Of all building materials, stone is perhaps the most timeless. From the towering limestone pillars of The Acropolis in Greece to the large-format marble tiles installed in modern homes, stone has a charm that transcends generations.
“Natural stone is like a living thing,” says Rebecca Lorenzon of Designsource. “It creates its own patina and ages beautifully. Villas in the South of France inspire awe because the stone floors have been walked over for 500 years; stone gets better and better with age.”
The world is your oyster with Designsource
Drawing from quarries and supply chains worldwide, including Belgium, Italy, Turkey, South America, Egypt, and China, Designsource has supplied the New Zealand industry with natural stone products for over 30 years — offering a bespoke, made-to-order service.
“Where we differ from other suppliers is that we work on a project-by-project basis, so everything is designed and considered as per the architect or the interior designer's request.”
This approach gives architects and designers a world of opportunities to choose from. Rather than selecting from existing stock, design professionals can work with the Designsource team to source and create the perfect product for their project.
“Our process is quite collaborative. Designers and architects will come to us with the look and feel they want to achieve, and we will work with them to figure out what will be fit for purpose, what will suit their colour and material palette, and what will fit within their budget,” Rebecca explains.
“We love to get in on projects at the ground level before building consent is proposed. That way, if we need to supply any technical data, we can offer that at the building consent stage. We have a pretty robust design resolution on product installation depending on what formats we're using, so the earlier the better is best for us — especially given current lead times from certain parts of the world.”
Quality you can’t replicate
Replica products, like porcelain, have become a popular choice, yet Rebecca stands firm that natural stone is always best.
“Man-made materials have their place in the market, of course, but generally the day they are installed is the day they look best. With natural stone, you can repair and restore any damage that occurs over time. It has a gorgeous, organic texture that you just can’t beat, in my opinion, and there are plenty of options to suit all budgets.”
The benefit of working with natural stone is its timeless beauty. Durable by nature, natural stone stands the test of time and traffic — wearing with a graceful quality to reveal soft curves and grains that add character and depth to a space.
Though trends move fast, and there is temptation to reach for the ‘it’ product, designing for a lifetime of use will ensure the building can be enjoyed in all its glory for generations.
“We're a young country in terms of natural stone culture, so we don’t have the history of stone buildings to draw inspiration from like they do in Europe. 30 years ago natural stone options were pretty limited, however, as the world has opened up to New Zealand, we have all these amazing limestones and travertines coming in. I don’t buy into trends; I think natural stone should be timeless. The beauty of stone is that even if you have a fashion change in format sizes, the actual material will be as relevant now as it was in the past.”
Learn more about Designsource.