When construction began on Venuti’s Ristorante - a combination conference center, banquet hall and restaurant/lounge in Addsion, IL - owner Vittorio Venuti and his consultants selected a broad palette of stone materials for the interior as well as the exterior. And to ensure that the project would maintain its initial beauty over the long term, the contractors treated all of the stonework after installation with Fila maintenance products, including both indoor and outdoor applications.
The exterior facade of the building features 32,000 square feet of travertine and 6,000 square feet of limestone, along with 2,000 square feet of mosaics. The stone was supplied by Stonecraft USA of Darien, IL, and specified by The Infinity Corp., with independent agent Steve Gebbia of Hales Corner, WI. The contractor for the project was CNC Stonecraft of Chicagoland, while the design was the work of the International Group Design.
According to Sardone, a major project goal was to “reconstruct and bring to life which was past in history and declare and show the western world how the ancients created those places. Looking back in history, there are many architectural building that have the same Greek Roman style, but for some reason, we don’t see this in construction these days. My objective was to bring together the ancient style with a supportive cost.”
In recalling the classic look of centuries ago, the project not only features a traditional design, but also classic, timeless materials. Italian travertine, excavated from the historic quarries of Tivoli, is combined with Barocco/Rococò Leccese Italian limestone - purchased directly from Bianco Cave Lecce.
The interior design of Venuti’s Ristorante also uses timeless materials, including 10,000 square feet of Crema Marfil marble and 3,000 square feet of Rojo Alicante marble from Spain. In addition to being used as flooring throughout the complex, these two materials are combined for an intricate circular pattern below the grand double staircase, with a stone sunburst pattern at the center. The interior also includes 500 square feet of Spanish Gold marble, 4,000 square feet of travertine with a brushed finish, which provides an antiqued look, and 18,000 square feet of mosaics.
In addition to providing a feeling of timelessness and elegance, the interior stonework helped to set a unique mood for each area. For example, the foyer colors were used to recall warmth and light, while the chapel features some of the most delicate colors to create a feeling of relaxation and calm that bond people together. In a dining room facing north, the colors are rich, dark and heavy to denote the night.
Complementing the stonework, 6,000 square feet of Brazilian cherry hardwood was used in the restaurant and bar/lounge area, and over 36,000 square feet of Italian porcelain tiles were also used for kitchens, bathrooms and service rooms.

Long-term maintenance

After installation, a range of products from Fila Chemicals USA Corp. was used for durability over the long term. The exterior facade received a deep cleaning using Fila Cleaner, a neutral cleaner, alternated with Fila PS/87, an alkaline cleaner. After this, Fila Hydroprep - a penetrating sealer - was used for all the exterior surfaces. This product was applied to protect the exterior paving and cladding from water and humidity, while also making them water repellent and protecting them from wear caused by atmospheric agents. The product has been proven for other marble projects in harsh climates, such as the Italian Embassy in Washington, DC, and it offers a high penetration capacity, anti-efflorescence properties, long-lasting, renewable protection, a natural-looking finish and non-yellowing characteristics. The product was spray-applied to the exterior.
Inside the facility, the contractor also used Fila care products. All of the countertops were sealed with Fila MP90, a penetrating natural-look water and oil repellent for low-absorption stones, porcelain and terrazzo tiles. Fila MP90 was chosen by the contractor for its deep penetration and durability, while at the same time not changing the color of the stone.
Moreover, all of the mosaics were treated with Fila StonePlus. In this application, the contractor wanted to intensify the color with a matte finish and at the same time provide water and oil protection as well as increased durability.