Every year at Coverings we honor the best in design and installation of tile and stone at the Coverings Installation & Design (CID) Awards. We receive submissions from all over the world showcasing unique and stunning projects across residential and commercial.
This past year, the recipient of the Grand Prize for Stone was Rita Carson Guest and Magd Riad of Carson Guest Inc. for their work on The Farley Residence in Duluth, GA. Gorgeous stone was installed throughout the home, creating an upscale yet inviting space.
Rita Carson Guest is the President and Director of Design at Carson Guest Inc., an award winning design firm based in Washington, D.C. Her experience includes being the state of Georgia’s first registered interior designer, being the first interior designer appointed to serve on the Georgia State Board of Architects and Interior Designers, and receiving awards and recognition for her incredible work from organizations such as the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).
Magd Riad is the President of Marmi Natural Stone, which is one of the largest integrated sources for natural stone variety. He has been with the company since the start of 2009, holds an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, and has worked for companies such as GE, the Coca-Cola Company, and Newell-Rubbermaid.
We asked both Rita and Magd to tell us more about their project and experience at Coverings 2016:
What was the inspiration behind the project?
Our clients and the beautiful stone options inspired the work. The home was very traditional inside and out. Our client wanted to update the home and rework the kitchen and our job was to take their wishes and show them the possibilities with good design, beautiful materials and a new layout.
By moving the family room to the center of the home overlooking the pool and opening it to the kitchen we were able to create a comfortable and inviting living space that is also great for entertaining.
The design worked around the beautiful stone selections from Marmi Natural Stone including Princess White quartzite slab, smoke onyx slab, Calacatta Manhattan slab and tile, Imperial Gray Limestone tile, and Negro Marquina marble tile.
Tile products used include Calacatta Mosaics, Bianco Venatino random strip polished marble tile, Sonoma Tilemaker Stellar Glossy Charcoal Crackle tile in multiple sizes for splash material, and Ossigeno Matte long tile from Specialty Tile Products.
Stone and tile were used in six bathrooms for floors, walls and vanity tops, for the Entry Foyer floor, the countertops and farm sink in the kitchen as well as full backsplash. A beautiful new fireplace replaces an old fireplace, using book matched Calacatta Manhattan slabs in the library. All of the stone and other finishes, furnishings and artwork are new.
How does the material make you feel as you move from room to room and is it a feeling you wanted in the space?
The materials used flow nicely from space to space. The new dark wood floor highlights the beautiful white Calacatta Manhattan stone featured in the foyer, powder room and library. The beautiful white princess quartzite slabs used for the kitchen countertops and island glow as the sun hit the surfaces. The material works beautifully against the dark wood flooring and transitions nicely from the white Calacatta Manhattan stone in adjacent spaces. The island white princess slabs have gray patterned veining, which the countertops surrounding are all white making the contrast more interesting. Next to the kitchen countertops we used a glossy charcoal crackle tile in three sizes for the backsplash to contrast with the white tops.
What is something you want anyone who visits this space to take away from his or her experience?
We hope visitors find the home comfortable and inspiring. The richness of the new materials along with interesting artwork purchased to work with the new look creates texture and design at every turn.
Do you have an award-winning project we should know about?
The Coverings 2017 CID Awards are open for your submissions! Enter now!
