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Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate.
Brilliant and shiny with beautiful veins, effects and colours, marble
is unequalled in terms of its solidity and durability. Carrara Marble
is extracted from the quarries in the Apuan Alps, in the area around
Carrara, and has a universal reputation as one of the most prized forms
of marble. It has a characteristic greyish-white colour with grey veins.
Marquina Marble is quarried in Spain and has an underlying black
colouration. The veins run through the marble at an oblique angle and
are characterized by various forms and degrees of white mottling.
Pietra Leccese (Lecce Limetone)
Quarried in the Salento region in Puglia (South-East Italy), this is a type
of limestone and is particularly renowned for its malleability and ease
of workmanship. Pietra Leccese emerges naturally from the ground
and is extracted from the sub-soil in huge open-air quarries, up to fifty
metres in depth. After it has been quarried, the hardness and strength
of the stone increase over time and as it consolidates it takes on an
amber colouring similar to honey.
Aluminium
Aluminium occurs in nature in a mineral state, and this silvery-white
metal has the virtue of being totally ecological and recyclable. Its main
characteristics are its lightness, its rust and fracture resistance and its
ductility.
Anodized (or Oxidized) Aluminium
This is produced by means of an irreversible electro-chemical process,
which causes a layer of aluminium oxide to form on the treated surface
of the metal to protect it from corrosion. This treatment improves
the rust-resistance of the material, and increases the hardness of its
surface and its imperviousness to wear and tear.
Tempered Glass
This is a type of glass which has undergone a process involving first
gradual heating and then exposure to sudden air cooling. In this way
it is transformed into safety glass, so that if broken it breaks up into
many small harmless chunks.
Sandblasted Glass
The glass is treated using sandblasting, a mechanical process which
involves eroding the top surface of the glass by subjecting it to an
abrasive jet of sand and air. This gives the glass an opaline surface.
Satin Glass
The glass is subjected to a satin treatment, a chemical process which
uses hydrofluoric acid to make the surface of the material translucent.
General Information about Wood and Pietra Leccese
Wood is a material which does not have a homogeneous structure.
Horm products may well contain small differences and irregularities
but, in the spirit of the ancient wisdom of the master cabinet-makers,
we regard these variations as added value. Any possible imperfections
are due to the hand-workmanship which makes every one of our items
unique, and should not therefore be regarded as defects. Besides,
wood is a "living" material and can undergo changes in colour over
time, due to exposure to light; or small alterations in dimension
resulting from temperature fluctuations or the ageing process. During
the first months of use, any objects placed on top of the furniture
should be moved around from time to time. This is because the wood,
treated with natural substances, is sensitive to light and prone to
oxidation, creating differences in colour between the exposed and the
unexposed parts of the surface. The varying shades of colour in the
wood should be regarded as of special value, as they are characteristic
of a natural raw material, without added colourings or artificial fibres.
If various products are to be combined or matched together, we cannot
guarantee uniformity in the colour and grain of the wood.
Pietra Leccese, as a type of limestone, is particularly porous, soft and
malleable. For this reason, any small irregularities and/or chips on its
surface do not indicate defects in the furniture produced using this
material. Rather, they are a distinguishing feature of the natural stone.
During the processing phase, slight chips are sometimes repaired by
applying a small amount of filler.
Safety of materials
Wood – the timber used by HORM is European in origin and subject to
controlled cultivation. The particleboard used is classified as E1: that is
to say as the safest type with regard to European regulations EN 120,
EN 717-2 governing content and formaldehyde emission.
Lacquers – HORM only uses polyurethane varnishes which do not
contain heavy metals.
Glue – The components are assembled using vinyl-based glue which
contains no formaldehyde or heavy metals.
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