite. Photo courtesy of Chris Frick for ROCKin’teriors

1. How long have you been in business? Everyone has to start somewhere, but a company that’s been in business for years is a sign that they have good practices. Confirm this by checking for reviews on sites like Yelp or the Better Business Bureau.

“You can typically read between lines,” says Paxton. “Look for the number of reviews. If somebody has two five-star reviews, maybe it was their wife and son. Forty reviews with a four-star rating would be better.”

2. Do you have a physical facility or showroom? A showroom or workshop will allow you to see samples of their work. If someone says they fabricate the material on site, that’s a big red flag, says Lancto.

Use caution when choosing someone with a small pickup truck and minimal tools, adds Meriaux. “It’s not that they can’t be skilled,” he says. “In this case, you need referrals and recommendations, and to see examples of their work.”

When examining samples, look at seaming, which is an indicator of quality fabrication, says Lancto. “They won’t be inconspicuous or invisible; natural stone has some variations,” he says. “But you want to make sure they’re practicing the best techniques.”

Grandlienard agrees: “Verify that the fabricator attempts to match the grain of stone at the seam so it appears as one piece,” she says.

Onyx. Photo courtesy of ROCKin’teriors

3. What type of equipment do you use? Some fabricators do a physical layout on a slab while others use high-end software that provides a 3D visualization of the finished project.

“If it’s a complicated design or the material has a lot of veining, you want to be assured that they have the right technology,” says Lancto. “You’ll be able to see photos the layout ahead of time. The more complex the installation, the more technology you’d want that fabricator to use.”

4. What licenses and insurance do you carry? It’s rare that problems happen, but you want to make sure a contractor is covered when they’re working on your property, says Meriaux.

“Ask ‘what if’ questions,” says Meriaux. “Everything from personal property damage during installation or stone not matching up. Asking upfront is easier than duking it out after the fact.”

Grandlienard recommends establishing that the fabricator offers a warranty policy, both on the stone and fabrication.

White Fusion granite. Photo courtesy of Stone Store.

5. Are you a member of an industry association? Memberships show that the fabricator makes an effort to participate in the industry. Members of the Natural Stone Institute, for example, agree to abide by a code of ethics that includes treating customers and employees fairly and acting with honesty, integrity, quality, and professionalism.

6. How much do you charge? This question is last for a reason. “The worst way to make a decision is by price alone,” says Lancto. “You get what you pay for and if someone is super cheap, they’re probably doing something not as high quality or they’re not taking time to do a quality fabrication.”

After selecting your fabricator, Meriaux recommends getting all communication in writing and making sure you have a written contract and drawings to eliminate miscommunication and confusion.

“Natural stone is a lifetime investment for homeowners; it’s a luxury item,” says Grandlienard. “It behooves you to do the legwork to find the right company.”

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This article was reprinted with permission from MARVA.

When a natural stone installation project is complete, many fabricators stockpile remnants that are too small for countertops, but large enough that they’d go to waste if not properly utilized.  These remnants can be used in many different ways throughout the home.

Remnants from natural stone installs present an opportunity for creative applications that go beyond the countertop. These remnants give fabricators an opportunity for additional projects, and homeowners a deal on additional stone pieces to be featured throughout their home. There is an exciting array of unique, tasteful ways to use stone remnants to carry the luxury of natural stone throughout different rooms in the home.

A Guide to Natural Stones

Maintenance for natural stone varies based its type and application. Since some stones can be more prone to damage than others, it’s important to be deliberate about the environment remnants are installed in. Below is a brief guide to some of the most popular natural stones and their features:

Granite

As the go-to for beautiful, durable, natural stone, granite can withstand water, mild abrasions, and heavy traffic with low maintenance. This stone type is ideal for kitchens, since heat, sharp objects, and water do not easily damage it. Flooring, shower surrounds, and fireplace surrounds are also excellent applications for granite, since it can stand up to regular heat, water, and weight. When using remnants, granite can be used for just about any application.

Marble

This stone exudes elegance and sophistication. Interior accents, such as tabletops, staircase handrails, and bathroom vanities, are all perfect for showcasing the luxury of the stone. Marble can also bring timeless grandeur along walls and chair rails, or to the kitchen in backsplashes.

Quartzite

Quartzite is an increasingly popular countertop option for homeowners. This stone is naturally strong and heat-resistant, making it ideal for countertops, bartops, and fireplace surrounds.

Travertine

Formed in hot springs and limestone caves, travertine’s textured and fibrous appearance wraps its surroundings in natural warmth. Since travertine is easy to cut, it is ideal for backsplashes and flooring, especially when working to fill a small or uniquely-shaped space.

Onyx

Onyx is a stunning choice for areas illuminated with backlighting, since the stone filters the light in an extraordinary way. Onyx’s natural glow is best used to make a statement in illuminated in-set shelves in a bathroom or living room.

Limestone

Often considered the mother of marble, travertine, and onyx, limestone’s presence throughout history makes it the ultimate choice for modern day homes seeking old world charm. Since it’s dense and durable, limestone is an excellent option for flooring, countertops, and wall cladding.

Soapstone

Soapstone’s flat, warm beauty offers a soft and rustic appearance. Since its finish is honed or leathered rather than polished, the surface of soapstone is quite durable. Soapstone is also acid resistant, making it a popular choice for kitchens or bar tops. This stone looks especially stunning on a desktop or tabletop, bringing elegance throughout different social spaces within the home.

Ideas for Repurposing Large Natural Stone Remnants

Tabletops

A custom tabletop is perfect for extending luxury stone, and can give life to an old piece of furniture. Depending on how much of the slab remains, consider using your remnants to top a coffee table, matching side tables, the top to a sofa table, or the top to an entryway table where a plant or vase could be displayed.

Kitchen islands

Leftover fragments from a stone install fit beautifully into a kitchen island, creating a striking “wow” factor. This is a great way to upcycle old material that is already cut into a rectangular shape, with minimal refinishing required!

Bar or buffet tops

Planning to entertain after your remodel is finished? Consider utilizing remnants to top a luxury buffet, serving table, or bar top to create a high-end look that is perfect for your next soiree.

Bathroom vanity

Since bathroom vanities – especially those used in half or guest bathrooms – are much smaller than kitchens, they make an excellent choice for using remnants to help create a consistent aesthetic of luxury and style throughout the home.

Windowsills

Older windowsills can detract from the high-end, luxury aesthetic usually achieved with the installation of natural stone countertops. Implementing fresh granite or marble windowsills would be a perfect detail to complete any remodel.

Ideas for Repurposing Smaller Remnants

Backsplashes

Slab remnants can be cut down and shaved to become thinner for use as backsplashes in kitchens or bathrooms. If you have scraps from several products, consider cutting them down and matching coordinating stones for a mosaic design. This solution would be best used in bathrooms, where the backsplash would simply be a small strip between the countertop and the vanity mirror.

Cheese boards

This is one of the most popular uses of remnants, as it is an impressive statement piece that requires little material. The homeowner can envision inviting company over to see their gorgeous new bathroom or kitchen, and serving artfully arranged cheese on their perfectly coordinated cutting board!

Coasters and trivets

Cutting down leftover material to coaster or trivet size is both functional and beautiful.  By discovering new functions for old surfaces, fabricators can offer a thrifty, environmentally-friendly way to use slab remnants.

Environmental Benefits of Natural Stone

A major selling point for repurposing natural stone remnants is reducing the amount of product that goes to waste. Making use of every bit of stone that has already been quarried and transported ensures that there are no extra costs associated with shipping new surfaces for furniture. Plus, repurposing natural stone remnants is a great way to coordinate the design of a home from room to room.

Since natural stone is recyclable, remnants can also be crushed and re-used in the construction industry. Using recycled stone can save the water, energy, and other resources used to generate new building products from raw material sources. Recycled marble and granite are frequently used to make paving stones, fire pits, and mosaic tile, offering plenty of opportunities to make the most of what the Earth has provided. Smaller pieces can also be used as gravel fill or concrete aggregate. Similarly, in a powder form, natural stone can be used in fertilizer or as a sidewalk bed as the minerals like calcium and magnesium are vital nutrients for soil and plant life.

The durability of stone guarantees minimal impact on the environment overtime, as stone outlasts other manufactured products, therefore fewer slabs need to be quarried, finished, delivered, and cut, resulting in a lower net usage of resources.

With the beauty and popularity of genuine natural stone, homeowners will surely want to make the most of every slab!

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Today’s natural stone fabricators and installers have an impressive arsenal of technology at their disposal. Some say new machines and techniques let them work more efficiently, avoid mistakes, and achieve greater precision. That means they can get better finished products to customers faster.

Technology also makes it much easier for customers to visualize what their countertop or mantlepiece will look like, or even participate in the design process. Here are some examples of how cutting edge digital tools are fitting into the age-old stone industry.

Connecting with the Internet of Things

Eliot Mazzocca, owner of Lido Stone Works in Calverton, NY, used to have to fly in technicians from northern Italy, where his stone cutting machines were made, to fix mechanical glitches. Not only was that incredibly expensive, it meant he could no longer make countertops, pool decks, walls, and architectural accent pieces until the technicians solved the problem.

Today, his machines have sensors that collect data and send it to the manufacturer through a cloud-based software system. Technicians can see what the problem is and guide Mazzocca’s factory manager to a solution from afar.

The machines are now automated and can run unattended, letting workers move on to other tasks. Sometimes Mazzocca runs them while he’s having dinner at home. In especially busy times, he has them going all night.

Lido Stone Works operator and programmer Edgar Jaramillo uses a CNC machine.

He also uses the IoT system to track inventory, which is photographed and barcoded as soon as it comes in. Using a phone or tablet, employees visiting a customer’s home or project site can show them pictures and provide specific information about any piece of marble, granite, onyx, quartz, or limestone in stock. As the design develops back in the shop, workers put together detailed digital photos showing clients where each piece of stone will go before it is cut.

“With the photos, they can see all that beautiful veining and graining as it will appear in their living room,” Mazzocca said. “What they see on paper is what they’ll receive.” Some clients suggest changes, or even download the digital CAD files and create their own designs.

Digital Templating

IoT is still rare in the stone industry. Much more common is the use of digital templating.

Until five or six years ago, when you wanted a marble or granite kitchen countertop, a worker would go to your home, take measurements, and build a full-scale model with cut-outs for appliances and cabinets. Then they would load the model into a van and take it to the shop, where it was placed over the stone for cutting.

Fusion CNC machine at Brekhus Tile & Stone.

Today, many have switched to digital template machines, which use a laser to accurately record measurements. It’s faster and comes in handy for tight spaces where it’s hard to fit a tape measure. At Brekhus Tile & Stone in Denver, “tape measures are a thing of the past,” said Josh Dacek, the company’s operations general manager.

Digitized measurements from the company’s templating machine are used to program a CNC router and a saw/waterjet machine. The CNC saves time compared to a bridge saw, and the fine-cutting water jet allows workers to use more of a stone slab. “A job that may have taken two full slabs may fit on one because you can nest so much tighter,” Dacek said. That gives customers counters without seams, which many prefer.

Digital equipment also allows Brekhus, like Lido, to show customers photos displaying their countertop design overlaid with the stone before the cut. “The old way, if the customer was looking for vein matching, they would have to come into the shop,” Dacek said.

Digital—or Not?

Wood strip templates from Seattle Granite.

For all its merits, digital technology isn’t for everyone.

“We make templates out of wood strips and hot glue. It’s pretty caveman,” said Jarren Cheha, owner of Seattle Granite. He uses a bridge saw for cutting. “It’s pretty foolproof as long as you make your templates right. It’s not rocket science,” he said.

He is still able to serve customers remotely—but in a very different way. Some live in Alaska, where stone companies are few and far between. They send him drawings with penciled-in measurements, and he cuts according to their specifications, then packs the finished countertops with great care and ships them off. So far, customers been happy with the results.

Advanced technology isn’t necessary for every job. But if you’re particular about how your stone countertop, wall, floor, or stairway fits in with your décor, it’s nice to know you have options.

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Technology has become so prevalent in society that we take many everyday wonders for granted. Tools, apps, and gadgets that improve the energy efficiency and security of our homes, remind us to exercise, allow us to download the latest novel and communicate with friends and colleagues around the world instantaneously, have changed how we live and work. Technology is also impacting the natural stone industry and it opens up a world of possibilities for your projects and saves time, money, and resources throughout the process.

Today stone can be quarried using less energy, processed in only a few minutes, and fabricated using less water, reducing the overall impact on the environment. These benefits are all possible because of the latest technology, including a few high-tech fabrication techniques discussed here, such as Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machinery, water jet, 3D modeling, and sandblasting. Having some knowledge of these techniques will help you more clearly define your choices and expand your design options in ways you never imagined before.

Selecting a Stone

It starts at the point of selecting the right stone for the project. What type of stone would best fit your personal taste, budget, and style? With almost endless materials, colors, and finishes available, even choosing a stone for a kitchen countertop or bathroom flooring can be a tedious and overwhelming task. But now you can gain access to practical and technical stone information at the touch of a button.

Selecting a stone by hand can be enhanced by learning about the type of stones and their characteristics online first before heading to the stone yard or showroom. Left: Stone slabs stacked in a stone yard waiting to be chosen and finished for a project. Right: Stone samples to choose from in a showroom. Photos courtesy of Stephanie Vierra

Like a favorite new novel that you can download and read anywhere, you can also search and download resources to learn about different types of stones and how they should be installed and maintained. This convenience puts a great wealth of knowledge at your fingertips–from swatches to design books and testing information–which is extremely useful in eliminating guesswork and preventing costly mistakes. An excellent place to conduct this research is online. Many companies provide comprehensive information on their website. The Natural Stone Institute is a great resource with a wide range of documents available for purchase or download. The site directs you to the information you need as a consumer or professional in the stone industry. Be sure to ask questions and bookmark stone samples, designs, and installations that you prefer. This will help you select the stone you want more easily and communicate more effectively with your stone supplier or installer.

CNC Machinery

After you have selected the stone, the next step is to fabricate it into the correct size, shape, and finish. A widely used technology at the fabrication stage is computer numerically controlled (CNC) machinery.  CNC makes it possible to develop a design in the computer first and refine it before applying the design to the material.  What began as a simple block or slab of stone can end up with curves, impressions, texture, and shapes carved into it.

While you are interested in the end result, you can feel good knowing that the CNC technology saved time, increased the precision of the cuts, and reduced waste. Talk to your local stone fabricator and ask if they are using this technology. Consider personalizing and customizing the design to make the project uniquely yours. Perhaps your initials or favorite sports team’s name carved into the side of a sink, or your company name etched into a work surface.

An example of CNC machinery being programmed and tweaked at the control side before the machinery implements the final design. Photos courtesy of Stephanie Vierra

Various patterns that can be cut into natural stone using CNC technology. Photos courtesy of Stephanie Vierra

Water Jets

Water jet technology has also become more widely used in the natural stone industry. While the water jet has been around since the late 1800s, the technology keeps improving and is used with such accuracy that it saves more money and time than ever. Aria Stone Gallery documented some of these advantages in their blog post “Cutting Natural Stone with Water Jet Technology.” They found that the “water jet has the ability to create intricate detail with the utmost accuracy, with less maintenance and lower costs than traditional laser cutting devices. Depending on the settings, the water jet can produce different results. The details may be subtle to transform smooth, earthy stone to appear as though it has a linen textured finish. On a larger scale, the natural stone may be cut into many different shapes and details to create sculptures and large-scale art installations. As this technology continues to advance, artists and engineers will find endless creative possibilities.” Imagine an elaborately carved bathtub or bar feature that will provide many years of enjoyment.

Examples of the intricate detail and sculptural art that can be created using water jet technology on natural stone. Images courtesy of Aria Stone Gallery.

3D Modeling

Renovation projects where existing materials or designs must be matched can bring a host of challenges that technology such as 3D modeling can help meet. To match a serpentine pattern of 120-year-old stones in a historic church in Virginia, 3D scanning technology was used by the granite fabricator. A complete scan of the church produced a 3D model, which was then converted into 2D documents used to trace the pieces. Next, the granite fabricator used the 2D drawings to create a 3D Revit model. The extensive efforts ensured the new façade would replicate the existing with accuracy. This same approach can be used to match an existing or historic façade or other stone elements, especially if you are interested in preserving the character and original design intent of the stone. Perhaps instead, you want to emulate the look of the French Cháteau you recently visited or the Tuscan Villa that you saw in a magazine in your new home. A 3D model can be created from pictures that would replicate the design with accuracy and precision and the most appropriate stone and finish chosen to match the design and make it look historic.

Example of 3D and 2D scanning technology used by the granite manufacturer to match the existing serpentine pattern of the historic stone at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Staunton, Virginia. Photo courtesy of ©Coldspring.

Sandblasting

When a project’s design calls for images to be etched into stone, high-tech sandblasting capabilities can bring the vision to life. Such was the case with the granite entrance to Boston Children’s Hospital, fabricated by Coldspring. Intricate dot matrix stenciling and a sandblast process transferred the artist’s images to polished gray-black stone. The 1,200-square-foot, L-shaped wall greets visitors with playful images of animals and foliage that includes dragonflies, butterflies and flowers and provides a different view with each experience. Through the sandblasting process, various shades of gray were produced and recessed into the stone. Each adjacent piece was carefully laid out and lined up to ensure the image flowed correctly across the entire wall. Stone selection is a critical decision for a sandblast project. Typically, a dark-colored stone provides an effective and necessary contrast against the images inscribed into the stone. Mesabi Black granite provided such a contrast, offering the ideal background to allow the animals and foliage to shine through. Additionally, the grain structure and stark gray-black color has a beautiful appearance in many different finishes, which allows designers to achieve a contrast in color without the use of different stones. Imagine this idea applied to a feature wall or countertop in your next project.

The 1,200-square-foot, L-shaped wall of the Boston’s Children’s Hospital greets visitors to the hospital with beautiful artwork and imagery including playful images of animals and foliage transferred to a gray-black granite background. ©2016 Amesse Photography

New technologies will only continue to expand and grow in importance and ease of availability. As designers and consumers continue realizing the benefits of technology, the demand for digital craftsmanship in stone design is expected to increase. The design world and consumers will have even more opportunities to see fine, detailed stone work in more applications. The possibilities are only limited by one’s imagination. Ultimately, the use of sustainable, natural stone in project designs will become the norm. So take advantage of the latest technology when designing with natural stone. You will find your knowledge expanded and the total process of selecting, fabricating and installing natural stone a more seamless, creative and positive experience.

A striped stone makes a statement. With all the materials that imitate natural stone, none of them have captured the way natural stone tends to form in rhythmic layers. Striped patterns in stones are usually caused by layers of sediment that have accumulated over time. If you’ve ever stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon, you know exactly what I mean. You can appreciate the vast procession of rock layers, laid down by former beaches, tropical coral atolls, sweeping rivers, and muddy floodplains. Much of Earth’s history is recorded in layer upon layer of sediment. This is one of the fundamental concepts of geology.

When a layered rock is quarried and sawn into blocks, its layers look like stripes. They can be subtle or vivid; straight, wavy, or chaotic. Bringing a stone with stripes into your home does two things: it creates a stunning visual, and it serves as an ongoing reminder of how your natural stone has recorded the passage of geologic time.

Stripes = Time: Eramosa Limestone

Eramosa limestone. Photo courtesy of Owen Sound Ledgerock.

Most sedimentary rocks are layered, with each layer representing some interval of geologic time. There’s no standard for how much time is encapsulated within one layer. In deep ocean basins, sediments accumulate at the unimaginably slow rate of a half-inch every thousand years. But during a flood, several feet of sand and gravel can be deposited in a single day.

Stones that have very regular, repeating layers of similar size tend to be formed by cyclic events like seasons, tides, or small floods. Eramosa Limestone is one example of a stone with a repeating pattern of brown and tan stripes. The stone’s rich color and subtle, warm stripes are evocative of a rich wood grain. Eramosa is quarried in Ontario, Canada and the stone is limestone. The stripes are flat, hinting that they formed in a setting with calm water and not a lot of currents. The alternating layers in the stone are made of dark brown limestone and lighter tan limestone. The darker brown layers contain more clay and the light tan layers are made mostly of calcite. The clay layers may have been caused by seasonal fluctuations or other changes in water circulation.

Eramosa Limestone is most commonly used as “vein cut” which means the stone is sliced perpendicular to the layering. This produces slabs with straight stripes. For a more organic look, “fleuri cut” (also called cross cut) slices the stone along its layers, like cutting away just the top layer of a birthday cake. Cutting the stone in this direction enhances the slight waviness in the layers, giving the slab a distinctly different aesthetic.

Muted Stripes: Olympic Striato / Marmara White 

Striato Olympico marble. Photo courtesy of The Tuscany Collection.

Striato means “striated” or “streaked” in Italian, and what is most striking about this gorgeous stone is how dead flat the layers are. The alternating bands are stark in their geometric perfection, but softly diffused in their grey and white coloring. The overall effect is crisp and tidy, while also incorporating two of the most popular colors for kitchens and baths. This stone is a clever way to bring traditional marble into a contemporary design.

That said, this stone is a bit of an outlier, geologically speaking. The marble we have come to know and love is characterized by swirls and flowing ribbons of color. How’d this one end up so straight-laced?

Marble, as you probably know, is a metamorphic rock. It’s a heated, squeezed, and recrystallized version of limestone. The grey bands in Striato or any other marble started out as clay layers – the same as the dark stripes in Eramosa. But typically when a rock undergoes metamorphism, it gets compressed, buried deeply, and pushed, pulled, and twisted along the way. That’s what gives marble the flowing, taffy-like swirls of color.

But Olympic Striato doesn’t have any swirling at all. Its stripes are perfectly flat, just as they were when the rock was originally laid down as layers of limestone and clay. There are two ways that could have happened. The first is that the stone was compressed perfectly evenly, squeezing the entire area at the same rate, the same amount, and from the same direction. That seems pretty unlikely to me, but I suppose it’s possible. Another explanation is that the rock became metamorphosed from heating alone, without much compression. This happens when a body of molten rock sidles up to a sedimentary rock, heating it up. This can occur when a pocket of liquid magma bubbles upward within the Earth’s crust, like a blob of lava in a lava lamp. The molten rock heats anything nearby, baking it into a metamorphic rock. The geologic name for this is contact metamorphism, because just being near the hotter rock causes the metamorphic effect. This is not unlike the related term contact high, wherein the effects of a drug are experienced by nearby onlookers.

Well, you certainly don’t need to be high to appreciate this beautiful stone. It hails from the small Turkish island of Marmara, where marble has been quarried since 320 AD. Olympic Striato is also called Marmara White; the name Marmara comes from the description of the island’s famous rock and translates to ‘crystalline rock.’

Psychedelic Stripes: Iron Red

Iron Red granite. Photo courtesy of Brasigran.

There are two astonishing things about Iron Red. The first is obvious: look at that thing! A moody mixture of deep red and metallic black, alternating in thin layers. The vivid stripes can be relatively straight, or swirled up into patterns befitting of a heavy metal album cover. This stone is not subtle, nor is it for everyone. But if you want something that stands out from the crowd, Iron Red might be your match.

Equally compelling, to me anyway, is the geologic story of Iron Red. This stone is so unique and well known, that any geologist or geology student will instantly recognize it. It’s the signature of a specific time in Earth’s history, seen all around the world’s oceans at the same time. Iron Red marks the first time in Earth’s history that there was abundant oxygen in the atmosphere. You may remember from 6th grade science class that the early Earth did not have what we would consider to be hospitable conditions. The atmosphere was rich in carbon dioxide and methane, and had no oxygen. Early life forms called cyanobacteria used photosynthesis to take in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen as their waste product. They did this happily (actually I do not know if they were truly happy, but I like to imagine they were) for a casual billion years or so.

Around 2.5 billion years ago these cyanobacteria had exhaled enough oxygen that they essentially polluted their whole environment. Oxygen built up to the point where “suddenly” (geologically speaking) the balance was tipped and the oxygen combined with iron in seawater. This formed iron oxide minerals that sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Worldwide, a layer of metallic iron oxide settled to the ocean floors, clearing the air of extra oxygen and allowing the cyanobacteria to thrive once more. But the oxygen built up again, caused another dose of oxidation in the oceans, and the next layer of iron oxide accumulated. Each cycle created a new layer of iron oxide, followed by a layer of sand.

The dark, sparkly layers in Iron Red are the iron oxide mineral, hematite. The red layers are jasper, which started out as sand, and became metamorphosed into solid silica. Jasper’s red color comes from the iron. Most rocks like Iron Red are not used as decorative stones, but rather as iron ore. They are the richest source of iron in the world.

Iron Red comes from a productive mining province in Brazil called Quadrilátero Ferrífero (which translates to “iron quadrangle”). This iconic rock is also found in the Iron Range around Lake Superior, as well as in Australia, Ukraine, South Africa, Norway, and India. Geologists call it the banded iron formation.

One caveat for designing with Iron Red is that it will rust in wet locations. It’s not the best idea to use it outdoors or as a shower or sink basin. The stone is also notoriously difficult to fabricate because it is hard and dense. It will wear through cutting tools, and the work can only proceed slowly and patiently. Fabrication will cost more and is best left to a seasoned fabrication shop. But in the end, you’ll have something that is both visually and geologically unique.

Unlike granite or marble, which continue to form today, the banded iron formation was a one shot deal. It only formed during a few episodes in Earth’s ancient history, and it can’t happen again. Now, there is too much oxygen available all the time, so it can’t build up in a big dose like it once did.

Beyond the stunning colors and intriguing history, lies another lesson. Earth is a complex balance between the atmosphere, oceans, land, and the life that inhabits it all. Seemingly small life forms have the power to change the course of the entire planet. That’s something worth thinking about as we ponder our own mark on the world.

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