Natural stone floors

Natural stone flooring used in kitchens will provide both style and functionality. Durable, long-lasting, granite is a popular choice that’s often used for countertops too while limestone will give a warm rustic finish and it will not wear down easily either. Ideal if your kitchen space gets a lot of footfall. 

Stone floors are widely considered to add value to a property, but choose wisely as once laid you won’t want to change them for years. The most durable option is granite while many would say that marble is the most popular (albeit expensive) option.

Here are 5 of our top picks for natural stone floors:

1. Granite

Available in a wide spectrum of colors, often with mineral specks or subtle veining granite is a flexible choice that can be adapted to most house styles. And as it’s very durable it will work in high traffic areas like a hallway also. It comes in different finishes, but it is the polished form that fully reveals the colors and patterns. Colous range from blue and purple shades through to grey and olive green, and they often include rusty red markings.

2. Slate

Easily split into various thicknesses and available with a textured finish, slate works well in wet areas like bathrooms and kitchens (depending on who’s cooking!).

3. Marble

Starting its life as limestone, under certain conditions its components crystallize to form the veins typical of marble. In its purest form, it can be found in a wide range of other shades, from various greys through to green and black.

4. Limestone

Occurring in many tones, from nearly white to the more common warm honey, as well as rarer greys and dark browns Limestone is often a rustic. Textures range from even-grained stones through to smoother types with fossils and coarser, open-textured varieties. Some can be polished to resemble marble. It can scratch easily as it’s quite soft so be careful in kitchens. However, as it’s resistant to mold and bacteria, it works really well as a bathroom flooring option.

5. Travertine

Travertine has a porous surface with small holes that give it a sponge-like appearance; higher grade, premium travertine has fewer pits with a more vibrant color. It can be sourced ready-filled from some suppliers; otherwise it will need to be filled in situ. When installed correctly, travertine is one of the most durable stones for bathrooms and showers.

How to maintain natural stone floor tiles

Natural floor tiles will need to be sealed to prevent damage, staining, and to avoid repairing stone floors yourself. Your supplier or installer will be able to recommend the most appropriate products to use and should provide you with advice on looking after your chosen material. Once you have the correct product, cleaning stone floor tiles is a simple job.

Using cleaning products that aren’t recommended can leave behind a film, which can attract dirt and may need chemical removal at a later date. Regular sweeping will keep loose dirt away and, if needed, stone can be professionally cleaned and restored.

Interior Walls

Because marble and granite are not only a beautiful material but also one of the strongest and naturally resistant stones with low maintenance involved. Kitchen walls or backsplashes made with marble, will reduce the burden of the usual tedious cleaning.

A beautiful marble can totally transform your wall and room. A unique highlighter can enhance your space like you never imagined. Combine it with the finest craftsmanship and you won’t be able to take your eyes and hands off your wall.

It’s no secret that marble is one of the most widely used materials for interior design. Marble wall cladding is also known to transform any space into an embodiment of luxury.

Fireplaces

Marble, limestone, and granite are excellent heat conductors and retain warmth in the firebox for longer. One of the benefits of a fireplace made from natural stone is its innately durable and scratch-resistant surface that withstands everyday use. Of all-natural stone options, granite is the most popular.

A natural stone fireplace exudes a convivial atmosphere and offers a distinct look and design aesthetic. Not only does it have a rustic feel, but it also retains heat within the firebox for longer, keeping the cold out during the winter months. With proper installation, natural stone requires minimal maintenance and can increase a home’s value.

Window Ledges

Granite window ledges are a type of natural stone window sills that can add durability, beauty and value to your home. Granite is an igneous rock that forms from cooled magma, creating a hard and dense material with a variety of colors and patterns.

There are many types of granite window ledges available, each with its own characteristics, price range and suitability for different applications

Bathroom Countertops

When you have to choose a countertop for your bathroom, beauty is as important as functionality. This type of countertops would provide additional workspace to be practical. They are low maintenance and look great in a contemporary bath. Some natural materials such as granite or beige travertine are more suitable for this use because they give a glamorous look while standing the test of time much better. A stone countertop with a polished finish produces a high-gloss effect, making the stone highly resistant. 

Bathrooms

Natural stone is a popular material to use in the bathroom due to its ability to add instant visual impact, transforming what once was a utilitarian space into a thing of beauty. Natural stone is truly unique. With this material, you can bring a piece of Mother Earth into your bathroom and transform it into an oasis of wellbeing. Granite, slate, sandstone, and other materials can be combined in incredibly diverse ways with colors and structures.

When you have to choose a countertop for your bathroom, beauty is as important as functionality. This type of countertops would provide additional workspace to be practical. They are low maintenance and look great in a contemporary bath. Some natural materials such as granite or beige travertine are more suitable for this use because they give a glamorous look while standing the test of time much better. A stone countertop with a polished finish produces a high-gloss effect, making the stone highly resistant. 

When you are looking for a material for your bathrooms, you prefer the most durable product you can find. In this regard, natural stone such as slate is the best floor for this important room of your house. Natural textures and finishes will create a non-slip flooring. For example, tumbled, bush hammered or chiseled are the best finishes for this kind of flooring. In addition, choosing natural stone you will give greater economic value to your bathroom than other types of flooring.  

If you are considering a good material for your shower wall, natural stone can be your answer. Natural stone such as slate looks great in your shower and it is water-resistant. Consider natural stone for a continuous design in a shower. Each piece of stone has a unique look that helps keep a bathroom’s aesthetic original. 

Wall cladding

Nowadays, natural stone is a decorative element widely used in architecture and decoration, since it creates original and warm spaces. They are materials that have numerous benefits.

Advantages of wall cladding with natural stone

Wall coverings with natural stone are more stable and safe. The use of stone panels on the walls provides greater stability and can be installed more easily.
The wall coverings with natural stone ennoble the environment. In interior walls, natural stone provides a great aesthetic finish. Its lines and finishes give a select and special touch to indoor environments where they are installed.
Wall coverings with natural stone print personality. Due to the fact that there are no two equal stones, the walls covered with natural stone have a unique character, as they give any room a unique and exclusive character.

Kitchen Countertops

Granite countertops deliver gorgeous aesthetics in kitchens and bathrooms and have other good qualities.

Granite has a rich beauty that few other countertop materials can match. It is a natural product with a timeless aura and appeal. Granite countertops take a high-quality kitchen to the next level visually and often become the centerpiece of the room. With a lot of shades of granite to work with, you’ll find one that blends perfectly with your kitchen cabinets, flooring and walls.

Granite countertops are made of a natural hard substance which is not susceptible to scratches. While not ideal to work on because it will dull knife blades, it will take normal wear and tear very well. Granite resists heat too, so its use near a range or cooktop is ideal. When you have to set down a hot pan fast, granite can take the heat without being damaged or weakened.

Granite can be very resistant to stains and won’t absorb liquids when it is properly sealed