Hand-Selecting Italian Stone: From Quarry to Craft

At ACT, every decision reflects our commitment to excellence in craftsmanship, design, and creativity. This philosophy guided our design team’s recent journey to Italy, where we hand-selected stone in partnership with Studio Reed and Britannicus Stone to define the interiors of one of our most distinguished projects.

The trip was not only about choosing materials. It was about ensuring that every surface, texture, and finish communicates a level of quality that cannot be imitated.

Italy’s quarries are steeped in history, where nature’s artistry meets human ingenuity. Walking through these spaces, surrounded by vast walls of colour and texture, is both humbling and inspiring.

Selecting stone in person allowed our team to engage directly with the material, assess its qualities, and collaborate with artisans on how each piece would be cut, finished, and installed. This hands-on approach ensures the final result is not only visually striking but purposeful and enduring.

With ACT Design Managers facilitating discussions and aligning all parties on-site, approvals were immediate. What could have been a lengthy process was streamlined through careful planning and coordination, ensuring decisions were both efficient and precise.

Each quarry visit became a dialogue between material, design, and function. Working closely with Studio Reed’s designers and Britannicus Stone’s specialists, every selection was deliberate. The goal was not simply to match each space with tone, but to elevate every room into an expression of timeless design.

The investment of time in hand-selecting stone, the attention to detail in how it is cut and placed, and the collaboration with artisans at every stage ensures exceptional quality. ACT’s Design Managers guided these conversations, balancing creative ambition with construction practicality so that every decision served both design intent and build efficiency.

At this level of construction, the process is not about assembling materials. It is about creating an experience that feels both personal and enduring.

Each stone chosen in Italy carries its own history, craftsmanship, and intent. By sourcing at origin and engaging directly with the material, ACT ensures that every project remains singular, authentic, and unique.

Elegant green marble was selected for both his and her master bathrooms. The rare Onice Verde, prized for its translucency, will bring a luminous, spa-like calm to her space. The denser Verde Ming, with its deep emerald tone, will define his bathroom with strength and refined masculinity. Both stones will be installed vertically within the shower enclosures, complemented by slip-resistant flooring that balances beauty with practicality.

For the entrance lobby, our stone of choice was Breche Benou to craft a bespoke console table, a stone celebrated for its bold veining and expressive character. Its dramatic presence creates an immediate impression, while limiting its use to furniture preserves its integrity from wear in high-traffic areas. The design’s integration of stone and metal achieves a refined balance between strength and elegance.

The density and resilience of Jasper made it an ideal choice for bespoke vanity units within the WC and mezzanine spaces. The polished finish reveals subtle variations in tone and pattern, offering understated refinement and quiet luxury in compact rooms. Extending Jasper into the cinema WC creates a cohesive flow of material throughout the private areas of the home, providing a calm and refined counterpoint to the drama of the entertainment spaces.

This stone selection trip exemplified the power of collaboration across every stage of construction. With architects, designers, and ACT’s on-site team working seamlessly together, decisions were made efficiently and with clarity. For projects of this calibre, success depends on unwavering attention to detail, precise coordination, and an uncompromising commitment to excellence.