4 Helpful Slab Selection Tools

If you’re working on a new build, kitchen remodel, or simply upgrading your old or outdated countertops to natural stone, choosing the right slab for your project may feel like a weighty decision – and it is! You will enjoy and use your countertops every day, and though the investment is certainly worth the end result, it isn’t one you will take lightly.

The process may feel overwhelming: selecting the type of stone (granite, marble, or other natural stone), the color, the movement and character of the right piece, and the finish that will fit your needs – there is certainly a lot to decide. Fortunately, MSI offers resources that will help simplify the slab selection process for you:

1.    The Kitchen Visualizer – Your first stop is to play with a variety of slab selections for natural stone and quartz countertops. The visualizer will help you to make the big decisions – including whether you are going light or dark with the countertops, and how that choice may affect other key choices like cabinets, floors, and mosaics. When you imagine a look that works for you, download, print or email your design(s).

2.    MSI Blog – Take some time to review past articles in the MSI blog. Learn more about the advantages of each type of stone and how it will fit with your lifestyle and theme, as well as find great information on how to address overall design. The blog below is an example of one of our many blogs that are specifically written to aid you in slab selection:

MSI Blog - Granite Countertops: The Workhorse of the Kitchen

3.    Website – MSI’s website offers an expansive selection of colors and patterns of granite slabs, marble slabs, travertine, onyx, limestone and more. When you find selections you enjoy, consider pinning them to Pinterest to create a board using MSI Products, another tool that will help you to refine your many choices before you visit a local Kitchen & Bath Dealer as well as allow feedback from others. 

4.    Homeowner Slab Selection Instructional Video – This video will take you through the selection process at an MSI showroom, including what to consider before you arrive and what you’ll need to bring with you to optimize the experience.

As you utilize all of your resources for slab selection, be sure to consider the following:

STONE – Every stone has its advantages and disadvantages. Some etch more easily; others are highly durable. Some are cool and ideal for bakers; others can tolerate hot pans and dishes with ease. Before visiting a showroom, investigate the different kinds of stone and what works best for your needs.

COLOR – You may not have narrowed your choices to one color before seeing slabs in person, however, it is essential to decide beforehand how your countertop will function in the overall scheme of your room. Will it be a contrast or an accent? Do you want your countertops to blend with other elements, or to downplay or highlight them?

MOVEMENT OR CHARACTER – Variance in the slab, such as the amount of veining, swirls, pebbles, or flecks, will also impact whether your countertop is a contrasting, complementary, or statement element in your room. Consider what part of the kitchen you want to stand out most, as that will factor into your ultimate selection.

FINISH – Highly polished, textured, matte, natural – there are several options when it comes to countertops. Edge profiles will go hand and hand with finish as well, as both finishes and edges can create an overall look, from old world to modern. Your fabricator can help you with these decisions, but knowing the overall desired look ahead of time will help you move quickly through the slab selection process.

When you have fully considered the above, it’s time for action! Find a Kitchen & Bath Dealer in your area. (Search online for smaller boutiques with natural stone samples or visit a larger store like Home Depot or Lowes). You will be introduced to a variety of natural stone selections. If you arrive prepared with several options in mind, it will help them to better partner with you. They may have small slab samples on hand, order ones they don’t have that are “must sees” on your list, or may even urge you to visit one of MSI’s 15 North American showroom facilities to hand pick a slab from full-size selections.

After making your selection, MSI will work directly with your fabricator for delivery of your stone. It may be a weighty decision, but selecting a natural stone slab that will enhance your home with beauty and function for years to come is as easy as a little preparation!

M S International does not sell directly to the public nor do we quote any prices.  As the largest natural stone importer and slab distributor in North America, MSI Stone offers slab selection showrooms in support of fabricator and retail partners.  The purchase of slabs must be prearranged through a kitchen and bath dealer prior to showroom arrival.   

Are you looking for a great way to update your bathroom, kitchen, or entryway? Other than the traditional diagonal pattern or brick jointed tile designs for your floors consider taking it up a notch by creating a statement floor.  Creating a unique floor pattern that defines a space can be dual purpose. It can simply create a focal point in the room or serve as a decorative detail that creates a zone in the room. Take a long galley style kitchen and break up the space with a rug pattern made from mosaic tiles in front of the sink. Or choose a bold pattern in classic black and white mosaic tiles to make an impact in your master bathroom.

With so many tile options available, coming up with a tile pattern that suits your style can be fun and it will really turn heads! Here are a few standout tiles that will make you dream home come to life:

After you have selected the color palette for your home project, think about how you would like the floor tile to be laid out. Tile can be a feature that can really changes the look and feel of the room. Don’t be afraid to get some graph paper and a ruler out to create a rough sketch of your floor plan. A tile contractor can help you get the exact dimensions, but be creative and treat your floor space as an integral part of the design in your room. Take a look at this tile medallion used to create a sitting area:

For those that are more adventurous, lets look at mixing patterns. The right mix of patterns can be key to the finishing touches of a perfectly designed room. Mixing patterns can be tricky, it’s a play on scale but color is also a factor. Take a bold black and white striped drapery and pair it with a smaller scale mosaic pattern like a herringbone or octagon. Your statment tile floor can be created as an accent detail that complements the textile patterns in your room or simply mimic an archtectrual detail like an archway. Geometric patterns like greek key, herringbone, and hexagon can be great shapes to introduce with the bold graphic textile patterns seen on drapery and rugs these days. The options are endless with glass mosaic tiles, beautiful stone and glass blended tiles, and natural stone tile mosaics.

Tips for Maximizing the Benefits of the Kitchen Visualizer

MSI’s Kitchen Visualizer is an excellent tool for novice designers looking to find harmony among the basic material selections for the kitchen: countertops, cabinets, floors, and mosaics.  However, one could spend hours playing with the myriad options available in the Kitchen Visualizer – when a more strategic use can produce the best results.

It may be tempting to click away on the Kitchen Visualizer, randomly pairing beautiful materials in an instant. Nonetheless, when every variable is changed each time you try a design, it becomes very difficult to settle on any one design or make a decision. That’s where a little design know-how can help to bring a cohesive theme into focus. 

First, start with one element. Many designers start with the cabinets when styling a kitchen and work around them – for two specific reasons. One, cabinets will arguably be your most expensive, permanent investment. You may change the theme or motif of the room over time, but in general, cabinets will not be replaced until they need it. Two, design is all about contrast, so making that all important decision – dark or light with cabinetry – will then guide the direction for the rest of the kitchen.

Initially, you should decide if you like light or dark cabinets. Currently, the trend is dark cabinets with lighter countertops for contrast. This is a particularly practical trend because dark color cabinets will hide drips and splashes between cleanings, and countertops, which get cleaned more frequently, will highlight drips and splashes for quick, sanitary cleanup. Additionally, light countertops tend to show off colorful foods to their best advantage. Whichever you decide, light or dark, keep in mind that this will be one of your two dominant colors. In design, the formula is typically to select two dominants and one accent. As a dominant color, it’s usually best to keep it simple with a basic color and save the attitude for the accent. 

KITCHEN VISUALIZER TIP: The Kitchen Visualizer offers darker cabinet colors in Cherry and Coffee, a mid-option of Honey, and Maple and White for lighter cabinet options. If you have a non-traditional cabinet in mind, such as stainless steel, select White in place of stainless, as it most closely replicates the brightness in the room. Likewise, if you are looking at a bolder, non-traditional color for your cabinets, like a vibrant blue acrylic, choose Coffee – though it will not be the same color as your blue cabinet, the goal should be to replicate how the cabinet will affect the size of the room. 

Next, move on to the flooring. Your instinct may be to move right to the countertops to get that contemporary contrast you desire, but flooring is more likely your next dominant color. It should contrast with the cabinets, but complement them at the same time. Keep in mind that if the cabinets and the floor tile are too close in color, the look will be overwhelming, with too much of the same material in one area. If your floors will be wood, such as durable porcelain wood tiles, be sure that your cabinet wood and floor wood are of the same tone, though not of the same color. 

KITCHEN VISUALIZER TIP: The Kitchen Visualizer currently offers 6 options for floors. As you make your selections, it will help to consider what color will contrast nicely with the cabinets but will also be the best fit for your lifestyle. Alternate between cabinets and floors until you find a desirable and practical framework for your kitchen. 

When you have settled on the best cabinets and floors for your kitchen, move on to countertop selection. Countertops should not exactly match the floor at risk of appearing too busy, but should be similar enough so that the horizontal lines of the kitchen will feel in harmony; the rising vertical expanse of cabinets will provide contrast. Once you’ve settled on a countertop that works with the floors, then look at them in relation to the cabinets. Again, the contemporary trend is light countertops against dark cabinets – but light cabinets and dark countertops remains a timeless look as well. 

KITCHEN VISUALIZER TIP: Ubatuba granite and Black Galaxy granite are two popular dark countertop selections. If you are looking for a dark countertop contrast to light cabinets, consider starting with one of those dark neutral selections in the Kitchen Visualizer and move to more colorful tones as desired. Colonial Cream granite, White Ice granite, and Crema Caramel granite, in contrast, are some of the popular light countertop selections. Start with these and then warm up or down as needed. As countertops are often the most likely candidate for replacement to update the look of the kitchen, you may be doing a remodel of countertops only. If so, select the cabinets and floors closest in color and style to what you currently have and enjoy playing with the Kitchen Visualizer.

Keeping cabinets, floors, and countertops simple allows you to change your kitchen’s theme more often by tweaking the accent color. The best way to accent is with mosaic wall tiles, as they add both color and practicality as a backsplash, followed by accessories like window coverings and small appliances. (If you choose not to use a wall tile in your kitchen, consider the countertop as your accent against the two dominants of cabinet and floor.) Here bold colors against your more simple choices in cabinets, floor, and countertops will work wonders for giving the room personality. Mosaics are also a great opportunity for showing off countertops, so pick a color or tone within the countertop and exploit it in your backsplash tile for both interest and continuity.

KITCHEN VISUALIZER TIP: Remember that your mosaic tile will be your accent, your attitude, so don’t be afraid of a statement wall that stands out. Going too neutral here can have the result of looking like more of the same. If you don’t see a mosaic tile in the Kitchen Visualizer that speaks to you, MSI offers an expansive wall tile and mosaics collection. Be sure to investigate all your options by fully exploring our website. We offer glass, porcelain, stone, metal mosaics and combinations of all material types.

Matching your cabinets, floors, countertops, and mosaics isn’t all about coordination and contrast. It also involves matching materials to your lifestyle and overall theme of your home. We hope these tips will help you to utilize the valuable Kitchen Visualizer tool quickly, to lessen the amount of time you spend considering your design and move you forward to the fun part – implementation of your beautiful new kitchen!

As the leader in premium surfaces for nearly forty years, MSI offers thousands of materials for countertops, flooring, and wall cladding. Given our extensive selection, is quite a challenge to imagine all the beautiful combinations possible in the mind’s eye alone. MSI is therefore thrilled to announce the launch of the perfect companion to your imagination – the Kitchen Visualizer.

With the Kitchen Visualizer, the user can envision MSI products in different kitchen settings with one quick and easy to use application. This helpful tool mixes and matches cabinet colors with a variety of countertop, floor tile and backsplash tile options. Here are just a few reasons to use the Kitchen Visualizer for a kitchen build or remodel:

The Kitchen Visualizer puts the customer in the driver’s seat. Designers by their very nature can take a mental picture of a wide variety of design components in play at once, yet translating that vision to others can be difficult with swatches, tile samples, and sketches. The Kitchen Visualizer is an excellent companion for the designer who wants to help a client to see their material selections in action. Beyond the kitchen, the Kitchen Visualizer can also demonstrate what works – bathrooms, wet bars, and conference rooms call for similar applications of countertops and wall tile. Designs in the Kitchen Visualizer can easily expand to encompass other areas of the home or office. Clients can play with a wide variety of options to also better contribute to the conversation or vocalize their desires.

The limitations of the Kitchen Visualizer help one to look beyond the basics. The Kitchen Visualizer allows one to manipulate the cabinet colors, countertop, floor tile, and backsplash selections. However, it also expands the imagination to consider other choices that will need to be made in a redesign or build, beyond MSI’s product lines. For example, when selecting MSI tiles for the backsplash and floor, a client might realize that the natural stone materials he enjoys would be better offset by black appliances, rather than stainless, or perhaps by a different color wall. While he cannot change the appliances or wall paint in the tool, the Kitchen Visualizer helps the client to take the entire room into consideration, beyond the flooring, countertops, and mosaic tile options available at MSI, to make the best choices for the project as a whole, and create a full plan for a remodel or build.

The Kitchen Visualizer tames the imagination. When it comes to design, some might say that the sky is the limit. However, selecting components without considering them as a whole can lead to busy, over-designed spaces. The sky may be the only limitation when it comes to the myriad combinations available, but the Kitchen Visualizer will prevent clients from picking too many things they love that cannot exist in harmony. 

 At the same time, the Kitchen Visualizer also expands the imagination. As easy as it is to let a “sky’s the limit” mentality overtake a designer, so too is it possible to limit the imagination for the fear of doing too much. Many clients are afraid to mix and match patterns and colors, knowing how easy it is to do too much and let the theme get away from them. The Kitchen Visualizer takes the guess work out of it. With neutral wall colors and appliances to complement every selection, and two room structure options, the Kitchen Visualizer allow clients, or their designers, to envision everything MSI has to offer – Who knew this would look so good together? I never thought of making a statement with that…

Let the Kitchen Visualizer take the guesswork out of design and use it to create the kitchen of your dreams. With easy clicks, no lengthy uploads, and instantaneous results, the Kitchen Visualizer is an exceptional tool that allows you to save, print, and email any design you create for future use. 

We encourage you to take your time to explore the many combinations possible - and to visit the Kitchen Visualizer often, as it is updated weekly with new colors and products!

White marble is undeniably one of the most recognizable and elegant natural stones available for countertops today.  Marble stone buyers are typically drawn to the high end, discerning look that is a marble countertop, valuing its smooth, clean look for a bathroom vanity, wet bar, or kitchen countertop.  A white marble slab over deep dark wooden cabinets is an Old World look that began with the kitchens and coffee houses of Italy.  It was made even more popular in the U.S. by Martha Stewart centuries later, when she invited viewers into her home to see her work dough and pastries on cool, white cararra countertops. The fresh look of white marble accentuated by a vase of colorful purple peonies, a basket of brown eggs, or a bowl of colorful fruit inspired an explosion of photo shoots and a burning desire by homeowners to mimic Martha’s style in their own homes.

The look of marble slabs, with their striking veins against gorgeous white backdrops, are one reason why people want it. It is the epitome of luxury, for those wanting ‘the best’, and yet it is surprisingly one of the most affordable natural stones, another reason people want it. So why doesn’t everyone have marble countertops in their bathrooms and kitchens?

Marble is known to be a more porous, softer stone than some of its natural stone counterparts. Its nature lends itself to staining and etching more easily. Some buyers are undaunted by the possibilities of chips or stains, however, as they feel the patina adds to the character of their kitchen or enjoy the process of ageing natural materials. Others, however, desire a more modern design aesthetic that necessitates a less “lived in” look for their countertops. With proper choices, care and maintenance, marble countertops can certainly satisfy this second group.

Before we discuss a few tips to keeping marble countertops looking new, we offer a clarification on the term “etching”. Permanent etching would be the result, for example, of placing an acidic lemon face down on a marble surface for a period of time. When removed, the result would be a clear mark that is less shiny than the rest of the surface, likely permanent. Temporary etching would be more like what happens when the stone gets wet from water. The affected portion would appear darker until the water soaks in or dries, with no lasting change to the stone itself (common to many natural stones that are not sealed). For the purposes of the tips below, we’re referring to permanent etching, a result acceptable to those embracing an Old World patina and a result less desirable to those with a modern look in mind.

- Honed marble countertops are a usually a better choice than highly polished marble slabs if the look of etching is not desirable. Permanent etching is less noticeable on a more matte surface.

- All spilled liquids and spices should be wiped immediately from the surface. Red or purple liquids will stain more obviously and should be taken care of with greater urgency. Red wine, beets, turmeric, mustard, oil, and blood are examples of items that should not be allowed to sit on marble.

- New marble buyers are encouraged to retain an unused piece of their marble to test its limits. Leftover pieces from the install, such as remnants from cutting the holes for sinks and faucets, are ideal for this purpose. Use them to experiment with liquids, spices, and knives to get a sense of what your particular countertop can endure. Knowing a red wine drip needs to be swiped up within 5 minutes but a few drops of beef broth can sit for hours on a particular marble is invaluable information down the road to owners who wish to delay ageing.

- There are products designed for polishing marble countertops. Stains can often be removed with these polishes. Keep them handy for spot removal, as the quicker a polish is used, the more likely it will combat staining. Over time, some stains will also fade on their own or become lighter and less noticeable.

- It is true that marble is a “softer” stone. However, it is still stone. It can usually endure more than owners think. Take care in high traffic areas, such as around the sink or landing spots for pots and pans, but keep in mind that the softness of the stone does have an advantage. Marble can be re-honed or polished to treat etching, scratches or stains. Harder surfaces do not offer this option.

- The key to keeping marble looking beautiful is to seal it. Though it can be professionally done, sealing is an easy do-it-yourself project with a wipe-on sealant. Well-sealed marble will ensure liquids bead on the countertop and do not sink in. How often sealing is needed will vary depending on the type of sealant used in the past. When water does not bead on the surface, it is a good indicator that it is time to reseal.

Marble countertops are classic. Timeless. They offer a bright, stunning white unrivaled by other natural stones. Best of all, marbles come in a variety of colors from Carrara White marble to the darkest China Black, and are elegant, affordable options for natural stone lovers. Whether a buyer desires an aged look, etches and all, or a sleeker surface, marble can meet the needs of most, even in high traffic areas.

MSI is the leading importer and distributor of countertop products in North America, offering more than 50 marble color options and patterns to choose from. For more about marble and marble care, click here for a download of “Care and Cleaning of Natural Stone”, or visit The Marble Institute of America or The Natural Stone Institute on the web.

There are generally two options when it comes to any home improvement or design overhaul – custom or pre-fab. These two categories often seem clear cut, but when it comes to new cabinetry, new flooring, or even new natural stone countertops, shopping around can become confusing when “quality” and “expense” are incorrectly used interchangeably within the definitions of each category.

For the purposes of discussion, let’s focus on countertops and the options you’ll find offered by most manufacturers –custom and pre-fab countertops:

Fully Custom Countertops: The sky is the limit in terms of fulfilling the client’s desires. A rare natural stone, an unusual cut, holes for sink and faucets cut to precise specification, any finish and any edge combination – the client specifies the need and fully custom delivers. Premium installations like bookmatching also fall under fully custom, as designing a pattern starts with the cut in the quarry. Premium, “anything goes” services often equate to a higher expense, as additional time, resources, and skill sets are needed to execute the fully custom countertop. They also ensure that no one else will have the same countertop!

Pre-fab countertops: Many manufacturers offer a line of countertops that can be customized at install, known as pre-fab. This typically means that the slab will come in standard sizes and then be cut to specification on the job site, available in a selection of finishes and edges among those most popular in the industry. Clients might not be able to get any finish, edge, or combination possible for that particular material as in a fully custom situation, but the fit will be spot on.

There is a misconception that pre-fab means “cheap” or lower quality. This is simply not true. In reality, pre fab granite countertops are a fit for many customers, particularly those who have standard sizing needs. The most common sizes stocked by MSI are 112x26x2cm and 100x26x2cm, which are good sizes for the kitchen and for bar tops, 84x26x2cm which is a good standard for vanities, and 98x36 (in a limited number of colors) for peninsulas. In addition to sizing, prefabricated countertops are also available in a variety of stones (granite, marble, and prefab natural quartz countertops are all popular options), common finishes, and desirable edge profiles.

Because prefab countertops are less expensive than custom marble, granite, or other natural stone countertops, clients often mistake them for “imitation” stone. In reality, prefab granite countertops are made of real granite, as are pre-fab marble countertops made with real marble. The difference is that the cut is usually thinner and the slabs are adhered to a wood base to reinforce them. On the surface, the natural stone is cared for like any other natural stone countertop – but the pricing is more economical, particularly when one considers that pre-fab countertops use less stone, can be manufactured in bulk, and are less heavy, which cuts down shipping costs.

Many customers confuse price with quality. If custom is the most expensive, it must be the best. However, when it comes to countertops, this is not always the case. Many prefabricated countertops demonstrate that a beautiful natural stone can come in lots of shapes and sizes, and the fact that it costs less to acquire it and for installation (standard sizing is always an easier install than a fully custom job) is a nice bonus. If a client has a standard-sized space to work with, he can have both quality and quantity with a pre-fab job.

In addition to custom and prefabricated options, MSI offers an additional countertop option: Quick and Easy Countertops, which are cut to size for easy kitchen and bathroom installations. MSI also offers a vast variety of prefabricated countertops with matching backsplashes in granite, marble/travertine, premium natural quartz, and venetian marble.

Over the past weeks, we have taken you around the world to see natural stones as we see them – multigenerational, varied, and boundless. We discussed granite, marble, travertine, slate, limestone, and onyx, described how they are formed, and explored their many uses from national monuments, landmarks, and tourist destinations to every day products past and present. This week, in our final installment, we’d like to bring it altogether and offer you an overview of each stone to demonstrate how a premium surface from MSI can become a piece of art in your home or business. 

Granite – Easily the most well-known natural stone as a building material in today’s design lexicon, MSI offers a vast variety of granite countertops and granite tiles for flooring, as well as granite landscaping stones, like cobbles, for outdoor needs. Though it is the hardest of the natural stones and also known as the most “maintenance free”, making granite great for interior and exterior applications, this natural stone’s true virtue is its broad range of patterns, colors and crystalline variation, and versatility when it comes to cuts and finishes. As discussed in our tour of national monuments, granite is a popular choice for its ideal carving surface; however, it is also a perfect choice to bring a little majesty to your next project.

Marble – Your home may not be the Taj Mahal, but it can feel like it with a selection of marble tiles for flooring or marble slabs for countertops. Marble’s distinctive veining that can reveal itself as bands, streaks and clouds and variance in white, black, grayish and even pink and red shades makes it a great natural stone for accenting an area like a foyer, fireplace, or special countertop. As a piece of marble can be more susceptible to etching depending on its mineral content than an invulnerable stone like granite, it is best utilized selectively as a piece of definitive artwork for minimalist or dramatic looks.

Travertine - Travertine exemplifies the uniqueness of natural stone and offers us breathtaking achievements, whether untouched in its native environment or realized as man-made structures. Travertine tiles are one of the most popular natural stones for both interior floors and for exterior floors as travertine pavers. Travertine caps, treads, copings, flagstone, and ledgerstone will also redefine the look of an outdoor paradise. Travertine just as easily stands alone as it works in partnership, as travertine can be combined with other stones, metals, or glass into stunning mosaics that emphasize the whites, creams, browns, coppers, and pinks of this unique stone. It’s truly a wonderful combination of strength, like granite, and beauty, like a traditional marble, escalating the quality of design.

Slate – In our Romancing the Stone blog about slate, we celebrated its many merits – flat and smooth, thermally stable, fireproof, resistant to water, and more.  However, slate is more than just a adaptable stone we’ve been using since 6000BC. It is arguably one of the most distinctive and attractive of the natural stones. Light to dark grey, black, green, pink or red, purple, brown, blue-grey, or mottled, slate boasts a vibrant array of color and exceptional texture. Slate is suited to indoor and outdoor use. We offer slate tiles for flooring, mosaics for wall cladding, and slate pavers and landscaping stones for colorful patterns. It can bring an “old-timey” look to a room or modern sophistication, and the fact that no two pieces of slate, even from the same quarry, look alike means that a focal point of slate can be a piece of unrivaled art in itself. 

Limestone – It’s hard to imagine that a stone with so many practical and industrial purposes, such as for an additive in paint or filler in toothpastes and antacids, can also be something beautiful to look at. Nonetheless, the muted tones of limestone are perfect for a casual design aesthetic, and the very nature of stone itself implies wealth and prosperity despite the comfortable look. MSI offers limestone for a variety of applications – limestone tiles for flooring in low traffic areas; limestone slabs for countertops; limestone mosaics and beveled tiles for bathroom and fireplaces; and natural cut flagstones for your outdoor art gallery.

Onyx – This semi-precious stone is indeed the crowning jewel in a home or business application. As noted in our blog devoted to this natural stone, onyx is particularly suited for exotic countertops, like bartops, or for fireplace faces and backsplashes where the stone sees gentle use but is highly visible. Onyx tiles may be used for flooring, especially as edging and accents, and is also beautiful in combination with other stones, glass, or metal as eye-catching mosaics. Onyx may not be as versatile as the other natural stones we’ve discussed in this series (only in the sense that it cannot be downplayed and cannot help but uplift a room), but it certainly is the prime example for how a natural stone alone can be a piece of art. 

We hope you’ve enjoyed our Romancing the Stone series and invite you to take a look back at each of these natural stones, deeply rooted in tradition, generationally appealing, and variant in application. 

Romancing the Stone: Introducing MSI’s Natural Stone Series

Romancing the Stone: Monuments that Stand the Test of Time

Romancing the Stone: World’s Most Beautiful Travertine 

Romancing the Stone: No Boundaries in Quality

Romancing the Stone: Slate is a Timeless Stone

Romancing the Stone: The Many Faces of Natural Limestone

Romancing the Stone: Bring it Together Natural Stone Mosaics

Romancing the Stone: Onyx - Jewel of Ancient & Modern Design

Given all the innovations available to us in today’s modern building materials, it is easy to overlook the original building material that influenced it all. Call us romantics, but nothing compares to real, natural stone. In our upcoming series “Romancing the Stone”, we will remind you why natural stones can be imitated but never truly duplicated. 

Within this targeted focus on natural stones, we’ll cover the following attributes: traditional beauty, historical implications, generational appeal, multi-purpose applications, unrivaled variation, limitless geography, and abundant supply.

Granite, marble, slate, limestone, travertine – we will explore how each of these natural, boundless resources has its place in history as both a symbol and as a reliable material. We will visit formal monuments, introduce you to every day applications of natural stones that might surprise you, and take you on a journey from landmarks in our own backyard to the world’s most breathtaking exhibits of natural stone. 

We hope you’ll join us as we take a unique look at Earth’s most beautiful, useful, and plentiful treasures – natural stones.

Coming Soon: The first installment of the Romancing the Stone series, “Natural Stone Landmarks: Granite, Limestone, and Marble”. From the Vietnam Memorial to the Egyptian Pyramids, we’ll examine how natural stones have been traditionally and historically important the world over, for thousands of years.