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Ebony Lynia Interlocking Tiles for Outdoor Corporate Space
A few years ago we worked with an architect designing the new headquarters of a medium sized energy company in Nebraska. One of the finishes Norstone got to be a part of was a cool outdoor space tucked away in the back of the building where our Lynia Interlocking Natural Stone Tiles in Ebony were used on a long landscaping wall used to define the perimeter of the space. This interlocking natural tile system is really cool and its used really well in this project. Let’s take a look at a few of the things we think make this project special.
One of the first thing that catches our eye about this project is the color pallete and commercial focused design of the building. If you’ve been to any large office park you’ve probably seen a lot of the same color pallete of grey, brown, and white tones along with what most people will conclude as “forgettable” architecture. The design team on this project did a great job using some interesting color and subtle yet effective design to make this building look like more than just a grey box with windows. A variety of surfaces were used as well as muted pops of color, such as the reddish grey main panels of the building and the dark black of the Ebony interlocking natural stone tile, to help break up the commercial “office space” feel of the building.
Looking specifically at the wall where the Ebony interlocking tiles were installed, one of the things we really appreciate is the design of the wall, with its straight runs, right angles, and varied heights, which matches the design style of the tile product. Each Lynia tile consists of 9 strips of tile, staggered and mounted to a mesh backer, which creates a very linear, geometric, modern inspired look. A product like our Lynia Interlocking natural stone tiles wouldn’t look nearly as good on a serpentine or curved stone wall. Detail like this is the hallmark of good design.
How corners are addressed is a common question in almost any stone and tile installation, and we really like how the installer opted for a pre-manufactured corner trim on this project. These trim pieces eliminate the need to miter cut the corner on site and provide a consistent, safe, and durable look to the corner. While corner units are important to create the illusion of full bed stone veneer like our Rock Panel line, with a tile product the corner trim pieces are a good option with both a classy look and easy installation.
One of the last things we take away from this project is the use of stone in particular on this landscaping wall and how appropriate a building material that is for a commercial space like this where durability and a long life span with minimal maintenance is something all products are measured against. A natural stone product like our Ebony Lynia tiles are going to require minimal maintenance in a situation like this, and are going to stand up to elements for decades. Being in Nebraska, imagine the open grassy area behind this building with a couple feet of snow on it after a big winter storm and know that underneath that snow bank is freeze thaw stable stone that is going to be ready to go once the sun comes out and melts it all away.
Natural stone interlocking tiles are a great product that can impart subtle design cues on a project all in an easy to install, durable and long lasting package. Norstone’s Lynia Natural Stone Interlocking Tiles come in four unique colors, and we invite you to check our interiors and exteriors galleries for inspiration on your next project.
