"The client's specific request was to create a house that looked like it was in the Italian countryside," explained architect Martha Picciotti of Ventura, CA, who added that the homeowners personally selected the stone for the residence along with designer/builder, Park-Sherbo & Ramsey, Inc.
The exterior of the home utilizes 3,000 square feet of Durango Ancient ViejoTM in a San Lorenzo pattern. The stone, which was quarried in Mexico by World Wide Stone Corp. and supplied through Park-Sherbo & Ramsey, Inc., was specified in tile sizes of 8 x 8, 8 x 16 and 16 x 16 inches. "The look is very much like an Italian villa," said Picciotti. "Limestone is very much part of Italian old houses, so it was a very appropriate material to use. It really works well in terms of the architectural style of the home. If you go to Italy, a lot of the old buildings have limestone on them." The ancient stone paving is used throughout the exterior of the home, including patio areas, steps and entryways.