For building stone, this edition takes a look at how a residential backyard was transformed into an outdoor oasis (page 22). Chris Garek of Stone Pro sought to make his backyard a space where it was not only beautiful, but also functional for him and his family.

Recently, United Airlines introduced a new on-board business class product called Polaris. They have now started creating passenger lounges also called, United Polaris, to allow passengers to relax, eat and drink before getting on their flight. Starting on page 26, we explain the features of the lounge, the material used and the challenges that are faced when trying to get material into a secured area that is usually crowded with pedestrians.

Finally, we sat down with Sara Chiarilli, the owner of Artful Conceptions, to discuss how she got into being a designer, how often she uses stone or tile and how she goes about choosing these materials for a project. You can read about her in the interview, which begins on page 32.

In the coming months on CSTDmag.com, we will have additional stories that feature large-format tile that include using Quantum Porcelain slabs to make a rehabilitation facility feel like a spa and also a commercial lobby that uses Laminam to provide a contemporary aesthetic, as well as sound technical characteristics.

At each design or tradeshow that we go to, it seems that large-format tile continues to get larger and used in even more applications. If you have a project that you would like us to cover either online or in print, let us know, and we would love to show off your work.