Blog

Marble Tiles vs. Ceramic Tiles: Comparing the Pros & Cons

June 15, 2012

With today's infinite stone look-alike products and the overwhelming amount of information on the web, it's easy to become confused when trying to compare marble tiles and ceramic tiles. Natural stones such as marble, granite and slate range in availability (and price) as they are quarried in various locations around the world and imported to the U.S. Ceramic tiles are composed of clay and inorganic materials that are oven dried and glazed. So when is best to spring for the real thing or settle for ceramic? Let's take a look at the facts.

Read More

The Top 5 Natural Stone Tile Patterns

May 30, 2012
Whether you are looking to honor a classic tradition or tap into your creative side, natural stone tile lends itself to countless design options. To make it easier for his clients to determine their tile style, interior designer Mark Hermogeno narrows down the most popular tile patterns into five main categories. 
Read More

Tips on How to Choose the Natural Stone Tile That's Right for You

May 24, 2012
While there are various tile materials to choose from, "when it comes to durability, natural stone is the crème de la crème," as Houzz staff writer Vanessa Brunner puts it. But choosing to go with natural stone tile is the easy part. It's the next series of decisions that can be a bit harder due to the infinite possible combinations of stone types, colors, edge profiles, finishes and patterns. But before you can think about the design details, you must first decide whether you will use marble, granite or slate as well as which finish - honed, polished, brushed, natural cleft, etc. - that you want this stone to be fabricated with. In order to find the right natural stone tile and finish that is right for you, Brunner suggests asking yourself three questions.  
  1. Where will this tile be installed? Will it be installed as flooring, walls or a backsplash? 
  2. How will this tile be used? Will it be exposed to high-traffic or will it serve as a low-traffic decorative accent? 
  3. What is your tile surface budget? Don't forget to consider cost of installation. 
Read More

Marble and Granite and Wood: 2 beautiful products from nature combined

May 17, 2012
Your home is probably the largest investment you'll ever make, so properly maintaining the residence is essential in sustaining the current value of the home. Of course, there are many methods of upgrading the home, many of which have a direct impact on the value of the house, which is helpful, should you ever decide to sell the home and receive a large return on your investment. Some of the very best material used inside the house for improving value are natural products, such as wood and stone. Natural stone tiles not only age beautifully, but are more desirable than laminate and other imitation materials. If you are looking to upgrade the current fireplace or walkway in your home and have a wood floor surrounding the fireplace, your only main material option for the fireplace is some sort of stone. Brick is used often in this practice, but if you want a more organic feel to the fireplace, there is nothing better than natural stone tiles. 

Natural stone tiles come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, stone type and color. So, no matter how kind of design you are going for, it is possible with these stones. The best part about buying natural stone tiles for your fireplace, entryway, or just about any other location in your home, is you don't need one large piece. This helps it look right at home with wood paneling in the floor. Wood is already desirable inside the house, as it looks cleaner than what carpet does. Additionally, wood paneling comes in different sizes and colors (and kinds of wood) also, so you can select the perfect stain of wood and perfect size of panels to match the size and style of your natural stone tiles at home. 

Natural products blend wonderfully together, as stone tiles along side wood floor paneling gives a very nice aesthetic. You have probably been inside a house where carpet or wood flooring meet in-between rooms and gives off a rather odd look. This is usually because the designer or home owners (or both) weren't sure of how to best stop one material and start another. With wood flooring and stone tile, this isn't the case. The two items, which often are found along side one another in nature, look perfect next to each other in your home, which greatly improves not only the look, but overall home value. 
Read More