Despite the steady growth of engineered stone, ceramic, and laminate products, natural stone is still highly sought after by homeowners who think the beauty of marble, granite, and other popular stones will never be matched by manmade creations. The most common residential applications of natural stone include flooring and countertops, but there are more creative ways to incorporate natural stone into your living spaces. Here are six ideas for you to consider.
1. Outdoor Lounge Floor
At the main campus of James Madison University in Virginia, students enjoy green spaces lavishly decorated with Pennsylvania bluestone, an attractive type of limestone that’s ideal for outdoor use. When choosing the right finish for your outdoor stone tiles, brushed or sandblasted surfaces are highly recommended because they’re safer for wet conditions, which makes them suitable for pool areas and other outdoor spaces where a high amount of foot traffic will be passing through.2. Kitchen and Bathroom Backsplash Accents
The functional purpose of tiled walls located near sinks is to deflect water. However, when they’re made with natural stone, their purpose becomes highly decorative. Once a natural-stone countertop has been installed against kitchen or bathroom walls, a backsplash becomes the best complement, particularly if it features a mosaic design.3. Feature Wall
The difference between accent and feature walls is that the latter are far more elaborate. Whereas an accent wall can be created with paint or wallpaper, a feature wall requires something dramatic like natural stone. For example, if you have a fireplace in the living room, you can provide a nice contrast to the surround by decorating the entire wall with natural-stone tiles or panels. If you choose light-colored tiles with a polished finish, you’ll create a visual effect that makes the living space seem larger.4. Bathroom Sink
If you’re already thinking about natural-stone counters in your bathrooms, you might want to go shopping for a granite or marble sink to provide a nice contrasting look. Bowl-type sinks are the most stylish, but keep in mind they have to be paired with the right faucets.5. Fountain or Waterfall
Water features in a garden are the ultimate touch of class. The easiest way to implement them would be to install a prefabricated marble fountain, but you can always get fancier with a small waterfall made with stone blocks. Landscape architects can design waterfalls and rustic water features that resemble brooks.6. Tabletops
A tabletop is one of the most popular uses for natural-stone remnant pieces left over from flooring or countertop installations. A desk or coffee table that has seen better days can be transformed by a natural-stone tabletop, which can be made from tiles, panels, or slab material.No matter where you incorporate natural stone in your home, the stone needs to be cleaned regularly with a specially formulated granite cleaner such as Granite Gold Daily Cleaner®. If you’d like more information on caring for granite, marble, travertine, slate, and other types of natural stone, reach out to the Stone Care Experts at Granite Gold® today. Give us a call at 1-800-475-STONE (7866).
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