Wednesday 27 July 2016

Ageless beauty of stones




                                    Ageless beauty of stones

                                                 

An evergreen building material, stone is widely popular in homes because of its rugged and ageless appeal. Of course, its innate strength also works to be a major advantage. In fact, we all know that large stone blocks are vital for the strong foundation of a building.

We can find many buildings whose exterior facade is covered with stone slabs or blocks or tiles. In Bengaluru itself, we can find many such examples. One of the major landmarks of the city, Bangalore Palace which is built on the architectural style of London’s Buckingham palace, is one such building. Another age-old beauty is the General Post Office building, whose exterior is built completely with stones. Even VidhanaSoudha, the heart of the State’s governance, was built using specially selected stones from Chikkaballapur. Residential spaces are also utilising stones these days. Jal Vayu Vihar located at Kammanahalli is a beautiful structure made of stones.


Stone, as a building material, is highly durable and can be chiselled into any form or design to suit one’s style of decor. Its rustic appearance and natural texture lend a sense of beauty and lavishness to the buildings. Since stones are rugged, you can expect them to last a lifetime. No amount of rain and shine will do any damage to them. Slates, limestone or the commonly used Cuddapah and Shahabad stones are much preferred.

Stones can work beautifully in your home’s interiors too. They can be used for the interior walls or certain sections of a room. Cladding all the four walls may not lend a good ambience to the place. If one wall is decorated with stone slabs, the other walls can be in wood or matching colours so as to complement the stone. A living area where there is a provision for a bar section gets an aesthetic look if that part is clad with stones. Stones can also be used on an arch separating two sections of a room or even in a space connecting two rooms. Why, even your dining table can have a stone-clad top for that rustic look. 

One of the best features of stone is that it can be blended with wood. So, you can include it on the ceiling on a stone-clad wall or on either sides of the wall. The shape and size of the stone used for cladding should be in proportion to the space , only then will it enhance the ambience. If you are unsure about what to use, it’s best to go in for slim rectangular-shaped stones.

Want your home decor to be the perfect mix of contemporary and traditional? Go in for stone tiles, decorative stone walls, arches and columns. Slabs are widely used for flooring, thereby giving the place a rustic look when compared to other polished surfaces. For flooring, naturally polished stones are your best bet. They require very less maintenance. Stones also come in handy as display stands, shelves and decorative ledges. 

For those who don’t fancy a rustic theme at home, stone pebbles can work wonders. Available in varied forms, pebbles can be used both in the interiors and the exteriors. Use these pebbles in cobbled pathways, pergolas and water fountains. Why, pebbles can also be made into wall murals. Using decorative materials made out of pebbles can give an antique look to the entire building. 

Install simple blocks of stone in the verandah or your garden for seating and watch the space transform into a charming zone instantly. For the porticos, the flooring and walls can be clad with stone slabs with hanging baskets fixed to the walls at appropriate places. Since it is the rainy season, put a tray filled with pebbles right next to the main door for your wet shoes. This way, when you come back home from a downpour, you don’t have to worry about dirtying the entire house. 

Now is the time to indulge in some beautiful stone decor for the stunning new look of your abode.

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