What interior designers love to talk about at dinner parties

I remember I was invited to a gathering at someone's house years ago. We were all sitting in the living room and the conversation was on what we all did for a living. The host asked me and when I said "interior designer" she blanched and kind of drew in her shoulders. Her eyes darted around the room and she said "Oh no! you must think this place is awful!"

I don't often get a reaction like that and the truth is I really don't make judgements when I'm off duty!

What I do love to talk about instead is how great a space can look and feel and why that matters to how you look and feel. I love to talk about the natural world and what a gift marble and stone is. Made under the elemental forces of FIRE and EARTH these materials are among my favourite to work with. And the best place to source the material is Italy. There they have the skills and technology to process blocks of raw stone that are shipped there from around the world. I have gone there often to hand select slabs for my client's projects. Here are some of my photos.

Until next time,

Áine

Featured

Gold Onyx

The light on this polished slab accents how beautiful it is.

Sliced slabs waiting for polishing

I LOVE factories!

Approved by me

Selection is made by approving the exact standard and quality you are looking for. You choose a ‘best quality’ slab that represents the standard for all the slabs you are ordering. One that has all the beauty you are looking for and excludes those qualities you don’t want.

Natural stone slabs

Stacked, awaiting processing.

'Rouge Du Roi'

The Red of Royals. A stunning red marble that I specified in a client’s bathroom.

Processed orders

Slabs ready for shipping.

Material selection

As I select individual slabs they are mechanically handled like this and brought out for me to view.

Marble from Ireland

Green is so associated with Ireland and its not just in our fields! This is Connemara marble.

Water helps

When selecting, you can see better what the blocks potential is like if the material is wet. Just like the stones on the beach are even more beautiful when they are wet with rain or surf.