Decorative stone in the kitchen: varieties and uses

The kitchen is a special room in the house, as it acts not only as a place for preparing dishes, but also as a room for meeting friends and acquaintances. To create a cozy atmosphere in it, you should carefully think over the layout and choose the right material for surface finishing. Despite the fact that designers create projects using various materials, stone decoration is very popular.

Decorative stone serves as a real decoration for any interior, as it attracts with its volume and natural texture. Kitchens lined with this material look stylish and expensive. In addition, it has many other advantages.

• High strength. According to laboratory studies, stone is in no way inferior to iron and steel in terms of its endurance.
• Moisture resistance. The decorative stone also does not react to changes in the level of humidity and does not absorb water at all. Thanks to these properties, mold and mildew never appear on the surface of the cladding.
• Durability. Artificial stone, like natural stone, is not subject to mechanical stress, therefore it lasts forever.
• Chemical resistance. Decorative stone is considered an excellent choice for kitchen decor, as it can be washed with any detergent, including those containing an aggressive chemical composition.
• Maintainability. If you receive any damage, including splits, the stone can quickly return to its original appearance.
• Aesthetics. The texture of the stone is unusual, it gives the kitchen an attractive look and sophistication.

Now let's look at the disadvantages inherent in decorative stone.

• High price. Stone finishing is not an economical option: if you plan to carry out budget repairs, then it is best to give preference to artificial material. It costs much less and is in no way inferior in terms of performance.
• Cold surface. Despite the fact that the stone fits perfectly into any modern interior, it has poor thermal conductivity.

Facing surfaces in the kitchen can be carried out with various types of decorative stone. Today, depending on the origin, it is divided into artificial and natural. Each of these types has its own performance characteristics, and also differs in appearance.

Natural stone was created by Mother Nature and is widely used in cladding work, especially in the design of kitchens. It emits unusual energy that has a positive effect on human health. In addition, natural stone has a vibrant texture, which creates an interesting wall decor.

Facing artificial stone is an affordable analogue of a natural material that imitates the natural structure well and is highly resistant to moisture and mechanical damage. Unlike natural material, it has a huge selection of colors and is ideal for decorating walls, apron and arches. Despite its unnatural origin, the material is absolutely environmentally friendly. The most common types of artificial stone include agglomerate (consists of crumbs of marble, granite, limestone and quartz sand) and porcelain stoneware (includes minerals, spar and clay).

Let's consider each option separately.

• Porcelain stoneware. It is produced using modern technologies using the vibrocompression method. The material is processed under high pressure and temperature, due to which its performance characteristics are increased. Externally, porcelain stoneware has many similarities with glass or ceramic tiles. It is durable, resistant to the negative effects of the external environment, but it can lose its properties when exposed to hydrofluoric acid. As for the texture of the material, it can be matte, glossy, with a glazed surface and embossed inserts.
• Agglomerates. This subspecies of artificial stones include those containing polyester resin. They are a durable finishing material, but they are not resistant to aggressive chemicals and abrasion. Therefore, agglomerates are not recommended for floor coverings. Most often, agglomerates are chosen for finishing bar counters, countertops and window sills.

Today, many designers are developing kitchen interiors using decorative stone. With the help of it, the interior decoration takes on a chic look, and the room itself is filled with an atmosphere of comfort. In the interior of kitchens, this facing material is used as follows.

• Stone and tiles you can lay out both all the walls and a separate section. A stone wall in combination with wallpaper looks interesting and stylish in design, another unusual solution will be stone decoration and photo wallpaper.This allows you to adjust the size of small rooms, visually expanding them. A white stone, laid out horizontally, visually "stretches" the space of the room.

• For kitchens that are designed in a country style, it is recommended to choose a combination of stone and wood. Solid wood furniture and stone wall cladding form an unusual ensemble, and the use of green shades will help to enhance the decorative effect.

• If the apartment is planned to be overhauled, then not only walls can be laid out with a stone, but also doorways, floor, ceiling and stair steps. Decorating should be done with beige and light gray material. In this case, granite and marble are well suited for decoration, since they are distinguished by nobility and chic. It is also allowed to make separate inserts of malachite.

• For modern kitchenscharacterized by smooth shapes, horizontal lines and smooth corners, plain (black or white) porcelain stoneware is ideal. To add contrast to the interior, you need to frame niches and doorways with stone. The use of colored concrete on the walls and porcelain stoneware on the floor will also be unusual.

• Often, decorative stone is used to clad the working area.including cooking table, sink and stovetop. Thanks to this design approach, it is possible to maintain the integrity of the interior. It is recommended to decorate an apron in the kitchen with a stone that is resistant to high temperatures and moisture. An apron made of this material brings a special flavor to the design of the room, in addition, seamless masonry allows you to protect the surface of the walls from the accumulation of dirt, making cleaning easier.

• The original decision is considered decorative stone cladding of doorways and arches in the kitchen... This will allow not only to give the entrance to the premises an aesthetic appearance, but also perform a practical function, prolonging the operation of the openings. As for decorating arches with natural stone, not everyone can do it. This material must be laid on special mixtures and know the masonry scheme, otherwise you can spoil the material. In addition, cladding in hard-to-reach places cannot be carried out without the help of specialists.

• Stone panels look no less interesting in kitchens. To do this, a frame is installed on one of the selected walls, which will serve as an edging, then lay out compositions of stone. You can give this decorative element a "zest" by using a color play, laying out the stone on the walls painted in contrasting colors. Looks gorgeous in modern design and the combination of a stone surface with Venetian plaster.

Decorative stone has found wide application in various kitchen design projects, as it has a natural look, natural texture and special energy that can create a positive mood. In the interior decoration of kitchens, walls are usually laid out with stone, which act as a background for an artistic solution. So, in the classic and Scandinavian style, wall cladding with white material (marble, granite, quartzite) would be an ideal choice. It will work well with wood paneling and dark brown or black flooring. In this design, the kitchen will acquire a certain charm.

Let's consider another option. Walls are chosen as the main background, they are decorated with gray material (marble, granite or quartzite). A competent approach to the choice of furniture will help to fill the room with luxury.If you place a worktop and a set with a glossy dark red wood surface in the kitchen, you get a chic composition. The best choice for flooring is marble. If you wish, you can decorate one of the walls with Venetian plaster, the main thing is to choose the right color.

Stone masonry in the area of ​​the kitchen backsplash will complement such an interior; it should go well with the set and the countertop. For cladding the working area, masonry made of marble and white onyx is well suited. In this case, the ceiling must be installed in a suspended, snow-white color. In addition, you should worry about the presence of good lighting, it must be placed both along the perimeter of the ceiling and on the cabinets. This will favorably emphasize the natural beauty of the material and help visually expand the space in small kitchens.

For lovers of loft style, the kitchen needs to be filled with shades of gray and red. To do this, all walls must be faced with gray stone, and the apron area with red. A dark brown headset will help to combine colors in such a design. In addition, masonry should be done on the floor and windowsill, choosing a stone of snow-white color. Light green textiles and indoor flowers will help to complement the interior.

To get a chic kitchen design, you can decorate your kitchen in a chalet style using a decorative stone of a rough texture (jackdaw, wild boulder). If the kitchen is large, then the cladding must be carried out with a dark brown material. For small kitchens, a light gray stone finish is suitable. In addition to the walls, cladding should also be performed in the area of ​​the hob and apron. The floor and countertop also need to be laid out with stone, which should differ by several shades from the wall decoration.

For those who prefer to see their kitchen in an unusual and modern design, wall decoration with wallpaper and stone will be a good choice. This combination opens up tremendous opportunities for creativity in design. Repetition in it is completely excluded, so each interior is exclusive. In addition, wallpaper with stone is not only harmoniously combined, but also gives the room a respectable look, and also increases the performance characteristics of the finish. In this case, it is important to correctly choose the shades of the paintings and the texture of the stone. For example, if you use a material with a smooth surface, then the wallpaper should have a slight roughness.

Decorating a kitchen apron with a decorative stone in the video.