Aspen, Colorado: Erik Cavarra
Today, Erik Cavarra discusses examples in Interior Design:
Adding stone or stone veneer to interior walls adds character, style, texture, and appeal to the room that is either constructed or updated with this material. Stone is about as durable as a building material can be. And because there are so many different types and shapes of stone, it is a very versatile building and finishing material. Stone can be manufactured, quarried, or found and gathered. Manufactured stones—typically called veneer stones—are either manufactured or natural stones that have been cut or molded for cosmetic purposes on non-load-bearing walls. Natural stones allow for many custom applications
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Load-Bearing Walls
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Two different but similar stone types are widely used for building load-bearing walls: fieldstone and rubble. Fieldstone—also called river rock—is given its name because this stone type is easy to find out in open country (in fields) or in river beds. Walls are constructed out of larger stones of varying but similar sizes and are mortared together with heavy construction-grade building mortar. Rubble is pieces of quarried stone that have been split or cut on one side to create a “finished edge.” The sizes of this stone are also varied and are assembled using construction-grade building mortar.
Fireplace and/or Mantel
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Installing stone around a fireplace or mantel adds depth and character, not only to the fireplace itself, but to the entire room. Veneer stone and cobblestones are two great options for application in these areas. Veneer stones are manufactured out of formed or molded concrete and are colored with natural dying agents that give it natural characteristics. Natural stones, like river rock, granite stones, and other quarried stone varieties, are also cut on one side in preparation for application. These stones are mounted to a mesh or other backing, and are applied to reinforced walls with mortar. Thengrout
is applied to the spaces between the stones. The grout can be colored to accent the colors of the tiles and to enhance the look of the whole room.
Backsplashes
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Natural, flat stones can be applied to reinforced walls like tiles. Flagstone and Ashlar stones are two examples of stones that possess these characteristics. Flagstones are irregularly shaped stones of varying sizes, and are made of one of a number of sedimentary semi-dense to dense rock types. They are available in many colors including greens, blues, grays, and beiges. Ashlar stones are cut into rectangular shapes that are installed in random patterns, planned patterns, or in coursed layers. Either stone type would look fabulous as a back splash, but you will need to apply a few coats of stone sealer to the stones and the grout to prevent soiling and staining.
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