Decorative stone is well known in the building and finishing materials market and is in high demand. Harmoniously combined with other decorative elements, it is often the center of the composition, and gives the room a stylish and aesthetic look.
Advantages and disadvantages
Finishing stone is one of the most beautiful and modern materials, it is in demand, we buy and has the following undeniable advantages:
- fragments are lightweight, which allows you to decorate large surface areas without fear of collapse of load-bearing structures and additional load on foundation elements;
- the material has high strength and long service life;
- the method of finishing with decorative stone allows you to hide wall defects and distracts from an unsuccessful layout;
- due to a wide range of prices, it is possible to purchase material at an affordable price, which makes it even more popular and in demand;
- the stone is easy to clean and resistant to mechanical stress. This allows it to be used to decorate fireplaces, arches and corners;
- the repairability of the material consists in the fragmentary repair of the damaged element, without the need for a complete replacement of the coating;
- the incombustibility of the material and its resistance to sudden changes in temperature allows them to lay out wood-burning fireplaces and the space around the fireplace;
- the possibility of self-laying is due to the flat surface of the reverse side of the elements. Thanks to this, the material is glued to the surface of the base, like a regular tile. The artificial stone is about 2 centimeters thick and does not take up space.
The disadvantages of decorative stone include the cold, hard-to-machine surface of natural specimens and the fragility of some types of artificial models.
Types and properties of material
The use of natural stone is complicated by its heavy weight, cold nature, energy-intensive processing and high cost. Therefore, when decorating living rooms, artificial decorative materials are used, which in their appearance are no different from their natural counterparts.
The production technology consists in pouring the solution into molds with further drying and firing of the blanks. Then the elements are either covered with special impregnations, or glaze is applied to them.
Decorative items can be based on concrete, plaster, acrylic, polyester and ceramic.
The form of release can also serve as a stone veneer in a roll or sheet version:
- Porcelain stoneware stones are made from feldspar, mineral additives and clay. They are pressed under high pressure and are produced in matte, glossy and embossed versions.
- Polyester agglomerates are made with the addition of marble chips, limestone and granite. This material perfectly imitates natural stones and, due to its high strength and fire resistance, can be used for facing fireplaces.
- Colored concrete stones are composed of sand, cement, expanded clay, pumice and dyes. This type has a large range of products with a huge variety of shades and textures.
- Gypsum stone is considered the most budgetary option, has a low weight and is easily mounted on plasterboard surfaces. The disadvantages include the excessive fragility of the material and the need to cover the lined wall with water-repellent compounds.
- Acrylic products have a beautiful smooth surface, but their use in fireplace areas should be limited. This is due to the risk of emission of harmful substances when the material is heated.
Products made of expanded clay sand and perlite are highly durable, but they are much more expensive than other types
Clinker tiles are also a kind of decorative stone and are panels with imitation of brickwork. The material is produced in a wide variety of shades, is highly durable and has a perfectly flat surface. It weighs much less than decorative brick, and the thickness varies from 1 to 3 cm. The models are heat-resistant and can be used to decorate fireplace areas.
The color of the future product is formed during its production: dyes and pigments are added to the raw materials. Some types of stone can be colored or glazed after production. If during the installation process it turns out that individual stones differ in color, then the finished surface is treated with a special compound that neutralizes the difference.
Finishing options
A large assortment of decorative stone provides ample opportunities for creating a variety of style trends:
- For delicate Provence, a snow-white glossy surface will be a good solution, and for modern high-tech and minimalism, black and white contrast is suitable.
- In ethnic African styles, relief stones of different sizes in red and yellow-brown tones will look good.
- When decorating Scandinavian and rustic directions, you can use light wood shades in combination with a matte surface. In order to achieve the effect of antiquity, you need to use a coarse-grained stone or patinated models.
- The classic living room will be decorated with seamed masonry of dark brown stones.
- In a retro style, the combination of aged stone with Venetian plaster will look harmonious.
- For a spacious rococo and baroque living room, it is recommended to form semi-columns and lay them out with dark-colored stones.
- In techno interiors, the masonry must be illuminated with small metal lamps of simple shapes.
- And in the forefront, openwork forging and dark stone will be a successful neighborhood.
When decorating a small room, you should use the fragment decoration technique. Walls completely lined with stone will create an oppressive atmosphere and make the space heavy and cluttered. In rooms of this type, corner decoration is carried out, as well as the design of the fireplace, arched, door zone. It is possible to decorate a small section of the central wall.
Decorative masonry can perfectly cope with the zoning of the living room, visually separating the recreation area from the negotiation area.
If the living room area allows, then an interesting technique would be to create a living corner where artificial mini-reservoirs, cascading waterfalls and fountains decorated with decorative stone will be located. Aquariums and large tropical plants look beautiful against the background of the masonry. The combination of stone and wood is successful. It harmonizes well with greenery and emphasizes natural unity. Stone can be used to decorate not only walls and fireplaces: the design of shelves and bar counters looks stylish and interesting.
When decorating living rooms with masonry, it is necessary to take into account the size and degree of illumination of the apartment. A dark and too embossed stone is suitable only for spacious rooms. In small rooms, smooth and light specimens should be used, combining fragmentary masonry with wallpaper. A popular technique is decorating a niche for a TV with decorative stone.
This design option is suitable for small spaces. It allows you to design a full-fledged recreation area with the help of architectural solutions and stone panels. It should be borne in mind that the stone is a rather rough finishing material, so it is necessary to add a little comfort to the interior. This can be done with upholstery, carpets, pillows and textiles.
A wood floor with a clear pattern of wood fibers and a carved mantel in combination with a wrought-iron grate will help warm the stone finish. Living room lighting plays an important role.
If there is a lack of natural light, you need to equip the room with additional lighting devices, otherwise the masonry in dark colors will look too gloomy.
Useful Tips
Before proceeding with the decoration of the walls of the living room, you should determine what area will be occupied by the stone. To do this, you need to draw a diagram with a detailed arrangement of the fragments, and then mark the border of the masonry on the wall. Having calculated the amount of material required for installation, 10% should be added to the obtained value. This will help cover trim and cut losses, as well as accidental damage to the material. Then you need to lay out the stone on the floor, in accordance with the drawn diagram, and select the elements in shape and size, taking into account the seams.
Next, you should clean the wall from the old finish, align and prime. The cladding should start from the corner from bottom to top. Laying is done in rows, in which the joints between adjacent stones of one row are in the center of the stones of the second row. Shale and sandstone materials are seamlessly assembled.
For finishing, you should use special glue, which is selected individually for each composition.
After a few days, you need to carry out antifungal surface treatment, which is carried out with an aqueous varnish. This must be done if the procedure was not carried out during manufacture. This will give the surface a shine and prevent rapid contamination.
Beautiful examples of decorative masonry
Thoughtful design and competent use of artificial and natural stone will create a unique atmosphere of pomp and style in the living room.
A successful combination of corner decoration and picture framing will make the living room sophisticated and modern.
Decorating a TV area with masonry is a good example of space zoning.
The green corner in the living room is the harmony of plants and stone.
The cascading waterfall will become the central composition of the interior and will noticeably enliven the space.
Refractory masonry is an ideal finishing solution for the fireplace area.
You will learn how to properly lay a decorative stone in the following video.