Feb 1 2007
Stone Age Designs recreates old world European Fireplace Mantels and Stone Kitchen Hoods in Scagliola.
Thierry Francois recovered the centuries old tradition of Scagliola used by 17the century Italian Monks to create a collection of custom stone fireplace mantels and stone kitchen hoods.
Thierry Francois learned the centuries old tradition of scagliola in Italy, opened his first artisan workshop to create new, original, fireplace designs in cast stone fireplace mantels, and custom stone kitchen hoods, and stone accents including archways to Showcase the Scagliola Stone Collection of Thierry Francois opening his first design center, Stone Age Designs ten years ago in Atlanta.
Today, the fireplace designs and fireplace mantels of Thierry Francois are known throughout the United States with Showrooms in Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando, and now in Los Angeles. You can see Stone Age Designs scagliola stone fireplaces, cast stone kitchen hoods, a fireplace mantel in the Showrooms, and in the homes of celebrities like Kenny Rogers.
Scagliola (pronounced skal - yo'le) is the process of mixing together chips of stone, and layering the mixture by hand to achieve a natural stone texture of amazing clarity and depth. The artisans of Stone Age Designs, using their own special blend of scagliola, use this clarity to capture the authenticity of the Renaissance for discriminating homeowners seeking fireplace mantels, and stone fireplace mantels like the French Bordeaux or fireplace designs in the Mantels Collection like the Notre Dame.
Italian monks developed the technique in the 17th century which was later duplicated by Italian and French craftsmen who applied scagliola stone to many architectural applications. Scagliola can now be found in the castles of Europe, and you can see these in the Architectural Accents Collection, including custom stone archways, cast stone columns, and stone pedestals that capture the flavor of Old World Europe.
Thierry Francois, his family, and the craftsman of Francois & Co., the parent company of Stone Age Designs, now recreate the grand designs of European Estates, and apply this authentic stone technique to fireplace mantles, kitchen hoods, and a variety of architectural features.
"Scagliola is a very noble tradition," explains Francois. "The skill takes years to learn and is passed down through family members. Our pieces are all handmade and unique. We insist that the design of each scagliola piece we create like the Marie Antoinette Kitchen Hoods has to be just right - every detail to perfection. "We use the designs found in estates throughout Europe as our points of reference," says Francois.
You can see Europe in the fireplace stone mantels, in the cast stone fireplace mantels, and in custom stone kitchen hoods of Stone Age Designs.
Francois explains that he returns home to France regularly to purchase antique
Mantles and other pieces from estate auctions. He explains that while the company works with the area's best designers and builders, they also have a team of craftsmen who customize designs to fit any project a client can imagine.
The residents of Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando, and Los Angeles represent only a portion of discriminating homeowners from across the United States who seek out Stone Age Designs online - on the Internet - for their own custom mantles and kitchen hoods, such as their unique copper hood, which uses fragments of copper in the scagliola process to create a beautiful patina copper.
The company's custom architectural elements can be seen in the Stone Age Designs Showcase, http://www.stoneagedesigns.net/showcase including custom pieces, archways with intricate and unique details, add the Old World grandeur to any home. "Not everyone can enjoy a $38,000 limestone mantle direct from a European estate," he says. "We can recreate that piece for less, with quality stone using a centuries-old technique to give the look, and feel of limestone in grand Old World designs." Discriminating homeowners seek out Stone Age Designs' original scagliola for their fine homes. You will also find custom stone fireplace mantels, cast stone kitchen hoods, and Architectural Accents in the home of Travis Tritt, Jeff Foxworthy, and members of the popular band Creed.
"Those who know quality and craftsmanship want the best, and we provide that for them," says Francois. "True Old World character is hard to capture with authenticity. We are special because we use the highest quality scagliola, our own special blend of stone, and the authentic century's old technique combined with true European designs."