Decorating with Stone Made Simple
There is something different about stones. Decorating with stone is classy; it opens up a world of possibilities for any budget. For example, should your stone decor be natural or polished? Will the earthen tones highlight the home’s overall color scheme, or should the DIY decorator consider adding colored stone decorations? Does integrating the stone into floors or walls make more sense than setting it up as separate focal points? You have choices — and questions. To make the process just a bit simpler, there are some considerations to take into account (prior to backing up the truck and buying stones).
Become familiar with the Choices
Identify what attracts you to stone decor in the first place. The various attributes of different stone types make it clear that there is a choice for every structure. The most commonly used stones in home decorating are marble, slate and sandstone. Of these, marble is the most versatile stone on the market. It comes in a plethora of color schemes. Its telltale veins add beauty and definition to large spaces while occasionally overwhelming smaller areas. A highly polished finish offers a very refined look that makes it suitable for formal interior designs.
Slate is a good choice when you are aiming for a rustic appearance, such as a Tuscan backdrop. Formed from iron oxide, it presents with a brittleness that requires a cement or concrete bed. Sandstone slabs are a mix of silica, quartz, calcium carbonate and other elements. It is the classic stone for Southwestern room decor and makes for an excellent indoor to outdoor transition. The natural beauty of its unpredictable features makes sandstone a focal point as well as a background decor option.
Incorporating Rocks within a Home
There is more to adding stones to a home than merely replacing a vinyl floor with stone slabs. The material’s versatility provides countless options and combinations that can make — or break — the look and feel of a home. TLC highlights that the combination of a wall adorned with field stones and a ceiling fashioned from wood beams evokes the look and feel of a country cottage or New England manor house. Combine this backdrop with whimsical wood and natural material choices for furniture and decorations, and the home’s transformation is complete.
Tuscan-style stone decorating thrives on marble flooring and wrought iron railings. The trick here is to opt for stones that look “used” and will artificially age the home. Create this illusion on the interior and exterior of the home, follow through with a carefully managed “overgrown” landscaping, and your oasis in the middle of the city is complete.
Mosaics combine a large number of stones with other materials, such as glass or metal. Introduce them as wall or floor coverings or even just as artwork in framed containers. This pairing allows for modern glass and metal furniture and stark or minimalist interior design choices.
Of course, no introduction to decorating with stone would be complete without also touching on the intruder to the scene: faux stone. Fake stones may be made from resins or heavier materials and have been shaped to become indoor and outdoor fountains, stepping stones, planters, sculptures, rock piles and anything else a manufacturer can dream up. If you are a material purist, you will not introduce faux stone into a themed environment but stick to the real thing. On the flip-side, for the homeowner on a budget — or the renter on the second floor and anyone else who enjoys a bit of a DIY challenge — learning how to use and paint faux stone is a great compromise between stone decor and a shoestring budget.
Source
TLC; “Country Decorating Ideas“
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