Marble – Archstone

Marble Quarrying in Italian Alps: Video

June 7, 2016/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by keatings

We found this amazing short video by Yuri Ancarani of an artistic look inside a marble quarry in the Italian Alps. To see the inner mechanics and workings of the quarry is super informative and reminds us of the sheer hard work and processes it takes to get these amazing natural stone slabs all around the world. Seeing marble in its basic, natural state is really striking. Watching this makes us feel lucky that we can offer and share these pieces of nature in New Zealand and admire their beauty in our factory from half way around the world.

“Marble quarries are places so unbelievable and striking, they almost feel like they are big theaters or sets,” says Yuri Ancarani, the filmmaker behind today’s excerpt from the documentary, Il Capo (The Chief), which follows a quarry boss as he guides his men through the extraction process, using a silent language of gesture and sign.

Ancarani was captivated by the otherworldly landscapes of the quarry. He spent nearly a year filming on Monte Bettolgi, in the Carrara region of the Apuan Alps, in Northwest Italy, eventually deciding to focus his film on the hypnotic, and rather dramatic moment when the monumental marble blocks are freed from the mountainside, and fall to the ground with an earth-shattering thud.

10 Unique Stone Applications

May 28, 2016/0 Comments/in Design /by keatings

Granite, marble, quartz and quartzite can be used for much more than benchtops. Natural stone, wherever put in the home creates a peaceful yet strong environment for you and your loved ones. Both Natural stones and man-made quartz surfaces can be used in various applications, from wall to floor, splash back, a chopping board or coaster.

If budget is a concern, opt for a smaller item and still experience the luxuries that granite, marble and quartz can bring to your special space.

Check out the examples below:

Caring For Your Granite Benchtop

May 28, 2016/0 Comments/in Kitchens, Uncategorized /by keatings

One of the major perks of having granite surfaces in your home, is that they require very little maintenance. Granite is one of the hardest minerals on earth, so is by nature extremely strong and durable. It is also heat and stain resistant. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t need a little bit of loving, with a good routine using basic equipment and product, your granite benchtop will serve you well for many years. The Granite Benchtop Company recommends this fail-safe method for caring for your granite benchtop, to make sure it stays looking as good as the day it was installed.

The method we advise to our clients here at GBC is really basic – a 30:70 mix of Methylated Spirits and water. Inexpensive and easy!

First you’ll need to do a surface clean of the benchtop to remove any loose grime. You can do this simply with a paper towel.
Once the surface is clear, mix together a 30:70 mix of Methylated Spirits and water.
Apply the solution to a cloth and wipe down the stone areas.
Once your done, use a paper towel to pat the excess water off of the surface.
To finish, we highly recommend using a micro-fibre cloth to remove any excess dust or left over solution. This will ensure your benchtop is clean, safe for use and super shiny!

If you have any questions regarding caring for your benchtop you can contact us.

*** It’s important to watch what you use on the granite, over time some harsh acidic kitchen chemicals can take their toll on the surface. Chemicals with acidic properties are the one thing that can corrode the sealing of granite, so do not use any product using vinegar or lemon. ***

*** Soap or detergent is okay to use periodically, however long term use will result in a build up on the surface***

Natural stone home furniture, ‘River and Stream’ by Kreoo

May 16, 2016/0 Comments/in Design /by keatings

We found this article showcasing beautiful interior natural stone furniture by Kreoo. We love the natural organic form of the furniture, it is very aesthetically pleasing. Stone can be a very flexible medium, it is not reserved for flat benchtops or vanity tops. You can make sink bowls, furniture, scultpures or use it as a wall covering. Use your imagination!

“River” and “Stream” represents Kreoo’s official brand offering to the American market. On the anniversary of Kreoo’s debut at Salone del Mobile in Milan 2010, designer Enzo Berti re-interprets and re-designs Pavè, the seating system for indoor and outdoor that has become the brand’s icon.

The new seating “River” and “Stream” are comprised of marble seats set on natural wood bases and offer two unique designs. Smooth, sculptural and with a dash of whimsy, River and Stream are the new seating for indoor and outdoor featuring layered marble and wood bases in two complimentary designs. The first is streamlined and stretched with an extremely elegant effect. The second, a simple drop shape, perfectly rounded and graceful. The contrast of the marble’s intensity and the wood’s playful air provide a graceful and fluid aesthetic.

The two new models are independent, but have been designed to integrate with one another. Rivers’ elongated design compliments Stream’s rounded corner, working together to create a natural modular system with many seats. As in the entire Pavè Stone collection, River and Stream are inspired by the effect of natural river water gliding over the stones of the river bed: water flows, smoothes and polishes, forming nature’s great artwork.

The introduction of the new models offers new opportunities for designers to combine the welcoming stools that are perfect both for contract and home. Through alternate material options the Pavè Stone collection can be used both indoors and outdoors; seamlessly blending with nature or bringing its essence to an indoor space.

Source

Check Out These Surreal Marble & Resin Tables By Alexandre Chapelin

April 9, 2016/0 Comments/in Design /by keatings

A table can pack the beauty of a pristine waterfront beach house—that is, if it’s made by Caribbean-based designer Alexandre Chapelin. His marble and resin furniture is sculptural in nature, as evidenced by the stunning new offerings he’s just added to his ongoing Lagoon table series. By combining the sandy rock with a gradient of deep blue resins, he echoes the deepening azure of the ocean itself.

No two of Chapelin’s creations will ever look the same. “I refuse to make a manufactured product,” he tells The Creators Prpject. “Each model is unique, and I cannot produce two identical tables, so neither will two people own the same table of my creation. I’ve always respected the difference between people, their personalities and characters, and I believe this should reflect in the interior design of their own homes. Therefore our concept is for no two people to ever own the same table.”

His latest work is Lagoon 55, a series of two coffee tables that look like an exotic Caribbean coastline meeting an aquifer, or underwater cave system. You can order your own bespoke version of the tables, created exactly to the measurements that make sense for your home,on his website.

(Source, thisiscolossal.com, thecreatorsproject.vice.com)

Kora Bathtub cut from one single block of marble

April 9, 2016/0 Comments/in Design /by keatings

Designed by Kreeo the ‘Kora’, is an elegant ellipsoidal marble bathtub, that gives uniformity and elegance to the bathroom ambiance, evoking the ancient Tibetan bells. Born as a complement to the gong washbasin, Kora also has a reference to a traditional musical instrument of West Africa, characterized by an elliptical shape. The reference to the music, and specifically to the sound of water, with its quiet and silent impetuosity, is the soundtrack of a new way of experiencing the bathroom of contemporary people, and the Kora is its main protagonist.

The Kora is cut from one single solid block, carved with a meticulous and fine technique, achieved by digging the stone, firstly with specialized technology and then handcrafted for details and finishes. the tub rests on an iron tripod that supports its volume, giving stability and elegance. suspended from the floor, despite the strength of the material, the water finds in ‘kora’ a new lightness. marble is free from its weight and floats in the air. The Kora bathtub is presented in the version bianco estremoz but available in other colors such as bianco carrara, black marquina and grey st.marie.

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(Source, thisiscolossal.com, thecreatorsproject.vice.com)