Tucker Design Awards celebrate the innovation and vision that designers bring to their projects through the specification and use of natural stone materials. For members of the Natural Stone Institute, acknowledgement as a contributor to a Tucker Design Awards winning project is a genuine tribute to their traditional values, physicality of work and dedication to precise specifications required in the realization of such accomplished architectural design. Landscape Architect Design Workshop, Aspen, CO Architect Poss Architecture, Aspen, CO Landscape Contractor Landscape Workshop, Carbondale, CO Stone Supplier/Installer Gallegos Corporation, Wolcott, CO Stone Quarry Arkins Park Stone, Loveland, CO Within walled boundaries, Woody Creek Garden embraces its high alpine environment through explorations of stone and water that serve as unifying elements of form in the design of the various outdoor spaces. Through striking and distinctively detailed stonework, water is portrayed in its various states and forms – atmospheric mist, single rivulets, cascades, and still pools. Two courtyards interlink the residence allowing each room to enjoy the visual landscape. In the entrance courtyard, the sound from a carved 24”x 24” cut-granite fountain reverberates throughout the walled space. Placed for gathering and quiet contemplation, a pin-wheel arrangement of sculptural, granite slabs provide a honed surface for sitting while providing year-round interest. Each stone was individually specified with intentionally spaced core fractures, utilizing the extraction method to serve as sculpted details. Large sandstone pavers, set in sand and cut in an irregular, but geometric fashion bring a sense of modernity to the space. Throughout the property, stone detailing seek to heighten one’s experience of the landscape and views. Upon the home’s entry, an 18” rectilinear cut in the freestanding stone wall frames a distant peak, creating a singular reference to the outside world in this encased space. Emerging from the center of an organically-shaped carved sandstone slab, water is carried along a narrow 2” runnel sandstone cap, disappearing into the framed horizon. This glimpse to the west is the only opening in the tightly enclosed courtyard. From its opposite aspect, the feature creates a welcoming gesture at the home’s front entrance. The slender rivulet of water trickles from the sandstone slab above onto a honed granite plane, set within a sandstone terrace In contrast, a second promontory courtyard commands a strong presence over its alpine setting, leaving the steeply sloping site undisturbed. A 12’x 40’ reflecting pool – a thin sheet of water over honed black granite – captures the form and silence of the everchanging natural environment on its taut surface. Along its edge, water flows over a ½” radius edge, disappearing into a recirculating slot. Commissioned by Italian artist Bruno Romeda, a bronze sculpture rests upon an elevated granite plinth. Along its western edge, designers crafted a two-tiered, infinity edge detail. In the first vertical drop, water flows between the pool and perimeter stone walls, landing onto an intermediate bench, while the second drop introduces a chamfered edge, allowing water to embrace the vertical relief without splashing. Sandstone terraces provide continuous access to the various landscape features of the garden. At the base of the battered perimeter walls, a sandstone path leads to a fire pit, encircled by lichen-covered boulders. Along the courtyard’s eastern perimeter, water appears to emerge from the hillside, fracturing and falling against the irregular vertical stone wall, melting in a curtain-like formation behind the spa. The colors, distinctive detailing and striking stonework were selected based on their appropriateness to the context. From above, a rectilinear pool lies behind the wall, silently mirroring the sky above and offering no ostensible connection to the structure or to its source.

A custom Oven hood cover goes over the extraction fan, and was made by the cabinet shop. the molding makes a perfect spot for a piece of art that can be rotated as it just leans against the angled hood. A faux bead board style adds charm to the hood. A pot filler is another extra that is both useful and charming. Open floating shelves are perfect for displaying collections like these vintage pitchers platters, and seltzer bottles. Slide-in gas range works perfectly because it has no backplate!

The Equator Marble is a famous natural stone from Turkey, with a considerable history. This marble has been used throughout history in Turkey and is today a reference white marble both in Turkey and abroad. It is extracted by some quarries with small to medium dimension in the island of Marmara, and its blocks can have any dimension. Also called "Fluid, Panda White, Marmara White", is a white coloured marble, with medium grain and uniform background. The Equator Marble is a type of marble with a unique feature: it presents a parallel grey/bluish coloured vein. This parallel vein is what makes this white marble so unique and distinct. Its main variations basically depend on the intensity of the vein.

The room follows a palette with a light and neutral base – from white to gray, through off-white, with shades of blue extracted from the tiles (especially the painting by the artist Sergio Lucena, above the bed) and sprinkles. of fresh green, present in works of art, books covered with fabric and decorative objects. Another highlight of the room is the TV that displays a digital work of art when turned off, thus becoming an integral part of the decor. Finally, various flower arrangements, from lavender to rosemary, exude a unique scent in the environment, increasing the feeling of well-being and relaxation so fundamental in bedrooms.”

EDEN is a family of products for relaxation and slumber, including a chaise longue, a bed and a sofa-bed. The particular feature of the collection is the original frame in metal and wood, entirely covered with cowhide, giving the product a precise connotation of luxury, functioning as the back of the chaise longue or the headboard of the bed and sofa-bed. In the daybed version the L-shaped back forms a support for soft down cushions. The bed comes with a base in wooden slats, with or without a storage compartment, and the headboard can be enhanced by two adjustable lateral wings that open to accommodate small bedside tables. The sofa-bed has a wooden slat platform and comes as a double bed or two twin beds; in the latter solution, the second extractable bed is raised off the ground with a simple touch of the foot, thanks to a patented mechanism that greatly facilitates the operation.

EDEN is a family of products for relaxation and slumber, including a chaise longue, a bed and a sofa-bed. The particular feature of the collection is the original frame in metal and wood, entirely covered with cowhide, giving the product a precise connotation of luxury, functioning as the back of the chaise longue or the headboard of the bed and sofa-bed. In the daybed version the L-shaped back forms a support for soft down cushions. The bed comes with a base in wooden slats, with or without a storage compartment, and the headboard can be enhanced by two adjustable lateral wings that open to accommodate small bedside tables. The sofa-bed has a wooden slat platform and comes as a double bed or two twin beds; in the latter solution, the second extractable bed is raised off the ground with a simple touch of the foot, thanks to a patented mechanism that greatly facilitates the operation.

This precision remodel extracted the tub and replaced it with an alcove walk-in shower with tile in linear drain and long horizontal niche. Maintaining a wall spout offers flexibility for all uses. The back wall and shower floor tile extends into the whole bathroom space which was the only element changed outside of the shower. Careful demo preserved the existing paint treatment on the walls as requested by the homeowner. The glossy black subway tile on either end of the new shower balances the existing black counter and toilet on the opposite side of the room. Linen-textured 12x24 tile completes the shower and flooring. Richards & Sterling tile in the niche pulls together the mixed metals in the space and adds a great feature . Three different carefully selected Schluter edges finishes off the tile perfectly. A single hinged glass partition door keeps the space feeling open and reflects the giant existing window.

The concept and design of the hotel and restaurant was done in collaboration with Sean MacPherson to transform the aging but extraordinary property into an authentic surf shack. The architectural goal was to create simplicity out of natural materials while allowing the physical expansiveness of the location to shine through. This involved extracting the design down to the wood structure, framing, and elements. Locally sourced cedar lines the rooms, absorbing the summer and early fall quality of light, allowing the inside and outside to blue and age together in natural harmony. The perfection of the space embodied in the imperfections.

This precision remodel extracted the tub and replaced it with an alcove walk-in shower with tile in linear drain and long horizontal niche. Maintaining a wall spout offers flexibility for all uses. The back wall and shower floor tile extends into the whole bathroom space which was the only element changed outside of the shower. Careful demo preserved the existing paint treatment on the walls as requested by the homeowner. The glossy black subway tile on either end of the new shower balances the existing black counter and toilet on the opposite side of the room. Linen-textured 12x24 tile completes the shower and flooring. Richards & Sterling tile in the niche pulls together the mixed metals in the space and adds a great feature . Three different carefully selected Schluter edges finishes off the tile perfectly. A single hinged glass partition door keeps the space feeling open and reflects the giant existing window.

A classic black and white kitchen with a superwhite granite island bench.
Example of a mid-sized trendy l-shaped concrete floor eat-in kitchen design in Auckland with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This St Johns Wood mansion block flat was one of our recent projects with a luxurious property developer in the area. We opened up spaces between the hallway, living area and kitchen to create a much more open feel throughout. A bespoke bench wrapped around the living space providing extra seating as well as storage whilst, keeping as much of the floor space free. Hidden cabling, Samsung Frame TV and biofires helped to add the luxuries without drawing away from the tranquillity. Another view of the St Johns Wood mansion block flat, the modern kitchen layout with it's central island and induction hob and ceiling mounted extraction pendant above. The brushed bronze finish on the island's facade contrasts with the sleek minimal gloss white cabinetry for the rest of the kitchen.⁠

SKY-NATURA NATURAL SIDES C.R. & S. RIVA1920 Table made with a solid wood top having glued boards, with squared or natural edges in combination with iron legs characterised by double sheet metal semi-folded in the shape of a rhombus.Finish: base of oil / natural wax of vegetable origin with pine extracts.

The tiles shown in the photographs below are classic distressed Black and White Italian Marble installed in the kitchen of a property in Bamber Bridge which is South of Preston. Some of the tiles had an issue with loose grout which I suspect was due to the suspended wooden floor and a small amount of movement had resulted in the grout cracking. Ideally more support would be needed under the floor to prevent this, in the meantime however I recommended removing the grout and replacing with a flexible grout product that could cope with the movement. The tiles also needed a clean, polish and reseal so it made sense to address the issue with the grout as part of the work. Working as a two-man team we started by cleaning the floor with a set of diamond burnishing pads starting with a coarse 400-grit, followed by 800 and 1500 grit. Water was used to lubricate the process and the floor was rinsed with water between pads with the fine slurry generated by the process extracted using a wet vacuum. These pads remove ingrained dirt and then slowly refine the appearance of the Marble building up its polished appearance in the process. The next step was to rake out all the grout which as discussed was compromised and needed replacing. We had to be very careful when removing the grout due to the electric heating mat under the floor, any damage to that would require ripping the floor up. With the old grout removed and the floor cleaned the floor was then grouted using Mapei Ultra-colour which is a flexible and fully waterproof grout more than suitable for this situation. Between us we managed to pack a lot into day one which was tough, however with the hardest tasks out of the way day two should be a lot easier. Day two started with an initial clean making sure to remove any excess grout smeared on the surface that can affect the look of the tile if not removed. This was followed by the application of the last of the set of burnishing pads which is a 3,000-grit pad that really brings up the polish on the marble. You only need a small amount of water sprayed onto the floor when applying this last pad so by late morning the floor was dry and ready for sealing. The customer wanted a better sheen appearance than they previously had, fortunately we find the Diamond burnishing pads do this well, they also tighten up the pores of the stone as well which means less sealer is needed. The floor was then sealed with Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that improves colour and soaks into the stone occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained. Once complete the floor looked great and the client was very happy. Sealers and Polish do wear down with use over time so before leaving I discussed our annual maintenance plan option which will ensure the appearance of the Marble floor always looks good. The plan involves returning once a year to further polish the floor with a high-grade burnishing pad and to add more sealer if required. We also discussed the use of Tile Doctor Stone Soap for regular cleaning, it is a pH neutral cleaner which is ideal for stone floors like Marble which are acid sensitive. Russell Taylor Lancashire Tile Doctor

Neale Smith
Eat-in kitchen - large modern galley concrete floor eat-in kitchen idea in Glasgow with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, orange backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Bridgwater is known to be one of Somerset’s liveliest towns. With a history dating back over 1000 years, it has many traditions, including a carnival which happens every November, and is hailed as the world’s largest illumination procession. What wasn’t looking lively, however, was this Limestone tiled kitchen floor at a house in the town. It had been laid five years previously but at the time of laying hadn’t been sealed with adequate amounts of sealer. As a result, the Limestone had absorbed a lot of wet footprints and other dirty stains. The sealer simply broke down after a while, leaving the homeowner with a floor that never looked clean no matter how much they cleaned it – using all kinds of products. In fact, the tiles looked blackened and mouldy, as you can see in the photos below. It was time for the homeowner to seek out professional assistance, so she decided to contact her local Tile Doctor. I was asked to completely restore the look of the floor – something the homeowner had deemed impossible at this point. In practice, I knew the floor could be restored using the right products and methods including a really deep clean and resealing with the right type of sealer for these tiles. I scrubbed in Tile Doctor Remove and Go, which is a powerful coatings remover which draws out ingrained stains and strips away any old sealer remaining on the tiles. The floor was then rinsed thoroughly with plain water to neutralise it, and the resulting soiled solution was extracted using a wet vacuum. I repeated the process on stubborn areas, eventually transforming the floor back to its natural and clean state. I allowed the Limestone to dry out completely overnight before returning to the property to seal the tiles. This is important as the slightest amount of excess moisture can damage the performance of the sealer, and we would’ve been back to square one! After checking with a damp meter, I could see everything was fine, so I proceeded to seal the floor with Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which is not only a robust impregnating sealer that will protect the floor going forward but also enhancing the natural colours in the stone at the same time. In the space of two days, the Limestone tiles had been completely transformed. Now it had been properly sealed, the floor will be much easier to clean and therefore should stay looking great for a long time to come. The customer was very happy to have finally resolved the problem with some assistance from the Somerset Tile Doctor! Dave Hurst Somerset Tile Doctor

This kitchen has very uniquely angles walls, making every wall unique in how we designed the cabinetry to maximize space. Here you can see how we inset the sink so the homeowner can enjoy their beautiful view, while at the sink. Photo Credit: Kris Harley-Jesson

The layout follows a wide L shape with a central island which is wide enough to house both the hob and the sink. The Miele induction hob includes an integrated extraction which allows the client a seamless view across the island and out to their wonderful farmland vista. A Neolith Bromo worktop provides both beauty and durability, making use and cleaning of this kitchen a dream. Hidden within a bank of tall cabinetry lies a large walk-in larder space, perfect for storage of everyday items, or for keeping pre-made party food a secret! The dark SieMatic cabinets in Onyx oak laminate create drama and visual strength in this large open-plan space, whilst a soft sterling grey finish was chosen for the island and console cabinets to bring warmth and light into the central area. Inspiration for a contemporary home design remodel in Hampshire

The owner of this house in Chaplefields near Coventry had bought this property as an investment and was keen to improve its appearance. As part of this work he had lifted the vinyl tiles in the hallway and discovered a lovely Edwardian tiled floor. Unfortunately, whoever had laid the Vinyl tiles had decided to use Tar as an adhesive and this had left a black mess all over the floor. Realising the potential value an original feature such as this could add to the property he was keen to restore the tiles but not so keen to deal with the Tar, so we were asked to deal with the problem and restore the floor as close to its original condition as possible. To get the tiles clean and remove the horrible tar I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go, which as its name suggest is great for removing coverings from tiles. I applied the Remove and Go with a mop, left it to soak in for a few minutes and then worked it in using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The soil was extracted off the floor using a wet and dry vacuum and then the process repeated until I was happy all the tar was gone. I then gave the tiles an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel; this serves to break down alkaline mineral deposits such as cement and grout smears, it also counters any efflorescence problems which can be an issue with these old floors where no damp proof membrane has been installed. Finally, the floor was given a rinse with clean water and a steam clean to remove any trace of cleaning products and to neutralise the tiles in preparation for sealing. I left the floor to dry off overnight and returned to the property to seal the tiles the next day. To seal the tiles, I used three coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is a water based sealer that leaves a subtle sheen finish and being water based doesn’t leave a smell as it dries. The sealer will provide durable protection going forward preventing dirt from becoming ingrained into the pores of the tile and ensuring it remains easy to clean and keeping its appearance for some time to come. The floor now looks fantastic and gives a great impression when you come into the property which is exactly what the owner wanted. Mick Gayton Warwickshire Tile Doctor

The kitchen was part of a larger renovation project for the client's family home. The client wanted a modern and functional kitchen with a large island that would require reconfiguring the back of the property to create an efficient, family-friendly space. We selected the Nolte Feel range for this project, opting for Magnolia as the main colour with Lava accents and Silver Matrix Art handleless trims that include integrated lighting. This colour palette and design choice delivered a stylish and contemporary kitchen. The island features a 20mm Silestone Coral Clay worktop, complemented by Nolte Platinum Bough Oak worktops for the other surfaces. All appliances are from NEFF and include a single oven, combination microwave, warming drawer, induction hob, ceiling extraction, full-height fridge, and full-height freezer, as well as a dishwasher. Additional features include a Blanco Subline 1 ½ undermounted sink in Tartufo and a Quooker Fusion Square Stainless Steel instant boiling water tap. The flooring was laid with Pergo laminate to complete the look and meet the functional needs of a busy family. If you're interested in creating a kitchen that's both stylish and functional, get in touch with us to discuss your project.