The rebirth of Pietra Serena, as a design staple in The United States, owes as much to Renaissance conservation and planning as it does to the floors of the tech titan retail stores that it covers today. No less an authority than The Geological Society of London terms the stone “the most frequently used material in Florentine Renaissance architecture” and also opines that careful selection and prudence by period artists have led to ample supplies remaining in 2017. Among those artists was Michelangelo, a frequent user of Pietra Serena, as exemplified below by the staircase in the Laurentian Library.
via WikiCommons
Long known for the impact that its translation implies, calm stone, Pietra Serena pairs perfectly with a variety of mediums and materials. Not the least of which is nickel coated metallics, as wonderfully created by a true artist, Mr. Ted Lowitz in Chicago. While working to compose the imagery below, Ted said, “Pietra Serena is an elegant, cool gray stone with thousands of metallic sparks. I like how the sheen of the Satin Nickel Precision Liner echoes these sparks and accentuates the life in the stone”.
via Ted Lowitz
The historic usability of this classic material is only enhanced by modern technologies that allow for cutting and finishing unknown to Michelangelo and his peers. Now add nickel accent elements to the design plan and old has truly met new in perfect concert. Many thanks to Ted Lowitz and Michelangelo for their respective contributions to this post. We endeavor to be a place where the language of stone, metal, architecture and elegance are spoken fluently. Thanks for reading!
