When we think of furniture in natural stone what comes to our mind is the idea of elements that are rigid and cold, with limited possibilities of design. But that is not so.

The award for Best Communicator organised by the fair Marmomacc in Verona has its objective to recognise the efforts made by exhibitors when designing their stand with the aim of presenting their products in the most effective and attractive manner. This year, 2016, the tenth edition of these awards was celebrated and the winners in the different categories were the following:

With all the daily talk of economic crisis all over the world, the high level of indebtedness, unemployment, slow economic growth, it is easy to forget there are markets which are actually doing quite well in the natural stone industry. We do not refer to a relatively small emerging market which has been growing impressively for about 5 years and which is catching the eye of the world. We refer here to no less than Germany, a country of 80 million people and with as solid an economy as is possible in these current times.

Note- This article has been updated in July 2024. It was first published in 2016.

 1. The housing market in general is quite strong and except for a part of the very high segment (explained below) for now there seems to be no signs of a bubble or an imminent slowdown. A lot of building of condominiums and apartments is going on, as well as single family homes and sales of used homes.

When summer arrives, it is time to enjoy the good weather in that special place which those among us who are fortunate to possess- a garden. The tables and benches made of natural stone are perfect to create a unique and original corner in our garden. They never deteroriate with the passage of time, are easy to maintain, and create a special and spectacular atmosphere. A 100% natural product in a 100% natural environment. A perfect match.

Stones add that special look to any garden in any house. That rustic, natural irregular shape of every stone helps to make every home garden unique in its own way. From Turkey comes a new variety of garden stones: a dazzling range of diverse colours and shapes. Our thanks to the Turkish company Med-Sinai for the photographs.

Taking a relaxing bath after a busy day of work is a pleasure that becomes a real luxury when it is taken in a bathtub made of natural stone. Because a bathtub of natural stone is unique, unrepeatable and there can never be two exactly the same. If to the uniqueness of natural stone we add design, we have infinite possibilities of a luxury experience. Just one choice to make: Oriental or Western Luxury?