Today many of us design our homes which in many ways reflect our personalities and interests. We want to feel proud of the place we call home, and for it to look and feel as inviting, interesting and as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Natural stone materials offer many possibilities to make both your garden and home a space which you feel pleased to display to your friends and family, but also a space that you feel comfortable and happy to live in.
Natural stone for your garden
As we are fast approaching January this would be the perfect time to consider revamping your garden in order to have everything in place so as not to disturb the blossoming months from spring to summer when you will want to use your garden most!
Whether you are looking to create a new patio area or to restyle your driveway, there are many natural stone options which will give your garden the desired look you require. A popular choice of stone which is chosen for its individuality is sandstone. R F Landscape Products view this use of natural sandstone paving a good choice for your garden; every paving slab is unique in colour and veining, providing a more natural look which fits in well with your garden. A wonderful range of natural sandstone paving colours and tones are available to meet the needs of your garden’s design, varying from the popular Raj Green to the Black Sandstone.
In contrast to sandstone, limestone paving offers a sleeker and smoother texture which could be used inside and outside of the home. When choosing a natural stone suitable for your garden, is is important to consider the durability of materials and how much maintenance they require. With the very wide-ranging British weather, limestone is a great choice for natural stone which can tolerate our unreliable British weather, requiring little maintenance, making it a more practical choice for you and your garden.
Another exquisitely smooth and consistent product which could look stunning in your garden is Slate. Although soft to touch, slate is a durable material providing a unique texture. Although slate is popularly used for garden paths and walkways, the benefit of this natural stone is that it can serve many features in your garden, great if you like a particular theme or colour running through your outside area. For instance, slate edging acts as a barrier and is a good method of containing gravel and loose materials on paths which could be weathered away.
If you’re looking for a strong yet stylish look for your garden, then granite is a definite natural stone contender! Flamed granite paving is a hardwearing material which will last for many years, is easy to clean but also has the added advantage that it is anti-slip making it a safer but also easier option for your outdoor premises.
Natural stone for your home
Natural stone does not only serve a variety of uses in the garden; from contemporary to classic, your home can also incorporate a mixture of natural stone materials which you can design to help give specific rooms in your home a certain ambiance. Natural stone does not only offer beautiful design for your home, however these materials are a perfect choice for people wanting to integrate an environmentally friendly interior to their home. The use of stone tiles in your home could be considered a ‘greener’ option – for instance you could create a countertop made from a naturally green material which is long lasting, moisture resistant and which does not create damaging byproducts.
Bathrooms are a great example in your home in which you can explore using natural stones to provide a smooth and smart finish. Marble is a popular choice of stone which can be used for both bathroom flooring and walls; the variation of colours and veins means that no one tile is the same, helping to produce a classic yet luxurious appearance to your bathroom. Like granite, marble is a resilient material which is resistant to scratches, and its stunning appearance is long lasting. Marble can also help to make the appearance of the room look bigger, as the light reflects off the walls giving the room a brighter look.
Mosaic is another stunning natural stone which you could incorporate into your home in a variety of ways. The small pieces of coloured stones arranged into a picture or pattern could be used to create a feature wall in your home. Not only does mosaic produce a beautifully intricate design, it is also a practical choice of natural stone which you could use to enhance any room in your home. As well as being scratch and stain resistant, mosaic like marble has the effect of being able to enhance the brightness of the room as the tiles reflect the light well. R F Interiors advise that mosaics can be particularly effective for wet room designs due to the smallness of the tiles being able to be more easily fitted into your bathroom to create a neat and elaborate design.
The benefits of using granite in your garden have already been highlighted, however granite is a popular natural stone material used within households today, particularly on kitchen or island countertops. Not only does this natural stone look elegant and provide a touch of sophistication in your kitchen, granite is highly durable and is a practical choice of worktop to cook on. Another great advantage of using granite in the kitchen is that due to its super smooth and sleek surface which does not contain pours, worktops can be easily cleaned and free from bacteria, providing you with a safe and hygienic area to work on.