Stone- one of the first building materials. Ancestors used this construction material for the construction residential buildings, castles, defensive structures. For natural and artificial stone high level strength, it is resistant to the negative effects of external factors, which ensured the service life of stone buildings for 20-30 years. Designers began to use artificial stone interior as decorative element not so long ago. Foto the projects they have implemented are presented in large quantities on thematic websites on the Internet. This finishing material is very popular due to the variety of types and affordable prices.
Decorative stone: properties and methods of use
Artificial stone began to be used in construction and interior decoration about 10 years ago. This was facilitated by its low cost and ease of use. The results of working with stone were always excellent, and the customers were satisfied. Facing using decorative stone is resistant to the negative effects of sudden temperature changes and high humidity, it will not crack even after 10 years. Due to its wear resistance, durability is achieved, which also depends on the quality of the surface finishing. Therefore, you should invite for finishing and cladding professional builder with experience in the renovation industry. By paying him more, you will be confident in the final result and service life of 10-20 years.
Easy to care for- another advantage of artificial stone. This finishing material does not require special care. For this purpose the surface finishing material cover by special means with water-repellent properties and wash periodically. Decorative stone is laid on surfaces of all types of complexity.
The number of color variations of this finishing material increases every year, so everyone can choose for themselves optimal solution to create a cozy atmosphere in the home and harmonious interior. Imitation stone can be varied, have a bumpy surface or the appearance of a brick. Also on sale is a stone with shells and pieces of coral. For fans modern interiors It is worth paying attention to the material with the lunar surface and craters.
The composition of artificial stone is completely natural:
- cement;
- pumice,
- expanded clay;
- perlite;
- natural dyes.
This made the material environmentally friendly and harmless; it can even be used in children's rooms and bedrooms. He doesn't call allergic reactions and safe for children's health.
Only has the described characteristics quality material. Therefore, you should approach the selection process responsibly and not save money by buying the cheapest stone.
Advantages of using artificial stone in the interior
Finishing with decorative stone will delight you for a couple of decades, without the need to restore it or replace elements. Main - proper care And high-quality styling. Its weight is less than natural, making transportation and installation a simple and quick process. To carry out the work, you will need to buy a special glue that will ensure reliable adhesion of the material to the surface and durability. Preparing the surface for attaching the stone does not require complex preparation; it will be enough to apply a layer of primer, putty and use high-quality glue.
Available for sale following types artificial stone:
- marble. The slabs have smooth surface, have been polished. It can be black, green, white, beige tones, which is due to its composition;
- limestone. The oldest of building materials. It can be seen in the architectural monuments of Egypt and Russia. It is valued for its excellent wear resistance, warm colors, and aesthetics;
- granite. Its pattern is “grainy”, and the shades are gray, black, colored;
- brick.
It is known that natural stones contain radiation, and in granite its level is even higher. Artificial materials do not have such a disadvantage; they are completely environmentally friendly and will not cause harm to human health.
Where is artificial stone used?
Decorative rock looks great in all rooms of a country cottage and city apartment. The main thing is to correctly decide on the design style and buy material confirmed by quality certificates.
Kitchen- an excellent room for using this style of decoration. Here we spend several hours every day preparing food and having family dinners. The kitchen should be functional and aesthetic, which can be easily achieved with the help of decorative stone. It is used for finishing the “apron”, walls, floors. This material blends harmoniously with natural wood, glass, metal.
You can also make a durable countertop from artificial granite. It will be aesthetic and durable, withstanding even serious loads. You can place a sink in it and not worry about negative impact moisture to the surface.
Window sills made of this material look aesthetically pleasing and will fit into any design solution. They are durable and reliable, will last 10-20 years, maintaining their original appearance.
Artificial stone will organically fit into living room interior. To do this, it is important to correctly determine its color, using only one of the walls. There are many variations of use, each of them has its own characteristics and will create comfort in the home. Covering an entire wall, individual columns and shelving, fragmented placement: the choice depends on the designer’s project and your wishes.
Decorative stone finishing is used to zone a room and highlight a certain area. The result is always excellent with minimal financial costs. A traditional use is to decorate a fireplace in a country cottage. This material is heat-resistant, lightweight and aesthetically pleasing.
Fans will like decorating the hallway with stone functional solutions and environmental friendliness. The material will not deteriorate its appearance when exposed to dirt and moisture, so use in the hallway is justified. This finish will save you from daily cleaning and the need for cosmetic repairs Every year. The stone requires minimal care and will last 10-20 years.
Most families did balcony and loggia in their city apartments with full-fledged premises. Children's room, gym, recreation area are popular options for remodeling these premises. To give them an aesthetic appearance and functionality, it is worth using artificial stone for finishing surfaces and zoning rooms. This design solution will allow you to equip the loggia, making it more comfortable and cozy. Here you can enjoy the aroma of freshly brewed coffee in the morning and relax after a hard day of work in the evening.
Artificial stone is widely used for finishing bathrooms, toilets, bedrooms, children's rooms. The combination of stone with wood and glass will create cozy interior and warm homely atmosphere, in which it will be pleasant to relax and recuperate. It is worth giving preference to gentle pastel colors, use multiple light sources and other natural materials.
Artificial stone in public spaces
Artificial stone in the interior public premises looks aesthetically pleasing and harmonious. To make sure of this, you should look at the design examples on photo in the Internet. Bar counters, fireplaces, walls: each one is covered artificial stone. Each entertainment establishment uses one or more similar decorative elements in its interior.
Why? The reason for the popularity of this material:
- functionality;
- durability;
- strength;
- aesthetics;
- it has an affordable price;
- high quality;
- weight 25 kg/sq. m.
Such an interior always looks harmonious and extraordinary, which is what all entertainment establishments in big cities and small towns strive for.
It is worth using stone for finishing office premises, receptions large companies, steps and stairs in them. Such an interior will be both discreet and luxurious. This type of finishing is justified in interior decoration and cladding of building facades.
Stone is an opportunity change your home and office, giving it a special comfort. Designers claim that an interior with artificial stone gives a real feeling of comfort and tranquility. In such a room you always feel comfortable and safe. This is achieved thanks to the strength and reliability of the material, its durability and aesthetically pleasing. But such decor should be abandoned in small apartments and rooms, it will make it visually even smaller. Country cottage, own house on 2-3 floors or a spacious apartment - here the stone will look harmonious.
Before purchasing, be sure to check the availability of certificates of quality and compliance by asking the store seller for them. Their presence and a certificate confirming the radiation safety of artificial stone is a guarantee of your safety and the quality of the purchased materials.
Decorative rock- light material. The weight of the material is 25 kg/1 sq. m. The builders will confirm that the walls of the house will withstand such a load and the structure of the house will not be damaged. Technologies for creating 21st century building materials for finishing have made it possible to make the weight of stone 25 kg/sq. m, textured and durable. But trust the styling an experienced builder for confidence in the final result and durability of the created interior.
Stone is the first building material from which strong and warm housing was built. A little later, the stone was used to build other structures, including strong and tall ones.
After all, stone was always in abundance, but there was no alternative at that time. But now only people with means can build a house from natural stone.
Those who cannot afford a home from natural stone, can buy building materials such as artificial stone, which scientists have developed relatively recently.
It is used mostly for decorative purposes, but in general a house with it will look like a structure made of natural stone.
Decorative stone in the interior and its characteristics
This building material is easy to use and is relatively cheap, so it has become a priority finishing material.
The cladding made from it will last for a long time, it does not break or become cracked, because artificial stone has unique wear resistance.
But it is worth remembering that the service life of such material depends on the correct installation. And its surface, during the production process, is treated with water-repellent substances, so dirt and dust from such material are easily removed.
Decorative stone in the interior can be laid on any surface, but before laying natural stone, the surface must be reinforced.
Diversity color options will also pleasantly surprise buyers, because manufacturers offer wide range shades, which means artificial stone can be matched to any style decision.
The large selection of textures is also pleasantly surprising. Artificial stone in the interior can imitate brick and natural stones. There are also very unusual proposals - material that imitates the seabed.
By assembling, for example, a panel, you can get a surface with corals and shells, or one that will resemble deserted lunar landscapes. To make sure of this, you can look at the photo of decorative stone in the interior of apartments and houses. White stone will also look beautiful in the interior of, for example, private clinics.
The phrase “artificially created” in relation to stone should not be alarming, because it is created from environmentally friendly components. These are cement and fillers: pumice, perlite, expanded clay, plus dyes.
Advantages
Interior facing stone is a finish that can last 15 years or more if properly cared for.
The weight of artificially created stone is 3 times less than natural stone. Therefore, it is easier to transport and work with.
To make cladding with such material, it is enough to use adhesive cement.
This fireproof material, it does not burn and prevents the spread of fire.
How is stone used in the interior of an apartment?
This material can radically change the interior. It is mostly used for exterior finishing. Thanks to it, you can beautifully decorate the facade, gazebo, fence, openings between windows, etc.
Stone decoration in indoor interiors is used to decorate the foyers of hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, hallways in houses and apartments, etc. In addition, light and beautiful material you can decorate, for example, a closet in the hallway, shoe shelf, rack.
Artificial stone is also appropriate in the kitchen: these are countertops, kitchen wall facades, and the walls themselves. Artificial stone is perfect for the bathroom, just choose moisture-resistant options.
It can be used to decorate a washbasin, bathtub or shower tray, and in addition it can be placed on the floor or used as a ceiling covering, using flexible stone in the interior.
In the living room, this stone can be used to decorate the fireplace portal, small table, rack, cabinet, you can make it out of bookshelf, floor vase or other interior items made of stone.
But, you can put lamps made of artificial stone in the bedroom. It is the “Illumination” collection that is transparent enough for this.
And in conclusion
Due to the fact that artificial stone is a beautiful, wear-resistant material, easy to maintain, reliable and inexpensive, it copes well with the role of a finishing material.
Even its use in small quantities gives the room a unique chic, and you get a finish made from high-quality building materials.
Photo of decorative stone in the interior
Designers continue to rely on the naturalness of texture and raw materials. In view of this, decorative stone is their favorite, non-secret “weapon”. It is, for the most part, completely natural and has an expressive, self-sufficient aesthetic.
How, in this case, does decorative stone differ from wild, natural stone?
The fact that a person produces it, using special mixtures and forms. At the same time, the design of the product repeats in detail the section of natural analogues. That is, artificial stone is a worthy replacement for travertine, slate, granite and many others rocks and minerals.
Types of decorative stone and production technology
We learned how to make artificial stone a long time ago. The masters of the Middle Ages added to concrete mortar crumbs from tuff, dolomite, marble, obtaining a durable, noble building material.
Today artificial stone is quite light tiles, which is pressed from a wide variety of compositions. Depending on the main components, decorative stone can be:
- plaster,
- ceramic,
- concrete,
- acrylic,
- polyester.
In addition, the market offers “liquid” stone in the form of spraying, which is used to cover countertops and bar counters. And also flexible stone veneer: they decorate not only walls, but also furniture facades, countertops.
Specific additives impart additional properties to the facing stone. For example, volcanic perlite increases anti-corrosion, and expanded clay or pumice lightens the product. When soot and iron oxide are added to the mass, a fashionable aged stone is obtained.
Despite the abundance of textures, decorative stone tiles They are produced almost the same way: the selected solution is poured into matrices, tinted, sometimes fired, coated with impregnations or glaze. The process is simple and can be done at home by purchasing a special silicone mold.
For exterior work, concrete-based slabs are most often used. And inside, they mainly use artificial stone made from gypsum, an environmentally neutral mineral substance.
Advantages of decorative stone
All types of artificial stone share these qualities:
- availability, relatively inexpensive finishing material;
- ease of installation;
- ease of care;
- resistance to mold, fire;
- durability (manufacturers provide a guarantee of at least 10 years);
- an impressive range of shades and textures.
If the stone is made of gypsum, clay, sand, then add to this list also environmental friendliness and hypoallergenicity.
Features of the use of artificial stone
Thanks to the variety of patterns and colors, decorative stone is a real “must have” for a modern interior.
If you use stone, it becomes less bland, more varied, and more convincing, and much more comfortable.
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Many are difficult to imagine without facing stone. For example, in a Mediterranean house this is a stylization of pebbles or boulders polished by the sea. In Alpine - under mountain debris. The interior is Provence-like, like sun-bleached sandstone. In English - under a strict cherry-colored brick.
Artificial, glossy stone has made its way even into this “fiefdom” of metal and glass.
Stone is, of course, a unique tool for creating an extraordinary environment, but you shouldn’t go to all lengths. If you decorate the walls with stone tiles from top to bottom, you will get a crypt, a wine cellar, a dungeon... But not a living space.
Cladding with decorative stone solves several problems. Firstly, it is picturesque, elegant and prestigious. Secondly, with the help of stone you can make it more voluminous and expressive.
In the hallway, tiles stylized as limestone, sandstone, or brickwork are usually used.
Decorative stone looks more impressive if you combine it with other types of finishing - plaster, wood panels, embossed wallpaper.
In the hallway, stone tiles are used mainly for fragmentary cladding. Decorative clinker, sandstone, and quartzite are used to highlight corners, doorways, sections of the wall around the dial, mirrors, paintings, and hangers.
By the way, if a wall covered with crushed stone is added with a large retro clock, a “street” bench and a lamp a la lantern, you will get a soulful city “alley” leading into the depths of the apartment.
The stone is associated with reliability and safety. If it is present in the living room, the household members feel more confident, “like behind a stone wall.”
The stone is also associated with fire, with the warmth of the hearth. Man has carried the memory of the tandem of fire and stone from cave times; it is not for nothing that fireplaces are still covered with rubble and cuttings today.
However, not only fireplace portals are decorated with granite, brick or shell rock tiles.
Decorative stone is used to line niches with lighting, shelves, glass display cases, a fragment of a wall with a TV panel or behind a sofa.
Decorative stone, due to its structure, absorbs a lot of light. Therefore, designers advise alternating it with light plaster or wallpaper. Remember also that finishing with artificial stone will require additional lamps and a well-thought-out lighting scenario.
Decorative stone is especially good in a studio apartment. Perhaps this is the simplest, budget, current method divide the home into locations.
Decorative stone in the bedroom
Here the stone will become a talisman: it will calm, lull, bring back memories of something dear, truly natural.
A massive, high-quality bed fits perfectly with walls covered decorative bricks, and also with wooden beams, caissons, sconces in the form of candelabra.
In the bedroom it is better not to use stone tiles with a glossy surface to avoid a “cold”, disturbing flicker. And don’t forget to highlight the fragment lined with stone with lamps, which will make the texture softer and warmer.
Usually the stone is used to decorate the wall behind the head of the bed or the corner with the dressing table and mirror. Unlike the hallway, where transitions from stone to plaster are made using torn edges and flow, in the bedroom they use other, less noticeable techniques. For example, they mark masonry with moldings.
Decorative stone in a children's room
The environmental friendliness and safety of artificial stone tiles ensured its entry here.
It is also important that with the help of a stone you can embody the plot of your favorite fairy tale. Let’s say, create a “princess castle”, “Ali Baba’s cave”, “dungeon of the gnomes”, “underwater grotto”.
Artificial pebbles can be used to easily lay out mosaics, panels, paint pebbles to look like snails and ladybugs, decorate a frame of stones with a landscape on the wall, a niche with toys.
If we are talking about a teenager’s room, then artificial brickwork near the desk will discipline him and call him to order. And resonate with more adult toys - car models, a globe, things in the steampunk style.
Decorative stone in the kitchen/dining room
Methods to successfully integrate the stone into kitchen space enough. For example, imitation rustic masonry above hob turns this working segment into a colorful Russian stove or an ancient fireplace.
And kitchen niches covered with decorative stone will make the kitchen look like an old cafe, especially if they are combined with brutal countertops and cast-iron utensils.
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For the kitchen, choose stone tiles impregnated protective compounds. Porous, loose products absorb water and are more difficult to clean.
It is not prohibited to use decorative finishes in the context of ultra-modern interior styles. Relief stone of a reddish-brown, greenish hue goes perfectly with glass and metal, sets off the shine of kitchen appliances, makes loft and high-tech more heartfelt and intimate.
Decorative stone in the bathroom
A natural pool carved into the rocks - this is what a bathroom decorated with stone tiles might look like.
Using stone in the interior to decorate walls and floors, you can create your own fortress or cozy home, it depends on the desired style and type of material for interior decoration. It can be natural or decorative stone, both of these types have their advantages, and designers have long appreciated strengths use of stone in the interior. It can decorate any room, from the hallway to the bathroom, taking into account the style of the room.
Types of stone in interior design
- A natural stone It brings a part of nature into the interior of the apartment and looks very impressive. Used for cladding fireplaces, walls, floors, countertops, window sills, each rock (from sandstone to granite) is selected based on the purpose of the natural stone in the interior, its properties and pattern, financial issue. Wild stone in the interior has free beauty and durability, combines with fresh flowers and creates a feeling of nature. This is a massive finishing material that loves space, so small corridor it will make it smaller and heavier.
- Decorative rock in the interior of residential premises it is more common due to its availability, standard forms, ease of installation, tolerance of temperature changes, moisture resistance (mold does not form) and ease of maintenance. In the interior they use sawn, chipped stone, brick-like stylization. It can also be made of tiles that replicate the texture of marble or slate. From decorative stone in the interior of an apartment, you can make a fantasy masonry of stones that do not exist in nature in terms of color and texture.
The photo shows a whitewashed stone wall in color Ivory it looks very soft and harmonious with the furniture, and the light directed at it emphasizes the comfort of the atmosphere.
Designers do not recommend combining different breeds stone in one room, even if one room is zoned, but you can use one type of two different colors and shades.
- To avoid the “stone bag” effect, the room should be well lit.
- The stone is combined with monochromatic interior elements, which means it can be used to make inserts between openings, fill empty walls and decorate a kitchen apron.
- Natural durable stone material is used for the floor, and a durable granite countertop will be a real boon for the housewife.
- If the apartment is dark, then there should be less stone, and it is better to give preference to light rocks with a spongy texture.
On the picture mirror panel expands the space, and decorative stone adds warmth to the cold dining room environment.
Stone in the interior of an apartment: overview by room
If the room is decorated in a minimalist style, then the stone performs the function of zoning, not decoration, and should be glossy and monochromatic (sandstone, beige slate and gray). For classic style Smooth and textured granite and marble are suitable. In a high-tech style, a whitewashed stone wall will emphasize the beauty of metallic and glass, and for rustic style Imitation of block brickwork is suitable. The loft style is unimaginable without brick wall or brown flagstone.
Kitchen
Stone occupies a special place in the kitchen interior, since a stone countertop made of natural granite is not afraid of scratches and does not lose color; it can be polished from time to time and thus give it fresh look. It is better to choose decorative stone in the kitchen interior dark colors and treat with a water-repellent agent.
Refrigerator and hood area, dining area and the apron can be highlighted with stonework. WITH classic set will combine “careless masonry” of natural stone, modern kitchen appliances The stone wall goes well together.
In the photo, the wall between the cooking and eating areas is made of decorative stone to match the color of the countertop. Additional lighting fills the entire composition with coziness. With moderate use of stone small room does not look smaller than its actual size.
Hallway
Stone in the interior of the hallway will help solve the problem of dealing with street dirt on shoes and high traffic. Decorative stone in the interior of the hallway should be durable and retain its original appearance for a long time.
In a small hallway, they can be used to line either only the lower part of the walls around the perimeter of the room, or only the area of the hangers and shelves. Partial masonry will not make the room smaller; it is combined with wallpaper, tiles and plaster. White glossy masonry in the interior of the hallway will make the room brighter and will reflect more light when proper lighting, and the contrast in the combination of several colors will attract attention to the details of the masonry.
In the photo, the white hallway combines light wallpaper on one wall and stonework on the other. This creates a cozy urban style.
In the photo, the door arches are decorated with decorative stone, and light plaster makes the corridor visually larger.
Living room
Stone in the living room interior may be less durable than in the hallway. Wall, doors, arch and fireplace ─ all this can be decorated with stonework and make the living room more comfortable. Stone in the living room is suitable for a country or private house.
Designers often recommend lining the partition between rooms with stone; in this photo of the interior, gray stonework and cool shades of curtains create a cool effect on a hot summer day.
Plain brickwork Suitable for a monochrome living room, chaotic elements of decorative stone on white walls create the effect of a castle. If the size of the room does not allow stone wall, then you can make a niche in the wall with lighting where you can place a stone panel.
The photo shows natural stone masonry in the center accent wall milky to match the sofa and curtain, it fits perfectly into the interior of the living room, and additional lighting creates coziness in the evenings.
Bathroom
The material for finishing the bathroom must be durable and non-slippery. Marble, which evaporates moisture, or patterned tiles are suitable for the floor. wooden planks, slate is suitable for walls. You should not choose sandstone, as it will quickly lose its color when exposed to moisture. In a small bathroom, you can line the shower wall or the wall near the sink with stone, but this should be only one area, otherwise there will be 4 meter room will become even smaller.
Bedroom
Stone in bedroom interiors is appropriate for decorating an accent wall opposite or at the head of the bed. The color of the wall and the shape of the stone depend on the style of the room and its color. If the room has a TV or desk, then you can use stonework to complement this.
The photo shows natural brickwork gray shade fits well with brown purple interior bedrooms. Due to mirror inserts and spot lighting the room looks bright and cozy.
Combination of stone and other finishing materials
Before cladding, the wall must be smooth and clean, without plaster or paint. The color of the stone from different batches must be compared and checked for integrity. Wild or artificial stone in the interior is combined with all materials.
- Combination with wallpaper. It will create comfort and practicality; the stone bottom of the walls is highly durable and long term services. When changing the interior, it can be refreshed with varnish or repainted. The color of the wallpaper should differ by 2 tones from the color of the masonry. They can also be of any color, but you should not choose wallpaper with a pattern, pattern or stone texture. Liquid wallpaper and masonry in one color scheme look good in the living room and hallway.
- Combination with wood. Suitable for creating an eco-style in the living room: durable sound-absorbing stone on the wall and heated wooden floors guarantee a favorable atmosphere in the house. Wooden ceilings and doors complemented by a stone panel or fireplace create a lively, rustic atmosphere. The combination of wood and stone in the interior is quite common for arranging summer houses and country cottages.
- Combination with plaster. Suitable for decorating the walls of the hallway, living room, bathroom, kitchen and loggia. Plaster is available to a wide range of consumers; its properties are appreciated by both designers and builders. We should also highlight Venetian plaster, which imitates the surface of polished stone well, creating depth and shine. Slate and Venetian plaster create a complete look without additional painting of the walls.
