Meet: Sticks & Stone Co

Founded by mates Tim Mott and Dane Blewitt, Sticks and Stone Co was born out of their mutual love of artisanal concrete and its endless possibilities.

The Sunshine Coast-based pair met many years ago whilst working in the construction industry and saw a gap in the market for handcrafted, custom concrete benches and basins.

By the end of 2020, demand had grown and Sticks and Stones evolved from a side hustle to a bonafide business, offering handcrafted, made-to-order basins, polished concrete benchtops, furniture and off-form walls.

It’s their artisanal basins, inspired by the natural tones and bold landscapes of Australia, that are loved by Three Balls Red’s clients and team alike.

“Our strongest point of difference is the quality of our concrete basins, which comes from our small, highly experienced team of artisans,” Tim tells Three Balls Red.

“We focus on using high-quality products and maintaining a manageable production to ensure every handcrafted basin meets our standards. This dedication to quality means that each customer receives a product that is not only functional but also a work of art, reflecting the superior skill and attention to detail that Sticks and Stone Co. provides.”

Tim says he and Dane are thrilled to work with Three Balls Red, who share their passion forcombining traditional craftsmanship with modern design.

The first The Basin Lab design was created by founder and creative director Steve Nicholls for a personal project back in 2019.

 “I wanted a basin that would give of a soft relaxing glow essentially turning the bathroom into a spa, bringing a sense of relaxation and therefore replacing the need for messy toxic candles,” Steve tells Three Balls Red.

“The thought behind it was to also have a movement sensor installed so if you wanted to use the ensuite during the night, your basins would light up with a soft glow replacing the daggy night lights that were available at the time.”

Once Steve showed several people the prototype basin and “iLLUMi”™️ Lightbox, he says there was definitely ‘energetic hysteria’ around his creation.

“I searched the internet and social media channels to find nobody was manufacturing anything like it,” he says. “I looked at the chemistry makeup of all the different types of resins and invested heavily for the next three years to develop a resin that was durable but extremely strong that would not crack.”

With the help of chemists, Steve developed a product he trademarked “Oxyform”™️ which has a micro flexibility so it can handle the demands of day-to-day life and withstand commercial use. 

He also developed a unique colouring system through, what he describes as, trial and error.

“It was a huge breakthrough,” says Steve. “It allowed us to match any colour in the spectrum, an offering architects and interior designers have since utilised to elevate their projects for that personal touch or to match tile and paint colours.

The Basin Lab officially launched back in 2022 - and Steve hasn’t looked back since.

There are now 30 colours from four collections of illuminating, designer basins, including the latest 300 and 400 Series Column Pedestal Basins.

They will also release a bath collection later this year as well as a new lighting brand, The Lighting Lab, and a handle brand, The Handle Lab, both which will be exclusive to Three Balls Red.

“Three Balls Red is, in our view, leaders in business excellence, service and friendliness,” says Steve.

“We have built a partnership of equal respect, both businesses echo the same values of goodwill and both deliver an exceptional experience to all customers.’