About 10 years ago, former Stone World editor, Michael Reis, traveled to Carson City, NV, to visit James Donaire of Perfection Connection Marble & Granite, Inc. At that time, Donaire faced a lot of competition in the market, as he specialized primarily in middle- to high-end residential fabrication, with a very small focus on the commercial market.

Hospitality at its core is about creating a welcoming space. When entryways, kitchens and bathrooms have stained stone, tile and grout, they are far from welcoming. Be sure to protect all your jobs with a quick application of a penetrating sealer, because as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure.

With the hospitality design sector in a seemingly constant state of change, tile and other alternative material manufacturers need to stay up-to-date on current trends in colors, shapes, finishes and sizes to meet the demands of the architectural and design community.

In recent years, Continental Cut Stone has expanded its capacity while working to address environmental challenges. The company, located in Florence, TX, has added several fabrication machines to its production area, including a CNC, to increase efficiencies.

First impressions are everything -- especially in the luxury hospitality business. That’s why Las Vegas icon, Bellagio Hotel & Casino, refused to compromise their brand’s reputation for elegance when a custom-carpet entry floor showed signs of deterioration.

Waterjetting isn’t new to stone fabrication, though it is still not the norm. Due to being quick, accurate and safe, waterjets are starting to be featured more in stone shops working in the custom architectural and design fields.

The Chapel of the Holy Cross on the campus of Jesuit High School in Tampa, FL, is now housed in a beautiful new building that is adorned with a host of natural stone varieties, including Indiana limestone, Pennsylvania Bluestone and Italian marble.

The Royal Alberta Museum is the largest museum in Western Canada. It originally opened in 1967 and was called, at the time, the Provincial Museum of Alberta. In 2011, construction of a completely new museum was announced and started in 2014. The museum was finished two years later in 2016.

The Pinnacle Awards competition is open to natural stone professionals from around the world and are presented to projects whose beauty, creativity, ingenuity and craftsmanship exemplify professional mastery in the use of natural stone in commercial and residential applications.

Considered to be the most monumental addition to Liberty Island since the Statue herself, the new Statue of Liberty Museum opened to the public on May 16, 2019. The museum was built with three components – accessibility, education and sustainability – in mind.