LAGOS AZUL & LAGOS GOLD

Lagos Azul is known by two other names: Nova Blue and Lagos Blue. Lagos Azul is from the lower part of the quarry and Lagos Gold is the upper level of the quarry. It's not unusual to have bits of Lagos Gold in your Lagos Azul slabs and visa versa. The quarry for this stone is in Spain.


This is a beautiful limestone that blends well with any of the Carrara region marbles that I talked about last week. There are many trim pieces available, from pencils, crown molding to 5" baseboards that can also be used around a shower dam. Lagos Azul and Lagos gold both come in 2cm and 3cm slabs for counter top material or bathroom walls. The Lagos Azul tiles come in 12", 16" and 24." Sometimes you can find an 18" tile but the 16" is more common. There are also mosaics available in 3/8" and 1/2" and bricks that are 3" x 6".

There are many insert and back splash mosaic designs that can be also be used in the floor. Walker Zanger has several borders that include both Carrara and Lagos Azul in the design. There are also hexagons that are perfect for the floor of the shower or can be used as a rug insert on the floor. There are so many straight edges in a bathroom that it's nice to add a curve or a hexagon to change things up and soften all the sharp edges. If you are working with a master bedroom suite with dressing rooms you can use the Lagos Azul as counter top material in the closets.

Another option that gives a different look to the bath is to use the Lagos Gold in combination with the Calacatta Oro. The two stones complement each other very well. I've always found that natural stone colors seem to enhance each other differently with other stones rather than tile. The slab material of Lagos Gold can be used for wall cladding or shower walls. It's a sunny look with the Calacatta Oro. Lagos Gold tiles can found in 12" and 16."

Lagos Gold and Lagos Azul will also make a beautiful checkerboard floor for an entry or kitchen floor. The Lagos Azul baseboard is a stunning finish to the project.

There are also intricate circular medallions that are made with Lagos Azul, Lagos Gold and Calacatta. These medallions can be used for entry ways, hall ways or bathroom floors. Medallions are not recommended for shower floors.

The biggest problem with stone is the different thicknesses during your design phase. Tiles that are 24" can be 1/2" to 3/4" thick, so if you want the larger tiles you have to look at the level of the hardwood floor or carpet you are butting up against. Sometimes the use of a stone threshold can solve the height difference and your fabricator can make one for you.


Some of my sources do not recommend using Lagos Azul or Gold outdoors as it cracks over time when exposed to heat and cold.  This is another stone that you need to visually match up your pieces as the grey and gold ranges can go from very light to dark.  If you are using the internet or are ordering from a distance pay for sample from the current batch to be sent to you.

CALACATTA & CALACATTA ORO

One of the most dramatic looks from the Carrara region. The veins are all grey in the Calacatta. When the gold is part of the stone it is called Calacatta Oro. Oro means gold in Italian. The background color of the marble is white which adds to the contrast. This is why I recommend choosing your slab material first, to blend in trims, mosaics and tiles you need to find materials with a white background.

These are book matched slabs and they can be used with either of the long sides matched for shower stalls or this match for long kitchen counter tops. These slabs are close to 60" high so that you can get two counter widths and back splashes or laminate pieces. Book matched slabs are generally more expensive than regular slabs, but there are ways to mitigate the expense. Chinese marble has the same white background and the materials made in China are less expensive. If you blend in mouldings and mosaics made from those materials your overall expense might be similar to non-book matched slabs.

The gold in Calacatta Oro lets you use light gold in the floor and wall materials. Jerusalem Gold also known a Halila complements the marble. Jerusalem Gold is a limestone that is available in polished, honed, brushed and tumbled. From the same Jerusalem quarries is another strata that is called Benjamin Gray and is a great blend with the Calacatta.

Another great choice is Lagos Blue or Azul and Lagos Gold from Spain. This limestone has more movement in the stone than the Jerusalem limestone.

The finishes available on the Calacatta slabs are polished or honed. Personally I recommend marble tiles on the floor be honed or brushed to make them less slippery. Mosaics come in all different sizes and textures. For floors, walls and shower floors there are Calacatta penny rounds, hexagons, bricks and squares available. To change up the classic look you can use glass or metal trim, mosaics or tiles. There are silver glass ovals or rounds from Sicis that can transform the classic to the extraordinary.

A source of some of beautiful kitchens and bathrooms using Calacatta and Calacatta Oro can be found at Velvet and Linen http://brookegiannetti.typepad.com/, please visit and enjoy.