For decades, natural stone materials like marble, granite, quartzite, onyx, and travertine have been used in interior design. They will always be in style because their natural sheen, durability, and elegance instantly turn a house into a luxurious and graceful home.
Residential home construction is growing, and with it, the number of interior designers is increasing. In 2020, the market size of the interior design industry was expected to be worth $14.6 billion. And many of those designers will use natural stone slabs to transform home interiors from drab to fabulous. Here are three important things you should know about natural stone.
What makes Natural Stone Unique?
Natural stone comes from the natural rock beds in the Earth’s crust. Through thousands of years, minerals trapped in the Earth’s crust were exposed to pressure, expansion, and erosion. They solidified into vast rock beds that serve as quarries where natural rock is mined.
The unique nature of stone is derived from different mineral deposits, producing different textures, colors, and strength combinations of rock to be mined and transformed into the beautiful slabs, tiles, and paving stones we enjoy today.
How is Natural Stone Made?
Natural stones like marble and granite are mined from quarries. Machines mine and blast the stone out of the ground. It is then milled, polished, and compressed into slabs seen in showrooms. Each slab is unique, with different color and pattern combinations that emerge during the cutting and polishing process of the natural rock. Even though the natural stone slabs may look similar, they present variations in shade, veining, and markings, giving them complex character and charm.
Using Natural Stone In Your Home
The most common way to bring natural stone into your home is to place it on the floor. Natural stone, like marble, creates strong, durable, and scratch-resistant flooring. It also requires minimal maintenance. Marble adds that elegant, earthy vibe to a space. In the hands of a skilled decorator, it can become a masterpiece by matching colors and textures to the overall aesthetic.
Using natural stone in your kitchen produces stunning effects. Granite countertops are nonporous, hard, and durable, making your kitchen beautiful and hygienic at the same time. Granite countertops clean easily and protect against any growth of undesirables in the place where you prepare food for your family.
Just as the name suggests, natural stone was formed over thousands of years from minerals and gasses trapped in the Earth’s crust. The slabs and tiles in the showrooms come from mining, milling, and polishing that natural rock into usable shapes that beautify living spaces. Their durability and beauty transform your home by adding characteristic uniqueness, character, and warmth.
