For example, the home Illan Elberg, Managing Director of GIA Renovations has designed for his young family bends the aesthetic of family life to create elegant, character-filled spaces drenched in natural light and richly textured with natural colours and materials.
Elberg has a vision of bringing timeless design and exceptional quality to every detail of the home, with enduring materials that combine beauty with durability. Natural stone sourced from a responsible supplier was chosen as one of the defining elements of the aesthetic.
“Designing and building a home from scratch means thinking through every detail,” says Elberg.
“Stone was always going to be a feature, not just a finish. From early on, we envisioned a warm, natural palette with depth and character.”
Elberg chose the Taj Mahal Quartzite from WK Stone as the key stone element The creamy, elegant appearance combined with the subtle iridescence of crystal reflects and diffuses light, bringing a distinctive luminosity to everyday rooms including the kitchen, bathrooms and living area.
It is both luxurious and liveable, with extreme durability and ease of maintenance. The versatility of the colour and the quality slabs from WK Stone also meant it could be utilised as benchtops, splashbacks and as vertical panels.
“It’s creamy, elegant, never cold or grey, and incredibly resilient, which is important with two young kids in the house,” Elberg says. “It’s a dream surface for a busy household.”
Elberg and his renovation team secured 15 slabs of the gorgeous Taj Mahal Quartzite, which comes Brazil’s Ceará region. It has soft beige undertones and subtle veining that creates a unique visual story for every piece of stone.
Fabrication and installation of the feature stonework was undertaken by expert stonemason Gabe Groza of GG Stoneworks, who has been a long-time collaborator with both Elberg and WK Stone.
The final pieces included a stunning stone island bench that anchors the kitchen and imbues it with class while delivering for culinary practicality.
In living areas, the glimmering stone brings glamour to the bar area and created an eye-catching surround for the fireplace. In bathrooms, sleek stone vanities and shower surrounds bring five star hotel luxury to households daily routines, while outdoors, a custom barbecue bench is the epitome of seamless indoor-outdoor living expressed through immaculate design.
The quality of the Taj Mahal Quartzite is exceptional, and the final result succeeded in synthesising every element in a continuity of elegance and harmony.
“This particular material was really well sourced,” Groza observed.
“We often see veining vary dramatically from slab to slab, but these were very consistent and allowed for beautiful book-matching. The stone was such a feature of the home that we had to make it shine. Some pieces were more intense than others, so the challenge was to map out the layout carefully and use those dramatic sections in focal areas.”
The kitchen bench, for example, with the dynamic arching effect of the veining invites imagination to create a story of forces deep within the Earth creating the crystals within nature’s subterranean forge.
Taj Mahal Quartzite is part of WK Stone’s outstanding range of natural stone, responsibly procured from some of the world’s finest quarries. Designers can choose from the bright, light and classic tones of marbles, quartzite and crystalline granites, through to the deep mystery of onyx and the unique aesthetic brilliance of travertines in greens, pinks and golds.
WK Stone is also at the forefront of innovation, with products including the recycled Quantum Zero surfaces and versatile Quantum Porcelain slabs delivering a spectrum of creative possibilities for crafting remarkable spaces and dynamic places.
For Elberg and his family, the result has been a home with soul.
“The stone gives the house a real sense of calm and continuity,” Elberg reflects.
“It’s beautiful, practical, and brings everything together.”
