Winner:
Dee Brown, Inc
Richardson, Texas
Stone Installer

Other Project Team Members:
do+ba Architecture, Architect
Cadwallader Design, Interior Design
3D Stone Inc., Stone Suppliers
The Stone Collection, Stone Suppliers

Stone:
Indiana limestone
Semi-Precious white onyx

Judges Comments:
This understated, modern house celebrates limestone. Core interior walls, clad with Indiana limestone panels, align seamlessly with exterior walls – creating a dynamic relationship between outdoor and indoor spaces. Tightly spaced, continuous horizontal panel grooves accentuate the illusion of alignment with exterior masonry, while enhancing the spacious feel of the open floor plan. Jurors marvelled at the precision of the stone fabrication and installation.

Description:
This private residence involved construction of a modern architectural style estate property in Highland Park, Texas. Dee Brown Inc’s role came into play late in the project, when corrections were needed to some specialty stonework.
The home’s center is formed around the main entry. The floorplan is largely open, but parallel core wall areas serve to define the foyer, kitchen, dining, and living areas. As key areas, the architect put special focus on materials selection for the core walls. It was decided that Indiana limestone would be the finish, and that the cladding panels would all have unique continuous horizontal grooves.
Material was received and installed by the original subcontractor. Upon seeing the completed work, it was evident to the architect and owner that grooves in the fabricated material were not consistent, and that the installation process had left numerous chips to the panels. It was at this point that the partially completed work was removed, and the second fabricator/installer was contacted.
Dee Brown Inc ordered the Indiana limestones slabs. There, special care was taken to hold tight tolerances to the horizontal grooves as well as to the typical cut-to-size aspects. Erection of these mechanically set panels was done very carefully. The result was a clean finished product with none of the tolerance and chipping issues of the original installation.
Dee Brown, Inc also created and installed special stone finishes at the adjacent half-bath. Semi-precious white onyx was transformed into a lavatory top/bowl assembly, water-closet wall cladding, and even tissue and towel holders.