When it was first constructed, the lobby of the 11-story Beverly Hills Gateway in California was separated by a storefront that created an indoor-outdoor area at a diagonal. The dated granite was dark and caused the entrance to feel uninviting. In renovating the space, project designer Christopher Grubb, President of Arch-Interiors design group, inc., aimed to create one enclosed space, while including a water element and to add a finish that would make the lobby as light and luxurious as possible.

From the beginning, the designer told the client that he envisioned using natural stone to create a feeling of luxury for the building. Fitting its high-end environment, the majority of hard surfaces were made of natural stone. To create an elegant feel in the lobby, Halila limestone was chosen for the flooring. The pieces, which were hand-cut from 24- x 48-inch tiles, radiate out in a circular pattern from the main water feature. Additionally, the vertical pieces of the water feature are also made of the same limestone.

As for the top of the columns and spillway, Honey onyx was used to create additional warmth in the space and to complement the wood paneling. The inside of the fountain consists of chiseled onyx pieces that measure 1¼  x 3/8 inches and are webbed on 12- x 12-inch sheets. “It was the perfect material to marry the limestone with the onyx and add some texture to the space,” Grubb said. After the presentation of these materials, the clients were involved in a meeting to view the limestone slabs for consistency and make sure the small sample translated to a larger slab.