Multicultural Materials

For Stone Source, the search is never-ending. " They're constantly looking for new material," says architect Carlos Zapata. "We bring in materials from every continent," says Tony Butlin, manager of the Boston-area showroom, which specializes in unique decorative surfaces. "We have a cement tile from Australia that feels like Venetian plaster, and even metal tile from Mexico." They also carry stone slabs, glass tiles and mosaics that are often recycled from scraps. And "when they get a new product in," says Zapata, "they send you a sample automatically." To the trade.