Building Materials & Finishes Selection

Tiles, Flooring, Woodwork, Carpet, Stone, Countertops, Fireplace Inlays, Backsplash

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Basket Weave Marble Pattern

What kind of flooring should you select for your kitchen? What are the pros and cons of using marble in the bathroom? Is the upholstery fabric you selected for the sofa fireproof and if so, is it an environmentally safe treatment?

We’ll consider a multitude of attributes when specifying materials for our designs and their construction. With so many emerging trends today, we look at product durability, style and beauty, carbon footprint and sustainability. We compare the benefits and trade-offs, and consider cost, performance and aesthetics. A product or material needs to align with the particular properties needed, its role, and our overall design vision. In addition, we look at information about the safety and sustainability of a product, and inquire about its chemical ingredients.

The materials we use in building and construction have unique strengths and weaknesses, and there are often tradeoffs among these features. For example, a particularly durable wood type may also come with a large price tag.

A beautiful stone, found difficult to maintain, may need frequent sealing or early replacement. What kind of life cycle are we looking at? What environmental considerations should we pay attention to? Is there more than one attribute – for example, is it both light-weight and waterproof; And is there a safety or risk impact to consider?

In the end, we make thoughtful, informed decisions about the materials we use. In the end it helps our clients gain the confidence in the materials selections they make.