If you know BuildHer Collective at all, you’ll be well aware that we LOOOOVE all things stone. When asked if we would like to record at Melbourne Central’s pop up podcast studio we said yes. When asked if we would like to talk to Louie from Signorino, we said YES, YES, YES!!! Join Kribashini as she talks to this seasoned stone expert on today’s Building with BuildHer podcast – Let’s Talk Stone!

WELCOME TO SEASON 3 | EPISODE 54

LET’S TALK STONE WITH LOUIE FROM SIGNORINO

DID YOU KNOW WE ABSOLUTELY LOOOOVE STONE?!

LET’S TALK STONE

There’s nothing quite like the timeless elegance of natural stone. If you walk past a gorgeous stone benchtop or vanity, we dare you not to touch it! It’s too beautiful to resist.

IN THIS PODCAST WE ARE TALKING ABOUT STONE

We’re nearly at the point of ordering stone for our Rathmies project (excited much?!) and we’ve been helped out by our very own seasoned stone expert, Louie from Signorino. He joins Kribashini on the podcast today to talk all things stone.

Signorino Stone Gallery is a state of the art showroom in Melbourne. They showcase an enormous collection of natural stone slabs, curating an experience for customers to go on a journey with their stone selection to choose something they absolutely love.

In this episode, Louie shares from his 30 plus years in the industry about the variety of stones out there, the difference between natural stone and reconstituted products, knowing what’s right for your project, and the up and coming trends he’s seeing make their way into the showroom.

Stone isn’t cheap, but it will last a lifetime. If you’re thinking about using natural stone in one of your projects, Louie shares his top 3 tips to help you make the right decision.

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TOPICS WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE OF LET’S TALK STONE:

  • [1:30]: Louie and Kribashini talk about the different trends that have come and gone over the decades and how Louie can tell when a house was built by the stone used.
  • [2:25]: Signorino has been around for 50 years and Louie looks after the natural stone division. They like their clients to make appointments so they can take them on a journey with their stone selection, answer questions and educate in order to make the right selection.
  • [4:25]: The variety of stones that Signorino provides.
  • [5:00]: Using natural stone vs a reconstituted product and how it’s a very individual thing based on the way people want to live.
  • [6:50]: A reconstituted product is predominantly made up of silica quartz however the beauty of natural stone can’t be surpassed. Natural stone creates timeless elegance.
  • [8:20]: The natural stone comes from all around the world. Each piece cut from a large stone is unique but has the same tonality and colouring to it. The way it’s processed also changes.
  • [10:30]: Louie talks about up and coming trends including the Italian classics and dolomite, which is very strong.
  • [12:00]: Marble always has timeless elegance and is a great stone for the kitchen. There is a lot of beautiful inspiration online which has inspired people to try something different.
  • [13:10]: Louie’s advice is to narrow down your focus to understand what you love. If you just like it, it won’t be good enough.
  • [14:15]: Most people come into the showroom 4-5 times although the seasoned renovator might choose within 1-2 visits. You spend a lot of money but it will last a lifetime.
  • [15:30]: Understanding what salt and pepper stone is and how the technology of drilling and quarrying has been able to bring out the other beautiful colours.
  • [17:15]: It’s easier to bring swatches and colour samples of other fittings and fixtures into the showroom because obtaining a sample of the exact stone isn’t always possible.
  • [18:25]: The process of picking the slab and finding the right colour, texture and look for the particular project.
  • [19:20]: Some BuildHers have purchased offcuts to create features, which is something a lot of people are looking to do.
  • [20:20]: Louie talks about the different sizes that the stone slabs come in. Pricing comes per sheet and charged at a square meter rate. They try to minimise waste and cost and will vary how they cut depending on the project.
  • [22:50]: Colour is something that Louie sees coming back with more movement and waving pattern through the stone.
  • [24:00]: We are using Signorino for our Rathmines project. Louie’s 3 tips if you’re thinking about usual natural stone:
    • #1: Know what you’re using it for. Make sure it’s fit for purpose.
    • #2: Size is really important. You don’t want to see a join in your benchtop.
    • #3: Budget.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

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