Architect and real estate agent Vince Arghdasy prides himself on using the newest and best products for the houses he works on, including ones that are energy efficient and the latest high tech. “In the homes I recently worked on, you can use your cell phone to set the temperature of the house, control the blinds or even chill your wine,” said Arghdasy. “I not only use these products, but I make sure the consumer knows that these products are built into their house and I try to use the best products possible.”

Recently, Arghdasy designed a 4,800-square-foot home in Tarzana, CA, named Casa Blanca, with an idea in mind, giving it a more modern look. He also wanted to get away from natural stone. “One of my complaints with natural stone is that you have to seal it, you can damage it and that it can crack,” said Arghdasy. “So I wanted to find a product that doesn’t have the sensitivity of natural stone, but still has a good look that everyone likes. As I was looking at different products, I came across Neolith. I went to a local distributor where I was able to see the different varieties and colors they feature. I explained I was building a house with a contemporary look and was looking for a product that looked like marble. It would also be nice if I could either have a bookmatching or end-matching product.”

A sales representative for TheSize, located in Castellón, Spain, — the manufacturer of Neolith — went on to explain the product to Arghdasy. Neolith comes in two different slab sizes: 3,200 mm x 1,500 mm, with a thickness of 6 or 12 mm, and 3,600 x 1,200 mm, with a thickness of 3 and 6 mm. Additionally, the product comes in four finishes: satin, silk, riverwashed and polished. Neolith is made from 100% natural raw materials. It is not only a sustainable product, but is heat, scratch and UV resistant. The product can be used for countertops, flooring and wall cladding for both interior and exterior applications.

Arghdasy decided to go with Neolith for the inside of the house. He used six slabs of the Estatuario from the Classtone collection for the kitchen and bathrooms. “After I finished, and because I was so happy with the product in the inside of the home, I went back to ask what I should use for the outside of the house, since there is a patio out there as well. They told me I could use Neolith as well,” said Arghdasy. “I ordered two more slabs for the outside patio. After installing the two slabs to the back patio I can’t put into words how happy I am about the product. It truly is a good product. It’s fantastic.”

The entire project took six months to complete, and because the design of the upscale house was a square, minimal fabrication to the product was needed. During the installation, Arghdasy noticed two different marks on his panels. “It was quite funny actually,” he said. “My painter wrote on my countertop with a pencil and also there was a staining in the bathroom. I tried to remove the pencil line and the stain with a sponge and soap but couldn’t get it off. I contacted the distributor to explain to them the problem. They asked if I used bleach and I told them I think so and I still couldn’t get the marks off. My sales rep from Neolith came out with some bleach and put a couple of drops on the pencil mark and it lifted right out. The same thing was done in the bathroom to the stain and he was able to lift it right out. After that happened, I said, ‘Oops, maybe I did forget to use bleach.’ From then on I knew I had the right product and I knew I would be using this for future projects.”