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Case Study: Upscale Salon chooses StoCast Brick to bring Charm of Commercial Shopping Center Exterior into Luxurious Interior Space
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| Feb 03, 2025 |
StoCast Brick beautifully captures the look and feel of historic Sanibel Island design style
Fiore and ELA Salon is a high-end salon based in the Fort Myers area. When the owners were told about an opportunity to be the first upscale salon and spa in Babcock Ranch, Florida, known as America’s first solar-powered town, the company jumped at the opportunity. In the following months, they would transform a 1,500 sq ft. blank canvas into a luxurious space that would leave their clients in awe.
America’s First Solar-Powered Town
Babcock Ranch, Florida, has been billed as America’s first solar-powered town. An 870-acre solar farm powers most of the area's homes and businesses. But its green energy extends further. You’ll also find solar tree charging stations and the country’s largest solar-plus-battery storage system. Plus, homes in the area are built to Florida Green Building Coalition standards with designs inspired by historic Florida regional styles.
When Justin Lee and Nicole Fiore Lee, the owners of Fiore + ELA Salon, were approached about opening the first upscale salon in this rapidly growing area, they were eager to learn more. The 1,500-square-foot space available was located in Crescent Commons, a destination shopping center anchored by Publix. Impressed with the center's upmarket feel and the unit's location, the owners committed in June of 2023 and began considering design possibilities.
A Chance Meeting with a New Product
As luck would have it, a couple of months later, Justin Lee, the owner of Lee’s Drywall, attended a continuing education seminar on How to Build a Better Envelope hosted by Sto Corp. During the event, Sto representative Justin Webb introduced a new product – StoCast.
The StoCast products are flexible, prefabricated resin-cast shapes that replicate textures found in nature, as well as the look and feel of traditional building materials, such as wood and brick. Webb spoke to the authentic look of the product, the ease of installation, the durability, and the enhanced performance functionality. He then shared that an alternative brick product, StoCast Brick, was also available in 30 standard bricks or project-specific colors, patterns, and textures. Lee was intrigued because the shopping center they were moving into incorporated the look of aged brick in their exterior design.
The week following the meeting, Justin Lee found the perfect brick for the salon. It was on a home on Sanibel Island. He took a photo of the aged brick and sent it to Jamie Brown of FBM, a local product distributor, and asked if Sto could match the look with StoCast Brick. Jamie, confident in Sto’s capabilities, forwarded the request to Webb.
Interior Design Inspired by Exterior Details
While Justin Lee's photo captured the essence of a historic Sanibel Island design, it also closely matched the exterior look of the Crescent Commons shopping center, which also incorporated aged brick. The salon owners wanted to bring that aged brick look from the outside into their salon. But would StoCast Brick deliver?
Within days, Lee received a 2’x2’ StoCast Brick product sample board and was blown away by what he saw.
“It looked exactly like the brick in the photo! When I showed my wife, she was sold,” Justin said.
The product's sustainability also played a crucial role in their decision, given the salon’s location in a town committed to energy efficiency. StoCast Brick is more sustainable than traditional building products in virtually every aspect. It requires less energy to manufacture and its lightweight nature reduces transportation needs, further conserving resources.
Installation Without Dust and Mortar
Once all the permits had been filed and the 6,400 square feet of StoCast Brick had arrived onsite, construction was ready to begin. Jamie Brown consulted with the applicators on day one to ensure they understood the layout and knew how to handle inside and outside corners.
StoCast Brick offers several installation advantages over traditional brick. It’s lighter, less bulky, and can be cut with a standard box cutter. Also, there’s no silica dust, eliminating the need for protective gear. Sto Bonding and Pointing Mortar, used for installation, also doubles as grout, allowing installers to work from the top down without risking damage to the product below.
The result? StoCast Brick was seamlessly integrated throughout the salon – from the retail display at the front to backsplashes behind sinks and even in the restrooms.
Nothing But Love, Love, Love
The salon opened in June 2024, revealing an interior as luxurious as the owners had imagined. Complementing the StoCast Brick were design elements like floating wood shelves and modern gold lighting. The response from the clients was overwhelmingly positive.
“Clients comment on the brick without us even saying anything,” shared Nicole Fiore Lee. “They think it’s real!”
Justin Lee added, “It looks great! Nothing but compliments coming from the customers.”
While StoCast Brick is often used on exterior applications, more and more customers are discovering its versatility for interior use because of how easy it is to work with and the range of aesthetic options available.
Many Different Aesthetics, One Product
For all the reasons mentioned, the popularity of StoCast is surging. But there are other reasons as well. With StoCast, building owners can achieve a range of different aesthetics in one complete system, reducing the need for multiple manufacturers and applicators. This not only streamlines the construction process but also offers cost savings- from transportation to installation. Additionally, StoCast’s lightweight nature reduced the need for extensive subconstruction, offering potential savings right from the start.
@StoCorp #StoCorp #building #offices #stoventec
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