Bangalore Home Buyer's want Stunning Home with Natural Stones
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Bangalore Home Buyer's want Stunning Home with Natural Stones

By siliconindia   |   Thursday, June 12, 2014   |    1 Comments


Bangalore : Stone is arguably one of the most ancient materials used for building and decorating homes. From the prehistoric stone tablets to the modern use in today's homes, stone has stood the test of time. The use of various kinds of stones in architecture has increased significantly in the recent year, largely due to innovations in production and transportation. This gave way to architectural stone, a stone designed and curved to precise specifications. An array of architectural stone has the ability to accent the look of any house. They can be cast into a multitude of shapes, colours and textures for any number of customized architectural applications. These are widely used for walls, fireplaces, copings, distinctive trim, railings or balustrades. Stone homes are not just for people who live by the country side; even those from the city can aesthetically use them as part of their homes. "Granite, marble, sandstone, limestone and travertine are most widely carved to make beautiful and amazing architectural stones," says Aditya Biyani from The Stone Store in HAL 2nd stage. Granite architectural stones are perfect for kitchen countertops and wall claddings. They can also be used as sink bowls and table tops. "One can opt for a stone theme in home decor wherein it can be used extensively in the entire house stone tiles, decorative stone walls, arches and columns can be suitably tailored to be made as contemporary or traditional, as per the one's desire. Stone can be sliced into slabs which is widely used in flooring, the most common being granite and marble for cladding since it gives a more rustic look as compared to a polished glossy surface," Aditya adds. Stone in Homes : the Design Trend : Stone homes, one of the most popular country side designs, have always had a revolutionary charm to them as they lend a quaint and picturesque appeal. Though stone-based architecture was initially restricted to monuments in a country like India, its popularity as farm houses, tucked away from the city, had become quite a trend. Gradually, the trend moved into urban spaces as well, with people incorporating stone into their apartments as well as independent houses. And why not, stone is considered to be one of the best building materials, given that they are durable, rugged and exquisite and require less maintenance. Aesthetics aside, a stone house comes with its set of advantages and disadvantages. "It is considered more of a natural resource and gives an aesthetic appeal to the home. Using a bit of stone in the house will bring change in the overall temperature of the house. However, even though there are technical advancements in the way stone can be used, it" is rather difficult to put in electric lines, says Jyoti from Nikaara, a furniture store in Whitefield which sells stone accessories. Talking about the trends, interior designer Rupa says, "A stone house gives a different look. One of the biggest advantages of using stone in your home is that you don't have to get them painted". Since a lot of people prefer to use crude stone over the polished variety, there is also the advantage of longevity here. Even during the rains one needn't worry about the paint coming off as stone homes guarantee durability and is practically maintenance free. Concepts like installing stone-based waterfalls, boundary walls, artifacts in gardens, are also popular. However, she says climatic changes have no impact. "In a country like ours, nobody constructs the entire house in stone. It is probably part of a room or partially done. Since roofs are concrete based, it makes no impact with regards to climatic changes," she informs. Words of Caution : A complete stone home doesn't work well in a city like Bangalore, says Sameer A M, interior designer of Bonito designs, HSR Layout. "Stone walls can be best incorporated as cladding, which uplifts the aesthetic design of the home. However in a city like ours, which doesn't have extreme temperatures, it should be best used as a cosmetic idea by making it part of a house." He also adds to say that it's a good idea to mix concrete, stone and painted walls. "It requires heavy construction and even the cost factor goes up. So it's best to use as a part of the overall architecture." Different Types and Uses of stones : Stones can be cut and sculpted into various forms and can be used for walls, flooring and other decorations in a home. This hard and durable decorative element can be shaped into innumerable designs. Stones like slates, limestone and vernacular stones like cuddappah and others can be used for home decoration as they are attractive and subsidize greatly to the home hearts. Natural stones used as home decoration elements give a unique touch to the home decor as they are available in numerous colours. This home decor material can be used in the form of tiles, stone walls, arches, columns and pavement boundaries. "You can choose a theme and make use of the stones accordingly to depict traditional or modern style. You can also have stone slabs which can be used for flooring both indoors and outdoors. The most common forms of a stone are granite and marble which gives a rustic and glossy surface," says an interior designer Mansi. Granite, a form of igneous rock will be best suited for the floors due to its hardness and non-porous nature. There are various texture finishes among granites, such as the antique finish, leather finish, etc. This effect is gained through the techniques of flaming and brushing using a polished stone. These types of varied finishes are used in anti-skid areas. One can also choose stone floors containing natural polish to give the floor a rustic look. Apart from large stones, pebbles can also be used for a chic home decor. They can be used in spaces like walls, aquariums, lawns, gardens, pots and other places. They offer a serene and natural aura in the room. Pebbles are also among the hot trend in stone themed home decors. Pebbles are found everywhere right from wall murals to flooring. Decorative items made from pebbles are also in vogue. It gives an antique look and creates a peaceful aura in the room. Pebble decorative pieces are easily available and are found at all prices. Simple blocks of stone that can be used as seating, display stands. Or one can use slabs of stone as shelves, decorative ledges or as table tops with wood serving as the base. Also, marble inlaid with semi-precious stones comes in a wide array of decorative items from boxes to furniture and murals. While boxes and salvers can be placed anywhere, marble inlaid furniture looks especially elegant on a wide verandah or terrace. Sameer of Bonito Designs says, "Stones at interiors add a lot of depth and completely break the monotony of the otherwise mundane home. It not only brings you one step closer to nature but also adds a lot of warmth when lit properly to enhance the depth of the same. Many people assume the stone cladding to be expensive; but with the prices ranging from 100 Rs to 300 Rs per sq ft; they are quite affordable to be used to accentuate the wall".

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