Walking into George Lufriu's showroom at Lufriu Marble, Inc. on the corner of Himes and Spruce, is like walking into an art gallery. Striking colors and shapes are displayed along walls and in showcases. The artwork itself owes its beauty to nature and its craftsmanship to George and his crew. After a consultation with the experts and a little planning, your home can be inlayed with this natural art form in ways you may never have dreamed were possible.

The Story Behind the Business

George Lufriu comes from a lineage rooted in the Tampa Bay area. Since the late 1880's, the Lufriu family has made their name as craftsman, carpenters, and pool builders. Following in the well-beaten path of his forefathers, George started in the pool building business. However, seeking to find his own direction led him to the tile business, where his talent blossomed. After his first job landed a feature in Home and Garden, George took a large and prestigious account in Harbour Island. Before he knew it, he had two full-time crews laying tile plus a pool business that was still in full swing.

Not a bad start, considering he was just 19.

His career has been highlighted with accomplishments like the period he spent traveling to colleges to instruct on marble, tile, and glass mosaic installation; working on Eric Clapton's bungalow in Antigua; and, after a crash-course in granite, working for Triton Ship Works putting elegant touches in some of the world's most exclusive yachts. In 1995 George Lufriu built his first outlet store, selling products and offering installation tips and techniques.

Your Dream Home, Three Million Years in the Making

George Lufriu speaks about his materials like an art curator. And granite is his Mona Lisa.

It takes at least three million years to form granite. The compression process produces the fourth hardest material on Earth, thus giving it several striking properties. Unlike marble, it has a natural polish. Once it is cut smooth, no chemical is needed to give granite its luster. It takes temperatures of over 1,250 degrees to mark it, making it ideal in the kitchen. One word of caution--avoid granite for cutting surfaces; it so hard it can dull your knives. Granite can be slightly porous, so a sealer maybe used. Stains are easily removed with a readily-available product.

15 years ago there were only a handful of colors to choose from. Since then, sources have opened up from all over the world offering dozens of color variations. Brazil, India, Italy, China, and Australia are just some of the countries furnishing beautiful granite.

In George's career, he's only seen granite scratched twice by the consumer, which makes him doubt the quality of some of the man-made products on the market today. Man-made products actually cost more than natural granite and are primarily ground-up granite. These products are mixed with 7 per cent glue, which increases the flammability of the material.

Marble, on the other hand, is also a very sought-after solution for customers seeking quality solid surfacing. While some insist on keeping marble as shiny and spotless as the day they first get it installed, others pride in letting their marble stain and age, giving it the "old world" look. The difference is attained through care, which is something George and his crew can help you learn.

Quality First

"We used to be in an area of high competition where the goal was making the product cheaper," George reflected. After realizing his company was following the path of mass production, he scaled back the operation and moved his location.

"One time we were large. We didn't like it. We wanted to maintain our quality. Now we work as a family, and everybody gets along as a family."

George speaks of his crew with pride; they have been with him for many years. The craftsman learn from each other, mastering the art of designing, cutting, and installing marble, granite, and tile. Showroom photographs feature everything from simple homes made elegant to masterpieces such
as a massive and intricate 97-piece fireplace that looks as if it was carved out of one solid stone.

"We’ve learned the ins and outs of this craft. We help educate the customers; we can help them from design concepts for flooring, bathrooms wall tiles, ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles, mosaics, marble settings, brick pavers, granite countertops, marble countertops, custom marble or granite fireplaces, outdoor custom kitchens . . . We want to create a one-stop shop. When it comes to solid surfaces, we can handle everything for them."

Behind the Scenes

After planning, dreaming, and deciding, the hard work begins.

Adjacent to the showroom is a workroom that looks big enough to park small aircraft. Large machines, slabs of stone, and industrial devices of seemingly science-fiction origin are all manipulated by a hardworking group of artisans. These devices do not come cheaply, nor are they easily mastered. To see them in action, one gets the same humbling respect generated by watching accomplished musicians turn wood, brass, and strings into a concerto.

Several pieces of machinery were designed by George Lufriu, who is in the process of seeking patents.

It is in this arena that earth becomes furnishing. Wooden frames taken from the clients' measurements are laid on large uncut slabs and the cutting process begins. Polishing and beveling are done on separate machines. To achieve each step of the process we depend on mankind's most precious material--diamonds. Very little granite is wasted. The finished pieces are then brought to the job site, where the last stage of craftsmanship begins, the installation.

Exclusively for You

Your home can and should reflect a lot about you and your family. The endless possibilities of solid surfacing can help you realize your dream home. For information about marble, granite, and tile or for more about Lufriu Marble, Inc., visit www.lufriu.com. Don’t hesitate to stop by the showroom at 3602 W. Spruce Street in Tampa.

(Pictured at top is George Lufriu with his wife, April)