STORIES | doral stones

doral stones
- Jul 31, 2020
- 5 min read

For the Love of Marble!

Updated: Aug 26, 2020

Post By: Camila da Paz | Source: Holly Mathys Interiors

Estrela Doce Bakery | Serta, Portugal

Undeniably marble is one of the oldest and most beautiful Natural Stones on the market, used for a wide variety of structural and aesthetic purposes. It adds a touch of elegance to nearly everything and, is one of the longest-lasting materials available on the market. So I think to myself: How come there is this so-called "marble-phobia" entrenched in the American culture? I might be wrong here, but I don't think other markets fear having this amazing product in their house, au contraire, they desire it! So, let's address this issue, shall we?

There are many factors to consider when talking about marble for counters, for example. The main one seems to be does it stains? This is the big question many people renovating or building want to know. The whole marble versus granite, quartzite, limestone or quartz debate plus many more considerations that can be overwhelming. This is not to be an exhaustive study of each but I will give you some information on what I have learned recently working with clients and in my own home.

Isn’t marble super fancy? That's a misconception many people have to get over, marble is not really that fancy or formal. Yes, it’s beautiful but it’s not pretentious or overly dressy in my opinion. It’s actually a very natural and honest material. It works very well in both older and new homes. Think of the Old World! Think ice shops, charming bakeries and cute little restaurants. If you have travelled in Europe then you have seen marble in both art museums and in cafes. It’s used everywhere, from the elegant to the everyday, because it’s such a wonderful and pretty material.

Elektra Bakery | Edessa, Greece

Aren’t there different types of marble? Yes, there are so many different types of marbles in a wide range of colors, with heavy dramatic veins and with no vein at all! You really have to look at the slabs yourself and decide what look you want for your home, since it really varies. Granted it is a natural stone so it's never going to be uniform, so always try to see the slabs before you purchase and educate yourself before you invest.

Doesn't it stain? Yes, marble is a natural material, soft and porous and it can stain and chip, scratch and etch. In fact, polished marble is beautiful but does etch more than honed and sealed marble. Honed marble and wonderful new sealers prevent staining in most situations. Many companies even offer a 15 year guarantee on stains, but not etches. Everyone I talked to that has recently installed honed marble says “yes it etches some” and “yes I was nervous at first” but “I love it and would do it again.” I think it’s a personal decision. If you are a perfectionist and very type A, which I am not, then it’s probably not the ideal material for you. Maybe you should try other natural stone options ...

Casa Tua Cucina | Brickell City Center

So what is itching? It’s just a dull looking watermark. Usually wiping down with a warm cloth they go away. It’s important to dry them as well if possible. You can’t see them or photograph them easily but can see sideways in the light. Water spots usually wipe away but acidic things like lemons, pickles, tomatoes and wine can etch more permanently. I haven’t had any major problems at all. I have several cutting boards in my kitchen and I'm a very neat and tidy person. My friends and family that drink lots of wine have coasters for their bottles and glasses. This may sound really troublesome to you but its worth it. Especially when it feels 120 degrees outside in Miami and you touch that cool soft marble. Bottom line, etching will happen, it's inherent to marble so be sure this isn’t something that is going to bother you down the road, and should it, really? Plus, there are anti-etch products that you can try!

Sagrado Cafe | Downtown Miami

What about quartz? If after some research you decide that marble isn't for you, your lifestyle or personality, remember there are other amazing natural stone options out there! You know granite will always be there for you, but if you love the marble looks, you can choose either dolomite or quartzite, which are way harder than marble making them perfect for countertop use! Some may say quartz is the best option 'cause it will never chip, stain nor etch but I must be real honest with you, that's not entirely true. Quartz can change color throughout the years, they do stain and they do etch and chip, but I mean, you know what works for you!

How do you clean it? Well not with bleach or lysol. This may freak some people out, those who want to disinfect their counters. Soap and water work best with marble. I have been using Mrs Meyers cleaner and I love it! With marble, most people use one or more chopping boards so that really helps with cleanup and the need to disinfect. Just make sure your cleaners are natural and with no vinegar.

Isn’t it pricey? When it comes to price you just have to shop around. It’s marble. It’s not cheap but you might be surprised when comparing it to other commonly used materials. Be sure and ask if the quoted price includes fabrication and installation. I will say I have been surprised more and more when working with clients to find out that simple Carrara is cheaper than some granite, and certainly less expensive than branded quartz and other man made products!

Edge seams and profile: Now here is an issue you need to be aware of edge seams. When marble is 2cm thick, is the least expensive. You can get 3cm thick slabs and if it’s in your budget I suggest it because it gives you a nice thick natural edge. A 2cm slab of marble can be mitered to give the look of a thick edge. Talk to your installer about this, how this turns out really depends on the installation, if you are really concerned, consider getting a 3cm slab. Of course that is more expensive. Another alternative to the edge seam is to get a decorative profile, that profile allows a place to hide the seam.

Is installation messy or time consuming? Speaking of installation, it should be fast. One day you can get everything done, but I am sure this depends on your project and your installers. It takes much longer to get tile work done on the backsplash, but you can also get stone slabs as a backsplash, it it gets gorgeous! Be sure and ask if they will seal it the same day.

Confession: I have to admit, I was a bit nervous with my marble counters at first. It’s kind of like bringing a new puppy home. You are in delighted, you want to play with it, but you want to be careful. Wiping and shining and staring. But slowly the new has worn off and I don’t yell at my husband when I see coffee spilled on the counter. It’s just that at the end of the day, counters are just stuff, so let’s don’t get wound too tight about it. But I will say, marble is a beautiful and honest material, and I'm glad I finally took the plunge and brought it into my home. I love all natural things, so wear and imperfections are a good fit!

What about you? Have you used marble while redoing a kitchen or bath? Is it honed or polished? How do you clean it? Would you install it again? Let me know in the comments!

doral stones
- Jul 24, 2020
- 2 min read

Meet Barbara Segal: The artist that makes luxury bags from luxury stones

Updated: Aug 26, 2020

Post by: Camila da Paz | Source: NYPost

Barbara Segal is such an amazing artist I am surprised I've never heard of her work before! Not that I've heard of all amazing artists that are out there, but she creates beautiful sculptures carved from natural stone such as marble, onyx, and calcite.

Born in 1953, she studied at Pratt Institute in New York City in the early 1970's and spent two years at the L'Ècole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. After that, she moved to the marble capital of the world - Italy - where she worked in fine studios such as Tommasi Fonderia and SGF Studio Scultura, and with Jacques Lipshitz, Augustin Cárdenas, and Max Bill, before returning to NY in '70s.

Segal uses traditional carving tools such as chisels and stone cutters and acquires material from stone quarries all over the globe. Her work was inspired by the textures and patterns of the Renaissance and Baroque sculptures she saw while studying in France and Italy. In her TedX talk, she speaks on being inspired by cathedrals and the fact that she could see the hand of the artist in these architecture works. She re-recreates pop and fashion icons such as a Louis Vuitton handbag and a Chanel gift bag in stone.

Her work explores society's fascination with status symbols and the impact they have on culture. By turning these cultural objects into 100-pound sculptures made from stone, Segal transforms them into the semblance of a historic relic. One of her larger pieces is a 3 foot tall Chanel bag that weighs 2,000 pounds! This sculpture is permanently exhibited at Hotel Ella in Austin, Texas.

"Obsessive Compulsive" 2013 | Utah White Marble

She has held solo exhibitions at The Neuberger Museum of Art, and at Vassar College, and representations at many galleries in Europe and around the US, including two here in Florida, Gallery Biba and Art Angels.

Segal teaches Sculpture at New York Academy of Art and at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She also teaches workshops at her art studio in New York.

Here's a passage from the New York Post article:

Barbara Segal’s handbags are so heavy, they would give any chiropractor a fit.

“You can’t carry them around,” the Yonkers artist says, “but so many women with Birkins just stare at their bags."

“They’ll say, ‘My bag is a work of art.’ Mine, too!”

Segal carves her 100-pound versions of the Birkin — the iconic Hermès tote — out of stone like orange calcite. “Stone transforms it into an almost religious item of worship,” she says. “It’s turning the Birkin into a historical relic.”

As for her art bags trying to convey any message about consumerism, Segal demurs. “I’m not trying to say if it’s good or bad — they’re . . . beautiful!”

"L.V.B.S." 2017 | Greek Marble

"Black Candy" 2016 | Portoro Marble

"Black Candy" 2016 |

Portoro Marble

doral stones
- Jul 17, 2020
- 3 min read

The Purity and Architectural Beauty of Marble Façades

Updated: Aug 26, 2020

Employing state-of-the-art construction methods and inventive design strategies, these contemporary façades seek to restore marble to its former glory.

Post By: Camila da Paz | Source: A rchitizer

Driving around South Florida, specifically around Miami, you can see new constructions popping everywhere, and I get this indescribable joy when I see designers or architects using natural stone as interior design finishes, when there are many industrialized materials spreadly available. But if you really want to stand out, nothing beats the good'ol marble. I know architects are trying to re-invent the use of marble in their projects, as I see so many new modern buildings with incredible marble façades. I found this article from Architizer that proofs my statement:

Timeless, enduring, and stately, marble has been used since ancient Greece and Rome for the most important buildings of civilized society, from temples to bath houses to markets. The expense of quarrying and transporting the stone often constituted the bulk of construction costs, along with the workmanship of shaping and securing the heavy blocks. As the cost of labor increased, use of marble came to be reserved for the most socially significant buildings, such as courthouses and city halls.

With technological advances in the last half-century, marble became available not only as traditional dimension stone, but as thin panel cladding. Abundant and flexible, marble is one of the most frequently used types of stone in architecture and sculpture. Despite the material’s malleability and manifold capabilities, marble architecture often resurrects a confined vision of homogeneously grande and triumphant buildings.

The following collection exhibits marble’s elastic qualities, highlighting buildings ranging from an enormous pavilion created from recycled materials, scaled all the way down to a brick information center in the countryside. Such heterogeneity means that within this collection alone, marble may be described as solid, sinuous and translucent all at once. With marble quarries in nearly all of the regions of the world, these buildings are not only locally sourced, but also offer exciting possibilities through the implementation of a singular unifying material.

Material Properties and History

Marble, as you guys know, is a metamorphic rock that derives from the transformation of limestone and other sedimentary carbonate rocks under high heat and pressure. Unlike slate or mica, in which differential stress creates planes of cleavage, marble is non-foliated, which permits its widespread use in sculpture and construction.

Hundreds of different types of marble are found throughout the world, including the United States, Europe, India, and Brazil. Characteristic veins and gradations in color result from impurities in the limestone, which move and re-crystallize as the stone metamorphoses into marble. In commercial applications, the term “marble” may refer to a number of geologic formulations, including true calcite and dolomite, as well as travertine, serpentine, and hard limestone.

Once the premier material in the architect’s palette, the difficulties of building with this luxurious stone and the development of cheaper alternatives have led to a steady decline in its use as a façade treatment. And who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Employing state-of-the-art construction methods and inventive design strategies, these contemporary façades seek to restore marble to its former glory.

Advantages

What makes it a firm candidate with respect to other construction materials? Let’s see ...

High strength: because it is a metamorphic rock, mainly formed of limestone rocks, which gives it excellent heat resistance.
Singular material: nature was responsible for forming it over time, which means each piece will possess a different particularity to another piece.
A wide variety in colors and textures, which assist when creating or designing projects.
Timeless: the passage of time does not leave its mark on it, thus it maintains its natural aspect. If we compare it with other materials, we will see that marbles are longer-lasting.
Various uses: it offers multiple possibilities in both decoration and construction. Its use extends to both interiors and exteriors.

Available in a wide range of colors as well as polychrome inlaid with other minerals, it is appreciated because of its strength, durability and luxurious aesthetics.