Quarried and mined from the earth, bearing a unique characteristic that is the result of complex geological processes, natural stone offers interior designers more than just a material, it offers a story.
No two pieces of natural stone will be exactly the same and, when embraced, this unique material can provide a wealth of options in both texture and colour.
Stone Federation is the official trade association for the natural stone industry, and we work with interior designers, architects, clients and specifiers to connect them with the ideal material and company for their project. We have over 100 years’ experience in helping the professional understand and therefore benefit from the inimitable qualities of natural stone.
Choosing the right material for the project in hand is always crucial to the success of any job, and there are three key steps to follow to ensure correct selection of stone for interior spaces.
The first step is to ensure that the samples are up to the task in hand, namely, giving you a true representation of what the final product will look like. One key factor in this is looking at range/control samples. These will show you the range of geological characteristics typically found within the bed of stone as opposed to the small snapshot you would find in a single indicative sample piece. This helps avoid any confusion as to what the finished floor, wall or countertop will look like, however, it is worth bearing in mind that this is a natural product, and therefore each stone will have its own unique features.
The second step is the quarry or mine visit. Stone Federation strongly advises that a visit is made so that the stone proposed for the project can be carefully inspected. This is also the ideal stage at which to involve an independent stone consultant to come and provide you with an expert opinion. This allows you and the client to be a part of the unique journey of your material; to connect the final material to its origins and story.
The last of these three steps is the technical assessment of the stone. There are various tests that help build a picture of a stone’s potential suitability for a particular application, and whilst past projects are a good indicator, recent test data on the CE certificate and ‘Declaration of Performance’ should be examined. Natural stone is the ideal material for a wide range of applications, but choosing the right materials for the desired application is important, and this is where testing can really help. When it comes to choosing the right stone for the project in hand, it’s worth exploring the wealth of options that natural stone offers the interiors market.
The Natural Stone Awards are run by Stone Federation and seek to celebrate the best examples of the use of natural stone across a wide range of applications including interiors. The interiors category is a fantastic showcase for the successful use of natural stone in bathrooms, hotels, high-end apartments, churches and so much more. The 2014 and 2016 awards have seen a wide range of natural stones used in the successful projects, stretching all the way from British limestones through to Italian marbles. The finished projects cover everything from the dramatic to the understated, but all have one thing in common, the designer or architects’ skill in choosing the perfect stone for the desired application.
What does natural stone offer interior designers?
We’ve mentioned a few times that natural stone has a lot to offer to interior design professionals, but what exactly is contained within this wide range of choice?
Texture: from the fossils found in Portland stone to the natural, subtle layers of slate, texture is a strong selling point for using natural in interior spaces. The three-dimensional dynamic that a feature wall of unpolished, naturally-textured stone can provide is stunning and definitely a trend that is on the increase. Unlike many other materials, the same piece of stone can be finished in a number of ways to provide the texture best suited to the application. Flamed, honed, blasted, sanded, polished and line textured are all finishes that can give the same piece of stone a very different visual impact.
Impact: the geological striations and natural colour streaks found in marble creates a striking aesthetic utilised across the interiors world, from hotel lobbies and internal walls through to floors and countertops. In a market where individuality is key, the unique visuals that natural stone can create are striking, bringing a strong identity to interior spaces of all descriptions.
Durability: as a result of the geological processes, the thousands of years of compression, natural stone is an incredibly hardwearing material. You need only look at the centuries old, limestone-clad streets of London, the granite-paved streets of Aberdeen or the Clipsham-rich buildings of Oxford to see evidence of the longevity of this natural material.
Stone Federation is the official trade association for the natural stone industry, with over 100 years’ experience in connecting interior designers and architects with the best materials and professionals.
We have a membership of over 240 natural stone firms, covering everything from international stone suppliers and British quarry operators through to design consultants and sealant manufacturers. Each of our members are vetted and approved and have access to a vast resource of technical backup, training and guidance documents on all the latest Government legislation and guides to best practice.