Stone Gallery Opens In Melbourne’s Dandenong South

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Victoria Stone Gallery.

Our friends at Victoria Stone Gallery may be new to the area, but are certainly not new to the block. VSG are wholesale slab suppliers bringing to Melbourne a selection of some of the most beautiful natural stone. The team come from a background in stone, having been internationally immersed in the industry for fifteen years and counting.

Trendstone Quartz Comes To Victoria.

Here at Trendstone, we are proud to announce that VSG are the Victorian distributor of both Trendstone Quartz product lines. They are specialising in the recently unveiled marble-look range, which includes Calacatta inspired colours.

The Australian stone market is also excited about the arrival of Trendstone XL, the famous jumbo quartz slabs (3.4 x 1.9). The large size mean that you can have a 3.4 m long island top without any joins. Joins are minimised in general, production time is decreased so costs are saved for everyone involved. Trendstone XL are currently the biggest quartz slabs in Australasia. 

Online Collection.

Browse through the Victoria Stone Gallery online catalogue, whether you’re on the hunt for the perfect stone for your home or business, or just seeking inspiration. Their current stock is regularly updated online, so you can see for yourself the ever-growing selection of marble, quartzite, granite and travertine. 

Appointments can be arranged by email or phone to view the gallery. After admiring the showroom, the team will show you through the warehouse to help you find the right look for your project whether you’re renovating your kitchen benchtop, splash-back or office fit out. The space has been cleverly curated in a gallery style so a slab from each bundle is easily viewed at your leisure.

Victoria Stone Gallery have opened their doors to share their advice and project knowledge. From architectural design and selection, to post-installation, aftercare and maintenance, Victoria Stone Gallery have you covered.

We can’t wait to cross the ditch to check it out for ourselves!

Porcelain Slabs

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Porcelain slabs are revolutionising the use of stone in commercial and home design. Overcoming the traditional pain points that natural stones can encounter, porcelain slabs are carefully engineered to be characterised by practicality, adaptability and beauty. Porcelain slabs perform excellently and could even be considered superior to natural stone.  Due to a special customised set of properties, porcelain slabs are an impeccable option for basic, traditional and advanced architectural applications – for a fraction of the price.

Here are 5 key points that you need to know about porcelain slabs.

Heat and stain resistant

The practicality of having ceramic surfaces in the home is unquestionable – they require almost no maintenance. By nature porcelain is non-porous, liquids do not seep into it. Rather, they sit on the surface and spills can be cleaned up a simple wipe. Unlike marbles, they do not scratch, etch or dull from spills, heat or high temperatures.

Thin and light

Porcelain slabs are perfectly flat, and much lighter than natural stones – while being amazingly structurally sound. Its lighter weight allows for easy installation and trickier applications. It is perfect for vertical installation such as splash backs, wall coverings or building exteriors.

Cost effective

 As porcelain is a ceramic, the cost of the material is considerably lower cost than marble, granite or quartzite. In general the labor costs are higher, as more specialisation is required and there is less margin for error. However in saying that – the large sizes of the slabs do minimise cutting and labor costs. Porcelain slabs can also be installed over existing surfaces – so when renovating you do not need to rip everything out of your kitchen – saving again on cost.

Eco-friendly

The production of porcelain is a carbon neutral process. Having porcelain surfaces in your home or business is ecologically sound and friendly. They do not require any harsh chemical treatment – they are cleaned simply with water and a cloth. Porcelain does not emit contaminants due to careful product design and structure. Porcelain does not allow the growth or build up of any harmful bacteria or mould.

Consistent patterning

The tiles are made to mimic the organic patterning of highly sought after natural granites and marbles. As it is man made, the veining looks organic but is wonderfully seamless. Due to the continuity from slab to slab, unsightly joins are minimised resulting in a consistent flowing surface.

The Chief – Portrait of marble (VIDEO)

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“Marble quarries are places so unbelievable and striking, they almost feel like they are big theaters or sets,” says Yuri Ancarani, the filmmaker behind today’s excerpt from the documentary, Il Capo (The Chief), which follows a quarry boss as he guides his men through the extraction process, using a silent language of gesture and sign.

Ancarani was captivated by the otherworldly landscapes of the quarry. He spent nearly a year filming on Monte Bettolgi, in the Carrara region of the Apuan Alps, in Northwest Italy, eventually deciding to focus his film on the hypnotic, and rather dramatic moment when the monumental marble blocks are freed from the mountainside, and fall to the ground with an earth-shattering thud.

Read full article here. 

1950’s Marble Quarry (Video)

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Take a look and these sweet historic video’s we found from the British Pathé film archives. They show some great insight into how Carrara Marble was quarried back in the good old days, when hard labour was the driving force of the stone industry.