Home Renovation – Allstone

Our Glass Thassos: An Elegant Combination of Glass and Marble

Cherise — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 15:25:48 +0000

You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who knows stone quite the same way as Robert Israeli, owner of Allstone, an importer and distributor of stone and tile from around the world. Robert started working in the industry decades ago, touching every piece of the process from quarrying to installation to design and innovation. His first-hand experience and understanding of the process from start to finish has helped grow Allstone into an undisputed leader in the world of stone and tile.

Custom Bush Hammered Pavers
For this remarkable beachfront property in Southampton, NY, Allstone worked closely with the architect, owner, and design team to create an exquisite hardscaped yard that will last generations.

This installation featured a bush hammered finish on ¾” thick pavers, custom pool copings and precise waterjet cut drains for the exterior patio.

Another luxurious application featured alternating 12” x 24” and 24” x 24” Glass Thassos for an offset patterned floor in this large master bathroom and the Herringbone pattern behind the vanity.

Allstone’s in-house designer, Adrienne, chose Glass Thassos to create a modern and clean, white palette.

To create a classic and less contemporary look in another home, 24” x 24” Glass Thassos (along with 24” x 24” Polished Black Absolute) was used to create a checkerboard floor, giving this home an impeccable grand entryway.

For any design need, Glass Thassos is a beautiful choice to give your space a refined look. Call Allstone today to create your next Glass Thassos project! Download the PDF below to see the sizing options.

Download the Glass Thassos Brochure

Luxury is Within Reach

Cherise — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 20:39:51 +0000

Introducing Cleopatra & The Wave

Featured here in our Calacatta Gold

More colors at www.allstone.net

When Allstone is ready to launch a new stone color or design, owner Robert Israeli offers up his home to become the playground for installation projects. (perks of owning a stone business!) Over the past year Allstone has been in design and creation mode for 2 new IN STOCK waterjets showcasing our popular core line stone colors.

Robert’s bathroom is a definite show piece of many sizes, shapes & innovative design that captures Allstone’s unique stone products we carry. We sat down with Robert after it was finally completed and asked him all about the design process and what he loves most about his luxurious bathroom escape featuring our Calacatta Gold color.

Allstone: Describe the installation process & other material used to bring your bathroom vision to life.

Robert: First install of The Wave & Cleopatra was a success with my installer Alex, from Alux Construction . The Wave was installed on the floor and was an easy install with no complications. We weren’t sure about the Cleopatra with its sharp corners and cuts but it was not difficult.

To save money, I used our 6×12 base around the shower opening instead of slabs. Inside the shower walls we used bars so we have a nice opening, penny rounds on the shower pan and ceiling and ogee molding in the shower. For the makeup area I used our Adelaine Hexagon and 3×12. We used almost all of our Calacatta Gold sizes that we carry. The grout color used was Silverado Wall Unsanded by Tec.

Go Neutral? Not Necessarily.

Allstone: What was your vision when designing the bathroom?

Robert: Wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do but the house can take a classic serious color like Calacatta Gold (Robert lives in a Tudor Style home). The non-traditional shapes of The Wave & Cleopatra made it tricky to design at first. But I am more than happy with the outcome. My bathroom makes me feel exactly where I need to be. Highly recommend this color and these shapes together.

Allstone: What unique pieces were used that could inspire others?

Robert: I used our 6”x12” base all the way around the bottom of the bathroom walls & shower opening as it just looked nicer. Also used bar molding around the arch of the shower opening so we didn’t have to deal with mitering or bullnosing the marble. This allowed me to mix classic and new shapes together that I love.

Allstone: You used Dolomya for the vanity and shower seat – what is Dolomya and why did you decide to use it in this space?

Robert: Dolomya is a unique product from Italy. It has an undulated surface (wave-like look). The wax and sealer are applied by hand and then baked into the stone. It is truly a unique process done by the Italians. We have slabs of Dolomya in our warehouse for sale so I used the color Oyster as it has great interactions with the gold. I used it for the vanity, shower seat, counter top and radiator frame – which I think is genius as it hides the metal looking frame.

Allstone: How does the bathroom make you feel when walking into it everyday?

Robert: Every morning I walk in and I can’t believe it’s my bathroom! Overall it looks bigger as we removed the tub and added in 2 sinks. The luxury touches include heated floors, heated towel rack & wall mounted TV. It’s like walking into a 5 star hotel bathroom.

To view our full line of Calacatta Gold along with our Wave & Cleopatra be sure to check out our website at www.allstone.net

Are you a retailer looking to carry Allstone products including The Wave & Cleopatra? Checkout our Preferred Dealer Program

Shop the look:

Stop and Stare with Textures and Details that Tempt and Delight: Introducing Apollo and Dante, Two New Waterjet Mosaics by Allstone

Cherise — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 18:42:48 +0000

“I understand literally everything about stone, the geology, where it came from, the mountains,” said Robert. “When I talk to people about a piece of stone, a little piece of marble that is leaning on the wall, it’s about how it grows, what mountain it came from, how difficult it is to get, how many pieces it took to get a good one.”

This passion—and uniquely deep knowledge—is one of the many reasons Allstone is at the forefront of the stone & tile industry. Short Hills Marble & Tile is the flagship showroom for AllStone and winner of the Best of Houzz Service since 2014. With this luxury stone and tile readily available at the Allstone warehouse, this innovative team of design professionals can easily give their clients—homeowners, builders and architects—access to the most beautiful hand-crafted materials in the world.

“The breadth of our assortment means you can go so many different directions with the natural stone collections that we stock and give each space a totally different look,” said Adrienne Gallman,designer and showroom manager at Short Hills Marble & Tile.That aesthetic adaptability is clearer than everin the two newest designs added to their Waterjet
Collection. First there is Apollo, a playful and chic design by Robert,made of Thassos Polished, Dynasty White

First there is Apollo, a playful and chic design by Robert,made of Thassos Polished, Dynasty White Honed, Capri Blue Polished, and London Gray Sandblasted marbles. And there is also Dante, an elegant pattern, designed by Adrienne and composed of Dynasty White Honed, Capri Blue Polished, and London Gray Polished marbles.

Find a Dealer near you to admire the delicate details, seamless interlocking, and soft circles in person.

“I like blue, it’s my favorite color, so it was a very easy decision for me to choose these colors,” said Robert. “But stone is more than just color, it’s much more than that. Stone is just like us. It has feeling and emotion, it has that in its own way. I understand where it came from, I’ve been to the mountain, and it’s very easy for me to talk about.”

Where Robert approaches stone and tile informed by the earth and history of stone, Adrienne comes to it from an artist’s perspective.

“I see patterns in everything,” she said. “There’s a lot out there if you look at the right angle. Nature, architectural details, old ironwork, I can just look at something and see a pattern that no one else sees. I try to always take a picture, so I have a whole inspirational library, which makes it easy to come up with unique designs and solutions.”

These waterjet tiles are fully customizable when it comes to finishes, scale and colorways. Both the Apollo and Dante designs are available in Field, Border and Corner pieces. These patterns are designed to make people stop, stare and feel drawn in, with textures and details that call out for touch. While the final designs look effortless, the process to get there wasn’t quite exactly effortless itself.

We started with more than fifty different patterns and concepts,” said Adrienne. “And narrowed it down from there to these two designs based on a couple of factors. We picked the colorations that coordinate with our stock program, so they’re very versatile—we can use them with different series.

“They also price out well as a stock item for our waterjet range. But ultimately we each chose the design we personally liked best.”

For the stone selections, they did 5 to 10 different mock-ups, creating AutoCAD files as a design template for use in the waterjet machine. This high-tech tool can cut with such precision that it is often used for aerospace and automotive manufacturing. That same precision also makes it ideal for creating intricate cuts and curves in stone, which is nearly impossible with other types of tile-cutting tools.

“You can thank the Italians for this awesome machine,” said Robert.

Waterjet cutting is celebrated for creating some of the most detailed and exquisite tile in the world. Once a design is loaded onto the computer, the waterjet machine creates delicate details in pieces with identical, elaborate patterns that fit together seamlessly. The different stones are assembled to create a unique mosaic that once installed, you can’t tell where the pieces begin and end. Since Apollo and Dante are designed in-house, these in-stock tiles are custom-tailored to work with Allstone’s collections to easily offer a complete look.

These mosaics can go so many different design directions with the natural stone collections that we stock,” said Adrienne. “It’s easy to give your space a totally different look, from traditional to contemporary, depending on what other materials you use. They’re so versatile, no pun intended.”

Allstone offers a comprehensive collection of natural stone tiles, slabs, and mosaics in stock, as well as many fine lines of ceramic, porcelain, glass, and other specialty materials curated by their team. Their carefully chosen selection features exclusive designs alongside tile from premier manufacturers from around the world. They also have a network of factory partners around the world able to fabricate any material for any size project and create one-of-a-kind custom interior designs.

“Since we have the ability to work directly with these partners, as a company and a retail tile showroom, we can really do anything,” said Adrienne. “We’re not your everyday tile store.”

Contact a dealer today to see Dante, Apollo, and the entire Allstone catalog.

Multi-Million Dollar NJ Home Featuring Allstone Material

Cherise — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 15:53:26 +0000

Spec homes have a reputation for being blank slates and a bit impersonal, but Etai Har-El, owner of Moore Development & Construction, with the help of a networked team, has made building concept homes a unique process filled with custom elements. Together with architect Daniel Dubinett, designer Lara Allen-Brett, and Allstone’s in-house residential designer Adrienne Gallmann, a piece of land in picturesque Short Hills, New Jersey transformed into a 4 million dollar home – Hartshorn Drive.

Traditionally spec homes are blank canvases for a new homeowner to put their touch on, but for Etai, Adrienne, and the team, Hartshorn Drive was sold move-in ready. The team’s styles encompass the best of every design aesthetic, creating a particular market for city dwellers looking to move to the suburbs. “Etai’s style is timeless with a modern flair,” said Adrienne. With an interior design degree and over 16 years in the tile industry, the last 10 of which she’s been with Allstone, Adrienne is a veteran who knows her way through a project. Together, the trio embarked on what would become Hartshorn Drive from one of Etai’s concept sketches.

Allstone’s stock perfectly fit Etai’s vision for the concept home. Etai and Adrienne hand-selected the perfect stone and tile linking together traditional and modern for an extraordinary outcome, adding a diverse mix of homes to suburban areas like Short Hills. For the home’s Principal bath, Adrienne turned to Allstone’s in-stock Glass Thassos for the main floor, shower floor, shower wall, and vanity backsplash. Glass Thassos has the look of classic white Thassos marble but is a cross between marble and glass. This allows it to still coordinate with many designs while being more durable and less maintenance than classic marble– perfect for a bathroom.

“For the main bath, I wanted to keep it a very clean, white palette and add warmth through the other finishes in the space. Our Glass Thassos is super modern and clean, and maintenance-free which is amazing because that space is large!” – Adrienne Gallmann, SHMT Showroom Manager/Designer

The main floor is made up of alternating 12″ x 24″ and 24″ x 24″ Glass Thassos to create an offset pattern across the Principal bathroom’s large floor.

While many designers and architects stick to the status quo, Etai’s team is eager to try new interiors and finishes and put a fresh spin on contemporary homes. “It’s just a matter of finding the right people to work with,” Etai said. “Adrienne always pushes the envelope a little – she’s always forward-thinking, but with the market in mind. It’s a great process to collaborate on. It makes my job a lot of fun”. The design of the home brought in timeless marble colors laid out in modern patterns for an edge that won’t feel outdated, such as in the open concept kitchen with all-around views of a 3” x 12” Calacatta Gold subway tile backsplash.

“The Calacatta had a nice balance for the space with enough movement to contrast and emphasize the white cabinets, but also tie in and add warmth from the white oak accents on the range hood and island,” said Adrienne. Allstone’s Calacatta Gold is imported from the Borghini quarry, one of the oldest operating quarries in the Carrara region of Italy. Accessing high-quality luxury stone luckily wasn’t one of 2020s many challenges.

3” x 12” Calacatta Gold subway tile backsplash.

With seven bathrooms, it can be tough to keep their designs distinct from one another, while still incorporating the home’s overall aesthetic. “I love patterns – I see them everywhere, I dream of them – which makes it easy to come up with unique solutions and designs for our in-stock field tile,” said Adrienne. Sticking to a white and grey palette, Adrienne got busy creating seven concepts, playing around with sizes, layouts, and finishes to create an airy, contemporary vibe.

A first-floor guest bath received similar marble treatment in the form of 3”x12” Ice White and 3”x12” Capri Blue to create a checkerboard pattern floor with Capri Blue Penny Rounds in the shower, all imported from Italy to Allstone.

3″ x 12″ Ice White and Capri Blue create a classic checkerboard floor.

In one of the bathrooms, Adrienne chose to combine two stocked marble series – 3”x6” Dynasty White and 3”x6” Bianco Carrara from Allstone’s product offering – arranged in an offset stripe pattern. “Etai had a concept photo from Pinterest for this space that had a striped tile pattern and I was so excited to run with it. I love stripes; you look in my closet and you’ll understand.”

3″ x 6″ Dynasty White and Bianco Carrara blend into each other for a subtle stripe pattern.
Photo Credit: Christian Garibaldi.

Bianco Carrara Adelaine Hexagon, shower floor

The majority of the marble stone and tile that now adorns the interior of this luxury residence is from Allstone’s in-stock catalog, which can be found on the Allstone website.

Hartshorn Drive has proved that spec homes can be luxurious when paired with posh construction, architecture, and design selections. This concept home aims to alter the cold reputation of spec homes and provide it with a fresh, sophisticated view. Allstone is excited to continue providing architects and designers with high-quality, exclusive lines of stone and tile.

Check out our full line of marble & stone at www.allstone.net.