As the new year beckons, a sense of change and transformation often takes hold of us.
By channelling these restless feelings into redesigning the aesthetic of your interiors, you can maximise the joy that your home brings you. From marvellous stone staircases to exceptionally crafted kitchen worktops, there are so many options that can enhance your creative spirit.
Steve Vanhinsbergh, director of stoneCIRCLE in Basingstoke, tells us about the different types of stone, how best to use them and the areas of the home best suited for each type.
Bathroom
Incorporating stone into your bathroom furnishings is a fantastic way to infuse your interior with sophistication. When selecting your material, keep in mind that a stone with naturally water-resistant qualities will thrive in this area. White marble is an extremely popular choice for vanity tops and floors – the classic colour accentuates the glamour of your modern bathroom, and is always in style.
Incorporating book matched marble slabs can transform your shower into a stunning feature piece that will delight your guests. Marble is available in a wide range of eye-catching colours – from vibrant greens and reds, to wonderfully contrasting white and black shades. There’s plenty of options to set your bathroom apart.
Onyx, a beautifully translucent natural stone, is a top-of-the-range material that is perfect for creating an eye-catching vanity surface or basin. Onyx is formed of bands chalcedony in alternating colours, running parallel to each other that bestows a truly distinctive aesthetic.
Kitchen
As the very heart of your home, the kitchen needs to combine the practicality required for cooking with the elegance of the rest of your interior. Thankfully, there are plenty of stones that are both durable and eye-catching.
Granite is an excellent choice for your kitchen worktops – naturally forming from the slow crystallisation of magma below the earth’s surface, it is imbued with strength and solidity. Granite worktops can withstand acidic spills and strong cleaning products, as well as the wear and tear of time. There are some stunning figured granites available with lots of movement in the patterns.
Quartz is another fantastic material for kitchen worktops, and is very popular. The stone is man-made and so the patterning is more regular than granite, quartz perfectly captures the combination of stylishness and practicality that a modern kitchen requires.
Sintered stone is the latest technology in composite stones. Sintered stone is created by combining the minerals found in natural stone and porcelain, which are then subjected to intense heat and pressure to fuse them. Dekton, a form of sintered stone, is exceptionally resistant to UV light, frost and abrasion – making it ideal for kitchen surfaces.
Living spaces
Opting for softer, less resistant stone can accentuate the warmth and comfort of your living areas. Travertine makes for an excellent tiling alternative to marble if you’re looking to change things up. Antiqued travertine is often used, as it gives an aged look, great for your hallway or living room floor tiles.
Stone fireplaces make for a striking feature wall in your living space, impressing your guests and keeping you cosy and warm. Limestone is a popular stone for fireplaces, pick one with fossil inclusions for a beautiful statement piece. Slate is not used as often as a lot of other types of stone, but is traditionally used for hearths, adding a sense of luxury to your home.
For more information on stoneCIRCLE’S range of stones and services, visit stone-circle-home.com or call 0125 685 0380.
