INSPIRATION EDITION -
IN THIS EXCLUSIVE INSPIRATION EDITION OF LAPICIDA contents
EXCLUSIVITY FOR ETERNITY Introduction 04 STONE IN THE BLOOD
The Cherrington Dynasty
06
PIERRE EN VOGUE
Contemporary Living
08
ILLUSTRIOUS PASTS
Antique Reclaimed Collection
12
SUPERIORITY COMPLEX Quality: The Priority 18 CURA PER LAPIDEM ET AQUAM Bathing 20 LIBERTA E SEMPLICITA Mediterranean Aspect 24 YOURS SINCERELY Signature Collection 30 THE KR Lapicida Kings Road, London 38 ART IMITATES LIFE Living 40 REJUVENATION & RELAXATION
Baths | Basins | Showers
46
CAPPUCINO OR ESPRESSO Customer Service 54 QUIET CONFIDENCE Classic Qualities 56 AVVENTURE IN GASTRONOMIA Kitchens 60 WORKING WONDERS Craftsmanship 66 ANTICHITA DEL FUTURO Objects of Desire 68 NOBLE GRANDEUR Stately Homes 74 INTEGRATED INSPIRATION
Digital Aids 78
BEAUTIFUL OXYMORON Argento Collection 80 FUTURE FORWARD Technology 84 QUITE AN ENTRANCE Halls & Stairways 88 INDUSTRY INNOVATORS
Professional Service
TRE DIMENSIONI
UTTERLY UNIQUE
MODEL OF EFFICIENCY
94
3D Tiles & Mouldings
96
Bespoke Custom Cut
102
Order Tracking & Shipping
108
SIMPLE PLEASURES Rustic Retreats 110 MONOLITHIC PROPORTIONS Lapicida Harrogate 116 HOLD YOUR BREATH Swimming Pools 120 ONE WORLD Key Values 126 HABITAT CONVIViAL Outdoor Living 128 AUDACIOUS ARCHITECTURE
Opulence in Stone
132
EXCLUSIVITY FOR ETERNITY INTRODUCTION
Stone is eternal. Its permanence constantly reassures. It possesses a silent strength and inherent character that no man-made material can possibly ever hope to rival. A natural beauty that has taken millions of years to metamorphosise deep in the earth.
Lapicida is the stone specialist whose art is in unearthing some of the world’s most sought after natural stone then crafting it into captivating surfaces and objects of mesmerising beauty. This special Inspiration Edition of LAPICIDA is designed to exhibit our collections, explore our exemplary customer service and explain why Lapicida is the very last word in exclusive natural stone.
Made-to-order handcrafted Mother of Pearl inlay wall. 5 - INTRODUCTION
STONE IN THE BLOOD THE CHERRINGTON DYNASTY
It takes millions of years and enormous pressure for natural stone to form. For the past three generations, Lapicida has continually strived to become the UK’s stone specialist. The formation of Lapicida began in 1984. From humble beginnings with no premises, successful roofing merchant David Cherrington made an odyssey to the Far East, with his entrepreneurial eighteen year old son Jason who saw the potential of importing natural stone tiles to the UK. David was a skilled craftsman who lived and breathed stone and grew his enterprise steadily through honest hard toil, natural skill and sheer determination. His attention to detail, eye for quality and expert finishing is legendary in natural stone circles. All these qualities he instilled in his visionary son Jason David Cherrington.
Lapicida’s first premises were a simple Portakabin, however, as business flourished, David and Jason required larger, more permanent property and moved into a store. This too was soon outgrown and Jason took the business to the next level by creating Europe’s largest natural stone showroom at Lapicida HQ in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Stone isn’t just in David and Jason’s blood. Milo Cherrington, Jason’s son, has a passion for natural stone coursing through his veins too. His interests lie in new technologies, such as the CNC Shaping Mill, that can create forms you never thought were possible with natural stone. The Lapicida empire continues to expand apace with prestigious showroom openings in London’s King’s Road, Majorca and Oslo. It is all part of Lapicida’s strategy and duty to satisfy the world’s insatiable appetite for exclusive luxury natural stone.
David Cherrington, the expert craftsman who began the legacy of Lapicida. 7 - THE CHERRINGTON DYNASTY
PIERRE EN VOGUE CONTEMPORARY LIVING
The Avenue Montaigne in Paris essentially captures Lapicida’s approach to contemporary fashion in stone. It is here where the world’s leading fashion houses reservedly vie for attention.
The imposing, grand stone architecture, like an oyster, encases pearls of cutting edge fashion design within interiors of gleaming marble, subtle limestone and avant garde, highly polished semiprecious stone. Exclusivity at its absolute height. Contemporary natural stone providing interiors of integrity for glamorous couture.
Bespoke custom cut 600x600mm English slate from Cumbria with Italian calacatta marble. 9 - CONTEMPORARY LIVING
Classic quartermatch Statuario; total cover area over 13m2. An example of over 50 quartermatch panels from Lapicida’s UK stock. 10 - CONTEMPORARY LIVING
ILLUSTRIOUS PASTS ANTIQUE RECLAIMED COLLECTION
Passion. Drama. Deceit. Confrontation. Lust. Unbridled joy. Stone of historic significance has borne witness to the whole gamut of emotions through centuries of being the fabric of rustic and aristocratic life. A rich patina of provenance, built up layer by layer, is something that epitomises Lapicida’s exclusive Antique Reclaimed Stone Collection.
You do not simply buy antique stone, you become the trusted custodian of it and add another chapter to its lifetime. Reclaim history. Live in luxury. Change the direction of the narrative.
19th Century English reclaimed floor at Belvoir Castle, 600mm x random length. 13 - ANTIQUE RECLAIMED
Antique Jerusalem. Inarguably the most historic in the collection, between 1000 and 400 years old, from the Hebron Mountains of Israel. 14 - ANTIQUE RECLAIMED
Above: A combination of second face and reverse face wall coverings. Exclusive antique reclaimed products from Lapicida. Right: Exemplary late 18th to early 19th Century English reclaimed sandstone floors in an open pattern. 16 - ANTIQUE RECLAIMED
“ I H AV E A R E A L PA S S I O N FO R U N E A R T H I N G S T O N E , B U T WH EN S E LE C T I N G , I S W I TC H TO B E I N G E N TI R E LY OB JE C T I V E . I F I T TI C K S E V E R YTH I N G I W I LL D O A LL I C AN T O S E C U R E I T FO R M Y C U S TO M E R S . ” JASON DAVID CHERRINGTON LAPICIDA MANAGING DIRECTOR Many things differentiate Lapicida, The Stone Specialist, from other stone suppliers, however, transcending everything is the quality. Not only the quality of customer service and craftsmanship, but of the actual stone itself. It is something of an obsession of Lapicida’s. Jason David Cherrington has over 27 years of experience in the sphere of luxury natural stone. He personally sources every single item of stone stocked by Lapicida and his exacting standards are renowned throughout the industry. By nurturing strong, longstanding relationships with suppliers world-wide, Jason has earned the pick of the most consistent quarry beds that yield the absolute best quality natural stone. He also deals exclusively with suppliers equipped with high quality machinery that produces the most accurate cut of stone.
SUPERIORITY COMPLEX -
THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE Lapicida’s quest for the widest, most inspired range of the highest grade stone is relentless. As new and exciting discoveries are made, Jason is usually the first to secure the best available. He has highly specific selection criteria when purchasing stone. Some particular stone types are prized for their veining, others for their clarity and purity. Lapicida only deals in the highest grade stone and leaves lesser quality stone to other suppliers. A keen eye, excellent relationships and strong negotiating skills enable Jason to keep Lapicida stocks high, prices keen and the best quality natural stone constantly available to customers.
QUALITY: THE PRIORITY
Left: White Onyx, chosen for it’s character and quality, representing Lapicida’s absolute attention to detail. Above: Hand-Checking tiles for imperfections, ensuring quality is guaranteed. Right: One of the many internationally acclaimed quarries where Lapicida sources its hand selected Grade A stone. 19 - QUALITY: THE PRIORITY
A PASSION FOR PROVENANCE Lapicida holds the largest displayed collection of antique reclaimed floor and wall tiles in the world, each with its own unique, rich history. The time and effort involved in assembling such a collection is nothing short of astonishing. Lapicida has a team of antique reclaimed experts who visit esteemed stately homes, manor houses, châteaux, rustic farmhouses and imposing public buildings throughout Europe and the Middle East in search of the rarest pieces. New consignments are painstakingly catalogued before being transported to Lapicida’s conditioning rooms where craftsmen clean, measure and shape individual stones. RELENTLESS SCRUTINY Lapicida elevates quality control to an entirely new level. In addition to being subjected to Jason’s scrutiny before purchase, all stone is continually checked, right through to delivery to the customer. Stone arrives at Lapicida’s climate controlled warehouse where conditions are perfect for the storage and crafting of stone. Any stone that contains moisture is gently conditioned using a specialist dehumidification system. Craftsmen check every inch of every stone individually and reject any tiles with imperfections. Finally, careful packing and transportation complete Lapicida’s uncompromising attitude to quality.
CURA PER LAPIDEM ET AQUAM BATHING
When stone of a particular quality and water of a certain temperature combine, therapy ensues. For millennia, advanced civilisations have found relaxation and contemplation in the therapeutic effects of water in stone temples to the art of bathing and healing.
‘Cura per lapidem et aquam’ or ‘Water and stone therapy’ unites the stability, strength and security of natural stone with the emotionally enriching and healing powers of divine water. Lapicida brings to light some of the world’s most exquisite stone and places it in the hands of today’s exclusive bathroom designers to create environments dedicated to the ritual of cleansing and the art of luxuriation.
Classical Italian Paonazza marble bathroom on show at Lapicida. 2 1 - bathing
Left: Armani cross-cut and vein-cut marble combined for this Lapicida bespoke bathroom. Right: Grey 800 x 800mm honed limestone tiles on wall and floor. 22 - BATHING
LIBERTÀ E SEMPLICITÀ MEDITERRANEAN ASPECT
After eight straight hours of relentless Tuscan sun, vineyard worker Crescenzo Bruzzini pushed open the heavy door to his farmhouse. Simultaneously, in nearby Florence, archbishop Francesco Giordano, in heavy vestments, took sanctuary inside the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore from the same unforgiving sun.
Lapicida understands how natural stone, from every end of the spectrum – from rustic limestone flags to intricate marble floors – provides interiors with a distinctly Mediterranean ambience. Reassuringly cool, beautifully practical and effortlessly stylish.
300 year old earthy terracotta floors traditionally used to cover floors in rooms throughout European homes. 2 5 - mediterranean aspect
French Terracotta Hexagon. Beautifully tessellated 17th Century handmade clay floors from country houses nestled in the Loire Valley. 2 6 - mediterranean aspect
Lyon Terracotta. Mediterranean antique terracotta, moulded by hand and fired in French wood-burning kilns around 300 years ago. 2 8 - mediterranean aspect
YOURS SINCERELY SIGNATURE COLLECTION
Handwriting can reveal a tremendous amount about your character. Thick, heavy writing indicates intense emotion and feeling. Writing strongly, slanting to the right hints at openness. Upright handwriting is a sign that the mind often rules the heart. An upward slanting baseline is the reserve of the optimist.
Hand-selected Ivory distressed octagon with Nero Marquina inserts. The classics done well – a signature of Lapicida. 3 0 - signature collection
You can read a lot about Lapicida by studying the Signature Collection. It is Lapicida’s personal natural stone and wall tile collection that possesses some highly distinctive qualities. Look closely and you can see desirable traits including sincerity, sophistication and exclusivity. But there is also honesty, a sense of real value and individuality. Everything that Lapicida stands for in one word.
Exclusive hand-finished Biblical Limestone, available in four natural stone colours for walls. Also available with several variations of metal Nano finishes. 3 2 - signature collection
An exclusive textured blue grey Limestone, New Montpellier is at the very pinnacle of modern sophistication. 3 4 - signature collection
Pyranese large format snap-face Travertine creates dramatic feature walls and is available in up to 600mm widths in random lengths. 3 6 - signature collection
THE KR LAPICIDA KING’S ROAD, LONDON
If you weren’t on The King’s Road in the sixties, you weren’t anyone. To some extent, that attitude remains true today. This uniquely cosmopolitan melange of heritage and modern style is what made 533 King’s Road the perfect location for Lapicida’s London showroom. Above: The entrance to the 5,000 sq ft. showroom on King’s Road, London – part of the Furniture Cave; an historic magnet for interior designers.
Inside, a five thousand square foot library of the best natural stone in the world confronts you. Impressive does not even begin to describe the extremes in stone displayed within. From über contemporary stone flooring from Italy to antique natural stone reclaimed from all over the world. From the remarkably affordable to the spectacularly exclusive. You will believe that quite literally anything is possible with stone.
Right: The library at the King’s Road showroom with over 500 different samples of stone from every corner of the world. 3 8 - lapicida king ’ s road
Lapicida London, 533 King’s Road (on Lots Rd), Chelsea, London SW10 0TZ. Tel: +44 (0) 20 3012 1000
Barr De Montpellier. A highly sophisticated stone floor dating circa late 18th and early 19th Century from grand homes around Montpellier. Flags of Montpellier.
ART IMITATES LIFE LIVING
According to Oscar Wilde: “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” In this instance, Lapicida is one of those rare exceptions. Lapicida, The Stone Specialist, believes that they have elevated the selection, crafting and execution of natural stone to an art form. Not art for art’s sake. Art that is in tune with, and enhances, its owner’s lifestyle.
4 0 - living
Contemporary, precision-honed surfaces that bring modernism and create a sense of spaciousness within interior living areas. Rare reclaimed natural stone with provenance as rich as its patina, that exudes warmth and a sense of exclusivity, luxury and permanence. All done in Lapicida’s own inimitable style.
Modern large format 800 x 800mm honed Crema Marfil; available in alternative stones and up to 1m x 1m format. 4 2 - living
Antique English. An exclusive reclaimed product from Lapicida, quarried as early as 1800, this second face eco product unites new and old. 4 4 - living
REJUVENATION & RELAXATION BATHS | BASINS | SHOWERS
Water is capable of incredible things. Without it, there is no life. With it, it can enhance our well-being and change the way we feel instantly. When awakening from deep slumber, showering under it can immediately invigorate. Tired and tense after a demanding day, it can miraculously loosen muscles and soothe away life’s problems.
Lapicida brings opulence and indulgence to these rituals with one of the largest collections of baths, basins and shower trays in Europe. Travertine, limestone, marble, onyx, granite, rock crystal and semi-precious natural stone can transform daily ablutions into extraordinary, stylish mood-changing experiences.
Bespoke freestanding Italian silver Travertine basin with a repeating book-matched brushed Quartzite; part of the Lapicida Dream Stone Collection. 47 - BATHS | BASINS | SHOWERS
Left: Solid Limestone egg bath, enhanced with matching pencil white Limestone mosaic. Right: Bespoke vanity unit basin in White Moleanos with floor and wall tiles matching – complemented with handselected Iranian vein cut Travertine in shower. 49 - BATHS | BASINS | SHOWERS
Left: Exceptionally rare rock crystal basins with half match panel of Calacatta Ondulato marble. Right: Purity of crystal basin, exclusively available at Lapicida. 51 - BATHS | BASINS | SHOWERS
Vasca e Lavelli - Palladio limestone bath and washbasins. 52 - BATHS | BASINS | SHOWERS
“ T H ROU GH YO U R PA TI E N C E A N D G O O D A D V I C E I H AV E MA N A G E D TO S E LE C T E XC E LLE N T M A T E R I A LS . T H E F INI S H E D I T E M S A R E B E A U T I FU L A N D TH E E X P E RIE N C E O F TH I S D E V E LO PM E N T H A S B E E N A DE L IGH T FU L O N E . ” DR B AH A A S E E D H O M L AP I C I DA C U S T O M E R A Lapicida showroom is a delight for the senses. Your eyes are greeted by things you never thought possible with stone. Aurally, the ambience is serene. The faint aroma of fresh coffee permeates the air as you receive a warm, respectful welcome from a Lapicida consultant and the offer of a coffee to your particular taste. Lapicida really knows how to look after customers. After a brief introduction to the make up of the showroom and what to expect, your consultant’s knowledge is immediately to hand, but only there when you require it. High pressure sales techniques are not something Lapicida subscribes to. Lapicida consultants are there to share their experience and understand the type of property you are interested in introducing natural stone to and the particular style and effect you are wishing to achieve. If you are open to suggestion, you will find your consultant to be highly insiprational, in addition to professional. NOTHING IS TOO MUCH TROUBLE If you would like to know the precise composition of any stone, its veining, finish or origin, Lapicida consultants will take the time to explain everything in as much detail as you desire.
CAPPUCINO OR ESPRESSO CUSTOMER SERVICE
ALWAYS INFORMED, NEVER DISAPPOINTED Once you have placed your order you will notice another area in which Lapicida excels. As Lapicida holds the highest level of natural stone in stock in the country, and their craftsmen prepare all stone in-house, lead times are reduced to an absolute minimum. Orders are hand-picked and carefully packed before being delivered. The Lapicida Customer Portal provides all customers placing special orders with access to an online order tracking service. This enables you to log in and track the status of your individual orders through every stage from its initial order and manufacture through to despatch and final delivery on site. You also automatically receive emails each time the status of your order changes. LAPICIDA FOR LIFE Aftercare is equally impressive. If any customer has any problem with any aspect of their order, Lapicida promises to address it swiftly and efficiently to ensure total satisfaction. Its reputation depends upon it. Also, natural stone is for life, however, if in decades one of your tiles becomes accidentally damaged, Lapicida will do its utmost to match your tile precisely.
If you have plans, drawings or simply dimensions, your consultant can scale off from these to quickly ascertain how much stone you would require. Should you decide on a highly characterful type of stone where the individual tiles subtly differ in colour, such as antique reclaimed stone, Lapicida can arrange for the plans of your room to be projected onto the floor in the workshop. Then a ‘dry lay’ of the actual tiles, cut to the exact specification, is performed. This provides a live preview enabling you to see the floor, in its entirety, and make any patterning adjustments before it is delivered and installed. SAMPLES AND APPS WITH OUR COMPLIMENTS Investing in natural stone is an important decision. Its inherent strength and durability mean it should last lifetimes. You are highly likely to wish to consider things in the comfort of your own home. The free to download and use Lapicida Design-In-Stone iPad and smartphone apps contain over 200 high resolution images of Lapicida natural stone tiles, complete with all the information you might need. These enable you to swipe between individual tiles, like you would with a swatch book, and because all images are colour accurate, you can assess how they might work in your living space. Actual samples are also available from Lapicida showrooms or can be ordered online or direct from the apps.
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Left: An example of in-house CAD design service for custom-cut floors. Right: The Lapicida online customer portal allowing full visibility of ongoing projects. 55 - CUSTOMER SERVICE
quiet confidence classic qualities
There is something about certain people that you can’t quite put your finger on. An attractive air of self-assurance without the merest hint of arrogance. An effortless ability to charm and delight in almost any social situation. Their, often thoughtful, attention to detail. Integrity. Dependability. These are all classic qualities people identify in Lapicida’s more traditional luxury natural stone collections.
Contributing a true sense of permanence, these stone surfaces do not crave your attention. You do not tire of them. They become part of the fabric of your home and age gracefully, building character over the years. Lapicida: natural stone you want to spend quality time with.
Blonde Barr. Hand-sawn and shaped limestone fashioned from the grandest homes of Languedoc, France, between 1820 and 1900. 5 7 - classic qualities
Pietra Di Italia. Rustic yet refined reclaimed limestone. Rescued from Italian countryside homes steeped in history and romance. 5 8 - classic qualities
AVVENTURE IN GASTRONOMIA KITCHENS
“Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat� proclaimed the ancient Roman philosopher Cicero. Lapicida disagrees. Gastronomy is an adventure. An exploration of what is possible when culinary creativity and skill are fed the finest ingredients. This is a philosophy that Lapicida wholeheartedly prescribes to in the arena of kitchens.
A kitchen should inspire you to experiment with new techniques, textures and flavours. It should also provide a central focus for home life where you can feel completely at ease. Lapicida natural stone is what differentiates an ordinary kitchen from somewhere extraordinarily inspiring.
Left: Part of a whole house project, this modern kitchen is anchored with first quality Italian Carrara on the floor and ribbed-cut Naxos marble on the main feature wall. Right: Decorating with stone. Continual bookmatched brushed Quartzite from our Dream Stone Collection along with Corus. 6 1 - kitchens
Grey Jerusalem limestone in Tuscany finish. Kitchen designed by national award-winning team. 6 2 - kitchens
New Montpellier tumbled and brushed; perfect for any classical or modern kitchen and an exclusive product to Lapicida. 6 4 - kitchens
For stone craftsmen, plying their art and developing their skills at Lapicida is the pinnacle of their career. In fact, for the craftsmen who have always worked at Lapicida, it is their life. Ask any Lapicida craftsman what they value most and it is the ability to apply their time-honoured techniques and experience to some of the finest quality stone, using cutting edge modern technology. FASTIDIOUS ATTENTION The attention to detail exercised by Lapicida craftsmen is famous throughout the world of natural stone. Being wholly natural, stone is not the easiest material to work with. You really need to know what you are doing in order to get the very best out of it. There are hundreds of different varieties, each with their own subtle characters and nuances. This is the challenge Lapicida craftsmen rise to every time they create an exquisite stone tile or piece. They are excited by its potential but their respect for stone ensures they are never complacent.
WORKING WONDERS CRAFTSMANSHIP
EMBRACING THE NEW It is impossible not to feel passionate about stone when in the presence of a Lapicida craftsman. They embrace and master new techniques with an insatiable appetite. This is fed by Lapicida’s policy of investing in the very latest technology to empower their craftsmen to push the boundaries and achieve exciting new ideas. This often involves the crossover and combination of artisan and modern techniques to create something entirely unique. SKILLS CONTINUOUSLY HONED In addition to sharing three generations of experience with its craftsmen, Lapicida also invests in their on-going training to ensure they are fully aware of, and are expert in, the very latest stone techniques. Excellent relationships with leading Italian master craftsmen from Rome enable their and Lapicida’s craftsmen to share their knowledge and learn new skills. These training programmes take place either in the Carrara Mountains in Tuscany or at Lapicida’s workshops in Harrogate. It is an investment which helps maintain Lapicida’s status as the UK’s stone specialist.
“ A rt or science ? I t ’ s a combination really . I t ’ s about taking a block of stone and having the technology to perfectly achieve my vision . N o day is the same . E verything is different . E verything is bespoke . ” mark carter L apicida C ra f tsman
6 7 - craftsmanship
ANTICHITÀ DEL FUTURO oBJECTS OF DESIRE
Artistry and creativity are living, breathing, passionate and fluid. Stone is solid and unyielding. How can two things so seemingly diametrically opposed come together to form something with so much life, spirit and joy, you can almost hear it breathe? Lapicida is both creator and curator for many pieces of inspirational stone art. From hosting an exclusive European exhibition of breathtaking works, inspired by world famous Italian architect, Andrea Palladio, to creating stunning one-off stone murals, inlays, installations and intricate Pietre Dura.
Lapicida’s ability to sculpt virtually any shape in 3D from almost any type of stone enables them to create or replicate statues with the prodigiousness of Michelangelo. Many stone and bronze investment pieces have also been created by the artisan mastercraftsman of the Vatican in Rome who is a close personal friend of Lapicida. All these antiques of the future can also be viewed online at lapicida.com. For something entirely unique to you, private commissions are also taken.
“ S ome of the stonework illustrated is magical , clearly impossible without modern cam - cad machinery , and made all the more magical and resonant for the way it uses P alladio ’ s language . ” K evin M c C loud A rc h itect & T V P resenter
Palladio Exhibition at Lapicida’s HQ Showroom. 6 9 - objects of desire
Dazzling detail creates this Pietra Dura butterfly. Lapicida has several unique pieces in stock in addition to offering an individual commission service. 7 0 - objects of desire
Left: Cuscini - Palladio marble pillows (74x74x26cm) Right: A unique piece of handcrafted art called Cercare. This piece of white Carrara was inspired by a decoration from the second century BC from the age of Aruinati. Dimensions 1150 x 770 x 730mm. 7 2 - objects of desire
NOBLE GRANDEUR STATELY HOMES
As the shutters were slowly unlatched, a pencil-thin sliver of light shot tantalisingly across the darkened room. This widened and all gazes fell to the floor. Stately homes are museums to rare English stone and the aristocracy their curators. The quality is unsurpassed and Lapicida is becoming increasingly responsible for meticulously restoring and replacing the stone floors, walls and columns of some of Britain’s most important stately homes.
21st Century 3D scanning and CNC Shaping Mill technology also enables Lapicida to replicate priceless ancient stone artefacts, by special commission, for those who wish to open up their splendid homes to the public. A lucky few may even own a reclaimed floor that is a piece of British history. Works of art in stone.
A restoration and development project at one of the UK’s most important privately owned Stately Homes. 7 5 - stately homes
Left: The Duke and Duchess of Rutland in the Guard Room Right: Guard Room Floor at Belvoir Castle. Limited Edition, exclusively through Lapicida. 7 7 - stately homes
IPAD, IPHONE AND ANDROID APPS iPad and smartphone touch screens make using the Lapicida ‘Design-In-Stone’ apps extremely intuitive and tactile. They put the full online catalogue of Lapicida’s natural stone tiles in the palm of your hand. You can browse through entire collections by simply tapping and swiping. Each product is colour accurate and displayed in stunning full screen high resolution which, especially on an iPad, gives you the next best experience to holding the tile itself. You can zoom in and see all the specific details of every tile including technical information. You can even call Lapicida direct from the app or order an actual stone sample.
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integrated inspiration -
FOLLOW AND LIKE LAPICIDA Social media is making it easier for customers and design professionals to join the conversation about natural stone. To join in, simply search for Lapicida on Facebook or follow LapicidaLtd on Twitter. The Lapicida Facebook page contains an engaging mix of news, views, shots of new installations and is where you will get to see new Lapicida products first. Liking our page also means you will receive invitations to exclusive Lapicida events. We also use Facebook and Twitter to keep you up to date with the latest industry news and publish links to our regular blogs.
ESSENTIAL LINKS lapicida.com facebook.com/lapicida twitter.com/lapicidaltd pinterest.com/lapicida houzz.com/user/lapicida
“ L apicida ’ s suite of entirely free integrated digital resources provides not only a joined up resource for inspiration and information , it also helps improve workflow for design professionals . ” james thomas lapicida mar k eting director
digital aid S
Lapicida is expert in working with stone, however they also appreciate that their customers – especially the more design conscious homeowners, professional interior designers and architects – need useful digital tools that can help make life easier for them. A suite of entirely free integrated digital resources provides not only a joined up resource for inspiration and information, it also helps improve workflow for design professionals. The main hub of Lapicida digital tools is the website. Beautifully designed and simple to navigate, this is where you can search all Lapicida products and explore their unique collections. From antique stone to Argento, baths, basins and showers to bespoke designer floors plus the exclusive Palladio collection inspired by the famed Italian architect Andrea Palladio. There is a natural stone guide, tiling guide, a gallery of stunning natural stone installations and the ability to sign up for regular e-newsletters. Lapicida.com also gives details of all our showrooms in London, Majorca and Oslo, not forgetting Europe’s largest natural stone showroom in Harrogate, North Yokshire.
PINTEREST AND HOUZZ Pinterest is an online pinboard where you can find pictures of things you love, then pin them to your boards and create different boards for various topics. Lapicida on Pinterest features boards from Art and Architecture to specific ones for Kitchens, Bathrooms and even Garages. Houzz is similar to Pinterest but is aimed more at the design professional. It’s another great place to go for inspiration. Anyone can use Houzz to get ideas from designers, suppliers and manufacturers and then save them into individual online projects.
Register and you can also access the Lapicida Customer Portal which is an incredibly useful secure area of the website. This is a project management tool that enables you to see the progress and history of any Lapicida orders, on an individual project basis, from delivery times to payment status. Your drawings, plans, photos and specifications can be uploaded and accessed them from anywhere in the world; it will even automatically email you when your order status changes.
7 9 - digital aids
beautiful oxymoron argento collection
Luxurious and affordable; the Lapicida Argento Collection is a beautiful oxymoron. It actually contradicts itself. How can such an inspired collection of luxury, high quality natural stone floor and wall tiles be so accessible to all? That remains one of Lapicida’s many secrets.
What is common knowledge though is just how greatly admired and successful a range it is. Stunning Lapicida quality limestone, marble and travertine tiles for any room in your home, all within easy reach. It is an obviously attractive proposition that is proving increasingly popular and promotes Lapicida’s ethos that everyone has the right to quality natural stone in their home. Affordable quality, this Portuguese Limestone is available in alternative stone finishes that help to create a unique project as shown. 8 1 - argento collection
An average bathroom consists of 15m2 of floor and walls. Using this mixed German Limestone, this bathroom could be achieved for as little as ÂŁ750 plus VAT. 8 2 - argento collection
Left: An example of the finish you can expect using our in-house 3D design rendering service. Right: Unique stone technology enables Lapicida to scan anything from a lightbulb to an actual car.
FUTURE FORWARD TECHNOLOGY
Nothing happens by accident at Lapicida. The impossibly beautiful sculptural stone forms. The incredibly intricate fine art flooring. The stunning never seen before textures. The entire suite of Lapicida apps and online tools. All are the product of one thing; an allconsuming passion to embrace new technologies. It is an edict that comes from the top down; a distinctive seam that runs right through Lapicida. THE CUTTING EDGE Lapicida is constantly exploring and developing innovative new ways to achieve perfection in stone and always aims to be the first to introduce cutting edge technologies to the industry. But it is not simply a question of purchasing and installing technology and then hitting a button. Any company could do that. The real magic happens when this technology is placed in the hands of craftsmen who combine these new capabilities with the age old techniques that make stone so achingly desirable. ALCHEMY IN STONE Lapicida now has the ability to create quite literally anything in stone, entirely in-house. Sophisticated 3D MAX software driven by an experienced designer is a resource that is always available to individual clients and professionals to bring their interiors to life in full three-dimensional renders. Now it gets really interesting. Lapicida is also the first to combine two exciting technologies – a 3D Scanner with a 5 Axis CNC Shaping Mill – to create something that astonishes even the most experienced design professional. Lapicida craftsmen have the ability to scan any object of virtually any size, however elaborate or intricate, from say an actual Ferrari to a simple lightbulb, and then recreate it in any natural stone of your choice. Seriously. In fact, those are just two examples of the many miracles this technology has already performed and, so advanced is this in-house capability, you will find this nowhere else in the UK. LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES In the expert hands of Lapicida’s artisan craftsmen, precision splitters, polishing heads, dimension saws and texturing machines are pushed to the limit of their capabilities. Lapicida goes beyond with another European exclusive that elevates luxury flooring to new heights. Space-age precision waterjet cutting technology enables skilled stone artists to fashion bespoke fine art marble floor centrepieces and stone wall murals. Tens of thousands of intricate, detailed marble or stone shapes, as fine as filigree, are hand-assembled by expert craftsmen to create totally unique floors with exquisite centrepieces. Dry fit, these are then capable of being packed and shipped to anywhere in the world. Lapicida can also project any living space onto a floor or wall and then dry lay tiles, cut to specification, so customers can preview precisely how their new Lapicida stone will look and make any necessary modifications prior to installation. IN YOUR HANDS The employment of unique technologies also extends beyond Lapicida’s workshops. Design-In-Stone is the first iPad and smartphone app to put over 200 high resolution images of natural stone in your pocket. Colour accurate, they enable customers and design professionals to flick through the Lapicida collection anywhere in the world. The Lapicida.com Customer Portal also gives customers the ability to track all their orders in real time, online and receive email updates each time the status of their order changes from initial order right through to final delivery.
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“ C ustomers C A N watch their commission being created live on the C N C S haping M ill ’ s twin webcams . T hey get pretty excited about that . ” M ilo C herrington L apicida T ec h nician
In-house 5 Axis Breton CNC Shaping Machine at work. Available to view online at Lapicida.com. 8 6 - technology
Left: Hand selected Crema Marfil 800x800mm tiles and specialist custom made solid curved Crema Marfil steps. Right: Grand Entrance; hand selected Crema Marfil marble 800x800mm
quite an entrance halls & stairways
First impressions count for everything. They are often formed within the blink of an eye. In an interview situation, before a word is spoken or hand shaken, opinions are already being set in stone. Interior designers and architects are all too aware that the first sight to greet most visitors to a home, or place of business, is the entrance, hallway and stairway.
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Stone creates a naturally confident environment that pulls together the adjoining rooms. Think of it as the spine of the living or working space which endures heavy traffic. Natural stone floors and walls provide a practical and enduringly handsome solution.
Bespoke designed central staircase using first select Super Cream from slab; manufactured in-house. 9 0 - halls & stairways
Barr De Montpellier. 18th/19th Century quarried limestone found exclusively in the ch창teaux and grand houses around the Montpellier region. 9 2 - halls & stairways
“ L apicida has taught me how to use stone in a very creative way . I have then been able to specify beautiful schemes with stone that have brought great value to our projects and enhance my design practice ’ s reputation . ” C arolyn P arker I nterior D esigner
INDUSTRY INNOVATORS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Carolyn Parker Interior Designer
In professional circles, the name Lapicida means many things. Interior designers see it as an inspirational source of natural stone. Architects and specifiers regard Lapicida as the reassuring authority. Developers rely on them to deliver on time, every time. All are agreed on one thing though; Lapicida has a total understanding of what the commercial sector demands and accordingly delivers an unparalleled level of personal service. EXPERIENCED EXTENSION Representing the UK’s leading stone specialist, Lapicida consultants provide over 25 years of experience and are an invaluable extension to any design or build professional’s business. A low turnover of consultants means commercial clients enjoy true continuity in their relationship with Lapicida. Dedicated consultants provide a seamless gateway to a complete end-to-end in-house service from design to delivery. An open door policy invites design and build professionals to use Lapicida’s facilities as if they were their own. From using their showroom facilities as a backdrop for their own business to presenting their ideas to clients in Lapicida’s state-of-the-art, complimentary conference facilities equipped with large format monitors. The Lapicida team is dedicated to making working with them an inspiring and rewarding experience. RISING TO CHALLENGE Lapicida consultants are at the top of their game. They have worked with design professionals from all over the world and undergo on-going training and development of new techniques and technologies. This means they are always well-informed and relish the challenges that interesting and unusual projects bring. Lapicida is also a respected member of the Stone Federation and a British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) Approved Partner.
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IMPRESSIVELY RESOURCEFUL Design professionals looking for something rare and exclusive, such as an antique reclaimed floor or a stunning 3D focal stone wall to create impact in a commercial reception area, need just contact their Lapicida consultant. In fact, Lapicida can create or source any type or variant of natural stone found anywhere in the world. The only thing limiting the interior designer or architect is their own creativity. Samples of natural stone are also freely available and are usually despatched within just 24 hours of being requested. Tactile Lapicida Design-In-Stone iPad and smartphone apps deliver high resolution, colour accurate swatches of over 200 natural stone tiles for designers who need immediate inspiration or wish to involve and impress clients in meetings or presentations. INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT Lapicida’s online Customer Portal provides commercial customers with another exclusive valuable resource. Each client has access to their own dedicated secure area of lapicida.com from anywhere in the world. This provides real time order tracking and a virtual vault for storing and archiving notes, images, plans and documents related to the stone requirements for individual projects. Each time the progress of any order changes, clients automatically receive an email detailing its latest status from delivery dates to payment status. To talk to or meet your Lapicida consultant, simply contact Lapicida on +44 (0)1423 400 500.
tRE dimension I 3 d tiles & mouldings
Sculpted forms exploit light to accentuate their shape and inject drama. Traditional stone tiles are essentially flat two-dimensional surfaces that rely on their natural pattern, texture and colour to create interest.
Lapicida 3D natural stone tiles and mouldings add an extra dimension to interiors. Sculpted with artistic flair and complete precision, they create tactile feature walls that captivate and natural stone skirting and dado rails of grace and elegance.
Rain Drops; part of the Lapicida Elements Collection – an exclusive 3D geometric tile range in Limestone. 97
- 3 d tiles & mouldings
Left: Argon (left) and Galium (right) available as part of the Elements Collection; 600 x 600 x 20mm. Right: Breeze; a full tiled wall from this exclusive 3D geometric collection. 9 8 - 3 d tiles & mouldings
Seta Carrara CNC cut Wave 600x600mm tile shower back. Thassos AA 600x600mm floor tiles. 1 0 0 - 3 d tiles & mouldings
utterly unique bespoke custom cut
Lapicida never compromises on quality, which is why they would never expect their customers to abandon their aspirations. Lapicida Custom Cut provides a totally bespoke service that realises any design from designer floor tile patterning and stone wall murals to intricate waterjet-cut fine art centrepieces in marble and semiprecious stones.
Hand-assembled by master craftsmen from thousands of pieces, these are a dry fit design and so can be packed and shipped anywhere in the world. Interior designers and architects get total creative freedom and clients enjoy their unique vision set in stone. Left: Right: Modern combination of all the variations of Italian vein-cut Travertine along with a bespoke 3D feature floor. Available to view at the King’s Road showroom. Right: Antique 3D floor unifies three uniquely different reclaimed stones, expertly hand-selected and handcrafted. 1 0 3 - bespoke custom cut
A contemporary Limestone centrepiece almost three metres in diameter; taken from a 300 year old design. 1 0 4 - bespoke custom cut
European Exclusive – bespoke waterjet cut marble floor centerpiece. 1 0 6 - bespoke custom cut
model of efficiency order tracking & shipping
Once you have made your mind up about something, you expect it to happen. Lapicida understands this which is why they carry huge stock levels in their vast 17,000 square foot warehouse. Having chosen and ordered the best stone for you, it is subjected to the best possible service. It is immediately picked and carefully prepared, then readied for dispatch.
Customers can track orders at every stage online and receive emails each time its status changes. Lapicida is a truly international operation and ships samples and entire orders of any size to anywhere in the world. Every aspect of this process has been designed to ensure your project runs smoothly.
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simple pleasures rustic retreat S
True contentment can often be found in the simplest things in life. A minute of total perfect silence. A roughly hewn slice of fresh baked bead. A freshly pressed white shirt. Some of Lapicida’s most popular natural stone is its simplest with earthy tones and interesting textures.
Rare Antique English Reclaimed stone to textured limestone and slate. Simply cut sandstone to rich and rustic terracotta. Lapicida tiles can become the very fabric of any home and feature equally effectively in minimal, cool contemporary interiors and warm, homely country idylls.
Bespoke staircase using Grey Jerusalem Tuscany 500mm x random length. 1 1 1 - rustic retreats
Coursed Antique English with original hand-crafted edge finish. A floor of history and character for traditional or modern interiors. 1 1 2 - rustic retreats
Left: Reverse-face 19th century Reclaimed English Sandstone creating a modern yet rustic finish to this wall. Right: A completely unique product to Lapicida, this exclusive grey hand-select reverse face wall tile is also available sandblasted. 1 1 4 - rustic retreats
The grand foyer of the Lapicida HQ showroom.
monolithic proportions lapicida harrogate
Entering Lapcida’s Harrogate HQ in North Yorkshire can only be likened to walking into a cathedral. You cannot help but hush your voice to a whisper. What confronts you is Europe’s largest, most impressive gallery dedicated to the celebration of natural stone. The effect, like the choice, is overwhelming. Entire collections of the highest quality marble, limestone, travertine, slate, granite, onyx and semi-precious stone presented at their absolute best.
The rarest antique reclaimed natural stone and most intricate custom cut bespoke floors. Natural stone baths, basins and shower trays. This is merely the tip of the iceberg. What is hidden from sight is the main infrastructure of the 3-acre site with the capability to manufacture both tiles and slabs all under the same roof. It is this unprecedented offering that makes Lapicida the stone specialist capable of delivering virtually anything. Simply breathtaking.
Lapicida Harrogate: St James Park, Knaresborough, Harrogate, HG5 8PJ. +44 (0) 1423 400 200. enquiries@lapicida.com
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Lapicida’s HQ in North Yorkshire; a 3 acre site that hosts Europe’s largest natural stone tile showroom, manufacturing and stock. 1 1 8 - lapicida harrogate
hold your breath swimming pools
You emerge from the changing room to a perfectly symmetrical pool of impossibly still azure blue water. It seems a crime to disturb the mirror-like surface, but the immersive beauty draws you in deeper and deeper. This is a sight and sensation Lapicida has been creating for hundreds of customers of leading national and international swimming pool specialists for decades.
From simple outdoor pools to award-winning subterranean spa complexes. Integrated fountains and waterfalls to intricate mosaics, surrounds and walls. Lapicida’s expert knowledge ensures that the design makes waves and the process goes incredibly smoothly.
Award-winning SPATA Swimming Pool of the Year supplied by Lapicida. 1 2 1 - swimming pools
Basement pool and entertainment complex; part of a whole house project in conjunction with a highend interior design company. Lapicida supplied and manufactured all stone elements, including bespoke design columns 1 2 2 - swimming pools
Dramatic UK indoor and outdoor pool complex. Large format Pyranese forms the basis of the pool’s drama and continues outside onto the terrace. 1 2 4 - swimming pools
ONE WORLD KEY VALUES
Earth is a unique planet. There is only one in this universe, so everybody has a responsibility to care for it. We also all have to live together in harmony which is why Lapicida adheres to a set of core values that mean many things. It’s about working together in partnership forging strong relationships with suppliers. The way Lapicida sources its stone. Environmentally, Lapicida is committed to making a world of difference, aspiring to be carbon neutral and self-sufficient via solar energy.
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Stone uses few natural resources in its processing but is a precious natural resource in itself. Antique and reclaimed stone gives ancient stone new life. Investment in stone recycling technology is creating new products such as smaller crafted tiles and decorative aggregates from off cuts and waste stone. Lapicida cares.
SUPPORTING RESPONSIBLE USE OF NATURAL STONE RESOURCES
HABITAT CONVIViAL OUTDOOR LIVING
The shade of a parasol, an engrossing novel and a crisp, elegant Chablis. Time escapes, the sun gently bows out and shadows gradually lengthen. You ease into the evening and enjoy a simple al fresco meal. Everything is still and you glow agreeably.
More days should be like this. To enjoy real quality of life, you need quality living space that seamlessly extends from interior to exterior to make the most of our precious summers. Lapicida natural stone can create dramatic contemporary or classically sympathetic outdoor living areas, water features and garden architecture. Luxury environments that unite you with nature.
Outdoor living collection at the Lapicida HQ showroom gardens. 1 2 9 - outdoor living
Genuine hand selected antique reclaimed York stone flags. 1 3 0 - outdoor living
audacious architecture opulence in stone
There are very few instances in life when something so stunning quite literally stops you dead in your tracks. You turn a corner, or enter a room; are immediately transfixed and take a short involuntary breath. The sheer scale, the rare beauty, the absolutely audacity of what you are confronted with leaves you silent.
This is the effect this exclusive range of individually commissioned natural stone installations never fails to invoke. Created by internationally-renowned designers, and tailored to your exact specifications, the combination of opulent luxury and semiprecious stone, use of light and architectural form, present a new way of thinking about natural stone. Nothing short of astonishing.
Italian hand finished gold leaf travertine. 1 3 3 - O pulence in stone
Italian hand finished gold-leafed Travertine from Venezia. 1 3 4 - O pulence in stone
Inspired by the famous painting of ‘The Kiss’ by Gustav Klimt, this combination of stone and metal creates a stunning and completely unique feature wall that is exclusive to Lapicida. 1 3 6 - O pulence in stone
Solid handmade Sandstone bamboo pieces; each piece is over 3m tall and 80mm diameter. 1 3 8 - O pulence in stone
LAPICIDA LONDON 533 Kings Road (on Lots Rd), Chelsea, London SW10 0TZ. Tel: +44 (0)20 3012 1000 LAPICIDA HARROGATE (HQ) St James Park, Knaresborough, Harrogate, HG5 8PJ. Tel: +44 (0)1423 400 200 LAPICIDA SURREY Fired Earth, 87 Portsmouth Road, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 1JH. Tel: +44 (0)1932 867639 LAPICIDA MALLORCA C/ Es Colomer, Local 7, Pol. Son Bugadelles, Santa Ponsa, 07180, Palma de Mallorca. Tel: +34 971 690 326 | +34 680 728 555 LAPICIDA OSLO The Big Shop, AGA Fired Earth, BygdøyAllè 58, 0265 Oslo. Tel: +47 22 54 00 30 | www.itadesign.no WWW.LAPICIDA.COM