The preeminent company for luxury handcrafted marble inlay is without a doubt, Aalto. A second generation family business, they treat each project as a work of art. Each of their projects begin with a conversation. Some clients have a clear idea of what they’re looking for. Some simply have a favorite color.

Aalto typically starts with a floor plan or measurements; a color palette; and a basis for the style of the floor. This last item may be a mood board, one of their collections, a historical reference, or a sketch. From this conversation, they create a rough layout of the design, determining the density and scale of the design areas versus the field areas. With this information, they can put together a budget for the project so that everyone feels comfortable moving forward with the process.

From there, Next, detailed renderings are made of the stone inlays for client approval. The line art they use to create these renderings also directs the waterjet machine when the individual pieces of stone are cut. This is the beauty of computer-aided design and manufacturing: The artist who draws the client’s floor also draws the lines by which the stone sections are cut. This process gives fine details like inlaid leaves, vines, scrolls, and flora the elegance of a painting.

Aalto was founded by Harri Aalto who pioneered the use of waterjet technology for decorative architectural stone in 1988. Harri began his career in painting and sculpture. This basis in fine art has allowed Harri to push the limits of his floor designs past the previous expectations of the industry. Harri’s ongoing study of classical forms and architecture has allowed him to continually grow the company’s archive of designs to keep up with the increasing demand of a higher-end clientele. Harri’s work can be seen in luxury properties in five continents.

Annie Aalto, daughter of Harri, continues the family tradition of decorative arts. Over the past 15 years, Annie has expanded upon Harri’s designs with an updated aesthetic suited to contemporary interior spaces.

Annie has worked with many of the nation’s top interior designers, and she understands the expectations of today’s fast-turnaround, high-level projects. Annie specializes in concept design, floor plan layout, stone color combinations and client communication to ensure every detail is met and all aesthetics are in keeping with the client’s space.

Aalto's collection of marbles are sourced from around the world. Natural stone of a single type can be separated into many lots, or color tones and pattern versions. Aalto’s team of artisans, working alongside their designers, chooses each slab or tile based upon its unique color, pattern, finish and interaction with the other marbles in the design. This meticulous quality control ensures that your custom waterjet mosaic will be a one-of-a-kind art piece befitting the luxurious space it will occupy.