Materials
Stone that ages with the house
Travertine records the life lived around it — and, chosen and finished well, looks better for it.
Clients often ask for a stone that will look new forever. We usually steer them toward one that will look better in ten years than it does on the day it is installed.
Honed, not polished
A polished finish shows every scratch and water mark. A honed finish starts soft and matt, so the small marks of daily life blend into it. In the Garden Villa bathroom the fluted travertine walls are honed and sealed; the floor is honed with a slightly rougher texture so it stays safe when wet.
Filled or unfilled? Travertine has natural voids. Filling them with resin gives a smoother, more uniform surface; leaving them open gives more character but collects dust. We fill floors and leave vertical surfaces open.
Choose the stone for its tenth year, not its first day.
Care that fits real life
Every stone we specify comes with a one-page care sheet written for the people who will clean it, not for the contractor. A pH-neutral cleaner, a reseal every couple of years, and no vinegar — that covers most of it.
