Before relocating to the U.S. to serve as CEO of Island Stone North America, Nigel Eaton constructed what he thought was going to be his family home in Australia for the next decade. The 5,000-square-foot residence was designed to be clean and modern with a balance of natural elements.

Additional space and storage ranked as top priorities for Katie Katzman when renovating her dated kitchen, as well as to have views of the picturesque lake in the backyard of her Michigan residence.

Set in the Texas hillside on the outskirts of Austin, TX, a newly constructed residence reflects its surrounding habitat with regional limestone featured extensively on the exterior design. And while the native material is also the showcase of several interior applications, the retired homeowners opted to diversify the palette by incorporating additional materials into their living space – making it unique and colorful.

Charmean Neithart loves interior design and all things houses. For the last 18 years, she has been designing homes throughout Southern California for a varied clientele. “The collaborative nature of projects with clients is my favorite part,” said the senior designer at Charmean Neithart Interiors in South Pasadena, CA.

A novice to tile work looking at a new tile installation today might comment, “When did LEGO* pieces start being used to install tile?" Yet we see these little plastic devices being used more frequently for porcelain and stone tile installations. What are they and why are they important for our industry?