Natural stone transcends temporary trends to offer timeless elegance and durability in interior design.
Strong, stunning, and timeless interiors come from the materials you include in your design. Although there’s an endless selection of trendy options available, incorporating nature by using natural stone can help you keep your design timeless and appealing, regardless of how trends change. Because of its longevity, natural stone is a cost-effective material and is a great selling point. Whether you use it in your income investment properties, new builds, or renovations, natural stone creates beautiful interiors that will captivate all your prospects.
Gone are the days when natural stone was used only on fireplaces. Today, natural stone is used in just about every aspect of design. From shower walls to kitchen backsplashes to interior flooring and even accent walls, natural stone makes a strong statement. Try using natural stone as an accent wall to the bed wall in the primary bedroom, or add it to the kitchen backsplash to give the kitchen a more rustic/ranch feel. Adding it to the bar wall is a very popular application because it protects the wall from people kicking and smudging the paint while they’re sitting at the bar. For a quick fireplace makeover, try using sheets of ledger stone to give any fireplace a quick facelift with a more modern look.
The Stone-Human Connection
Stonework has been linked to humans since the days of prehistoric peoples living in caves. Its telluric character is understood as our connection to the earth. From the Egyptian pyramids to the Greek temples and other ancient stone monuments around the world, there is no denying humans have an unspoken connection to natural stone. Because of this connection, using natural stone in interiors connects the earth to humans, creating intrigue and adding familiarity.
Timelessness and Beauty
The fad-driven materials on the market may cost less than natural stone, but they can begin looking old and dated quickly. Natural stone, however, will hold its value longer, if not forever, because it adds a timeless beauty to any design. Because no natural stone is ever the same, it adds interest and elegance. It gives any design a bold and custom feel, adding sophistication to the home. In a competitive real estate market, a high-quality material such as natural stone can and will set your property apart from others.
Variations
Natural stone comes in all shapes and sizes. Examples include travertine, sandstone, bluestone, limestone, onyx, and basalt. Color also varies greatly from stone to stone, adding to its beauty, but you will need to pay extra attention when selecting each piece. Natural stone slabs such as marble or granite must be placed side by side during selection to ensure the colors coincide. When natural stone is being used in a fireplace design, you may need to hand-pick each stone one at a time to ensure the stonework looks cohesive and to control color selection.
Being aware of each stone’s condition is also important. Because natural stone is extracted from the earth using forceful measures, some stones can be damaged.
Durability
Natural stone’s durability should be one of its top-selling points for incorporating it into your next design. Natural stone is easy to maintain, and most can be cleaned up quickly with just a damp cloth or sponge. Although natural stones are typically stain resistant, confirm that before purchase. Stones such as marble are more porous and will stain over time.
Sealers are available to protect natural stone from stains and to bring out the stone’s rich vibrant color and natural beauty. Wiping down the stone with water will help you decide whether the stone will give you a better color with a more “wet look” before you apply a permanent sealant.
Environmentally Friendly
Being an environmentally friendly material, natural stone can even help manage allergies by lowering allergens in the air. Since it is a natural material, natural stone is non-toxic and biodegradable.
Natural stone will even recycle heat from the sun, helping to reduce energy costs depending on how much stone you use in the home and whether it’s located in an area that receives morning or afternoon sun.
Application Considerations
Selecting and working with natural stone can be tricky if you don’t follow certain steps during the design process. You must carefully consider how the stone will be pieced together and applied, again because its characteristics will vary thanks to Mother Nature. Meticulously laying out each piece of stone before it is set in mortar ensures your design will be to your liking before it’s permanently placed.
Doing this advance work not only allows you to see how the shape will look but also to work with each stone’s color variations. For example, natural stone from a quarry in the Montana Rockies comes in different shades of gray, rust, and brown. These full-size stone veneers are a great example of how many color variations natural stone can have within one project. Taking the extra step to lay out the design rock by rock beforehand protects the project from becoming too gray or brown in one spot, which would take away from the beauty of the design.
Sourcing and Selecting Your Stone
Finding natural stone these days has become much easier. Just about any landscape yard will have a good selection of stones to choose from. Big-box hardware stores now offer a substantial selection of natural stone, owing to its popularity in the design world.
Before you go shopping, however, educate yourself about which stone is best suited for your project. As with any material used in design, certain natural stones define certain styles of designs. For example, a travertine stone is best suited for a Tuscan-style design, and limestone will always make a great statement in the design of a ranch-style home. These design basics hold true whether you’re using natural stone inside or outside the home.
A Solid Choice
Incorporating natural stone into home design offers both aesthetic and practical benefits, making it a timeless choice for homeowners. Its durability ensures longevity and resistance to wear, while its unique textures and colors add unparalleled natural beauty to any space. Moreover, natural stone is an eco-friendly option that can enhance the energy efficiency of a home due to its inherent insulation properties. From marble countertops in the kitchen to slate tiles in the bathroom, natural stone can elevate the overall value of a property. Ultimately, the use of natural stone in home design not only enhances the visual appeal but also contributes to a sustainable and functional living environment.
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