NEW RAVENNA | JEWEL GLASS | GRACIE | MARBLE | STONE: MIRAFLORES CALLA
ROBIN MERWIN
VICE PRESIDENT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING
DA VINCI MARBLE
Choosing the perfect stones, tiles, mosaics, and slabs for a project, residential or hospitality, can be overwhelming at best. While wandering among the plethora of products we have in our nine buildings is one of my favorite things to do, narrowing down the options can be an artform.
Here are a few tips we use to help our A & D partners, along with their clients, make it easier:
1.
FALL IN LOVE WITH ONE THING
It doesn’t matter what “thing” it is – a slab, a decorative mosaic, a gorgeous ceramic, any will do. It might even be a pre-chosen piece of art or fabric that’s going to set the tone. At the end of the day, it comes down to what makes someone smile and what will be inspiring to make memories in front of (or on) for years to come. Also, “no” is as important as “yes”. We always watch for what people don’t resonate with – it’s often the biggest indicator of which direction to go in.
NEW RAVENNA | LILIANE MONACO
2.
TELL US HOW YOU WANT IT TO WORK & FUNCTION
Do you want to “live like an Italian” and let the material patina over time, or does even one spot that “doesn’t belong” have you running for the cleaning solution? Do you like quiet movement or something bold? The truth is, everything can work, it’s just how it’s combined and layered with other products and how it functions in one’s lifestyle.
REGAN BAKER DESIGN |PHOTOGRAPHY SUZANNA SCOTT
Q.
Advice for Interior Designers working with Homeowners on selecting finish materials?
A.
Visit the DaVinci showroom and fall in love with a slab or tile as a starting point, especially for Kitchens. kitchens are for making lifetime memories. Discuss expectations of use & durability as you refine the aesthetic and budget.
REGAN BAKER DESIGN |PHOTOGRAPHY SUZANNA SCOTT
3.
DA VINCI’S SECRET, ALONG WITH OUR BEST IN THE INDUSTRY CUSTOMER SERVICE?
It’s our buying process. Our Stone Master Nasser is in Italy more than half the year and partners with our owner Joe to search high and low, literally, among the mountain top quarries in Italy for the most pristine white marble in existence. From there, they hand select the finest materials from around the world to complete our offerings – quartzites, colorful marbles, limestones, travertines, sintered stones, just to name a few.
Q.
Hot Trends?
A.
Beautiful unique slabs from Italian quarries have been on trend for centuries!
4.
ABOVE ALL, AND MY FAVORITE PART, ARE THE RELATIONSHIPS WE HAVE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, WITH OUR VENDOR PARTNERS, AND WITH EACH OTHER.
We are a family-run business with heart, and it shows and matters. Since I can’t be in my happy place all the time – in Italy amongst the marble mountains or exploring all its magical streets, there’s no better place to gather inspiration and energy than in our own backyard. Whether it’s at our beautiful showroom, or around the exceptional Bay Area where we live, seeing the projects with the masterful touches of our talented architects, designers and builders create using our materials, brings me unlimited joy. We strive to be a part of bringing that joy full circle.
The good news is that there is a solution for almost any scenario. We pride ourselves in knowing the technical and aesthetic sides of our products and our team is well prepared to help make a match made in designer heaven. Just ask us!
STONE, GLAZED BASALTO™ | BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS ZITA
NEW RAVENNA | STONE, SERENITY GLASS | PARTERRE ABIGAIL
NEW RAVENNA | GLAZED BASALTO™ | LAVA LAMP
NEW RAVENNA | STONE, GLAZED BASALTO™ | BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS
NEW RAVENNA | JEWEL GLASS | GRACIE
Q.
Tips for addressing durability?
A.
Discuss expectations of use & durability as you refine the aesthetic and budget. Natural stone will wear in different ways and patina with time. Man made materials are more stable. For some people it’s an easy decision, for others they need to think realistically about what they’ll be happy with in a year or two. A yearly professional sealing will help maintain natural slabs.