New Tech Makes Art Of Glass Chic & Affordable
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - On this edition of "Living Large," Lisa Petrillo got an inside look at the private residence of Italian born businessman Andrea Di Giuseppe at the Portofino Towers on South Beach.
The entire apartment reflects a world Di Giuseppe knows well: colored glass.
His company, Trend Group, is one of the world's leading producers of glass. In recent years, they've set up shop up in Florida with corporate offices in Miramar and a state of the art manufacturing plant in Sebring that makes the products and ships them out all over the planet.
"We produce floors with glass, high resistant glass, mosaics and 24 karat gold mosaics, all glass materials for an incredible design," Di Giuseppe told Petrillo.
What's unique about Trend Group is that the materials are green. Every piece you see in all of the rooms in Di Giuseppe's personal home are made from recycled colored glass, such as the dark green counter tops in his master bathroom .
"For example this top is only made from the glass of beer bottles," Di Giuseppe said.
"There's a Heineken in here," joked Petrillo.
"Yes! There are many of them," he replied.
The glass mosaics around the tub change colors with backlighting.
The floors throughout the home, which resemble white marble, are made from crushed glass and they clean with a swipe of a damp cloth. Although the guest bathroom looks very complicated, as though the mosaics are placed old school by hand, The Trend Group has created a technology that allows materials to come in big sheets which makes installation much faster.
"We already arrive at your place and we put these sheets on and finish everything to the edge," he said.
The colors run the gamut.
Di Giuseppe said nothing is faster than the kitchens they install. His kitchen with Brazilian walnut cabinets, and all of the kitchens Trend Group remodels, are completed in 12 hours.
"You are telling me you will come into my house at 7 a.m. and finish by 7 p.m.," Petrillo asked.
"Yes. Seven to seven, cabinets, appliances, counters and everything," he said.
Di Giuseppe said it's cost efficient as well, with glass they install on top of what's already there .
"If you want to do the entire kitchen, it costs an average of $10,000 – $15,000. This includes everything from cabinets, counters and appliances. Everything," said Di Giuseppe.
Cutting edge technology working together with Old World Italian traditions brings natural beauty to the home in an environmentally sound way. Oh and let's not forget it's all made right here in Florida.
The Trend Group continues to grow. They are now in every continent and the plan is for a new headquarters right in Miami within the next year. For more info: trend-group.com.
