While granite remains a popular choice for many homeowners, fabricators and stone distributors catering to the high-end residential market are finding their customers to be more design savvy and come into their showrooms with a desire for a material that is unique and not a mainstream stone variety. As a result, exotic stones are quite the trend these days, but education is important when it comes to working with these materials. Customers must be aware that many of these stones are fragile and difficult to cut, so they come with a higher price tag. But for those working with an upscale clientele, this does not seem to usually be an issue. People are willing to invest in quality and the beauty of natural stone.
“Interest in exotic stones is very high, especially in our Italian white marbles,” said Emily Holle, director of trend & design national marketing at M S International, Inc. (MSI). “The Italian white marble look is the hottest trend in the industry — the designer material of choice. We are finding that customers are looking for something unique to set them apart from the neighbors and are willing to upgrade on the surface that is seen most in a project.”