As the most durable and reliable material, stone has been used for construction, probably since the appearance of the first people on Earth. Laid out of it Pyramids of Egypt, Great Chinese Wall, megalithic structures Mayan civilizations, ancient temples and medieval fortresses.
Just a hundred years ago, only wealthy owners could afford stone houses - the rest were content with clay and wooden huts. And even now, despite the huge variety of building materials, the use of natural sandstone, granite, marble in the interior is a sign of elitism.
However, imitations of natural stone look no worse, while they are more affordable, easier to process, and sometimes have better resistance to changes in humidity, temperature, mechanical influences. More details about this type of finish and how to use it will be discussed in this article.
Artificial stone has an external resemblance to natural, but it is not mined from the bowels, but is made manually or industrially. The methods are similar to each other - the solution is poured into a mold (silicone, plastic, metal), dried, sometimes heat treatment (roasting), coating with various impregnations or glazes is carried out.
Depending on the composition of the raw material, the product can be concrete, ceramic, gypsum, acrylic, polyester. There is also the so-called liquid stone in the form of an unhardened mixture, as well as flexible - a kind of stone veneer in rolls or sheets.
For outdoor work, frost-resistant plates are used, with minimal porosity and coarser in appearance. Lightweight, thin elements are used in the interior. Their environmental friendliness largely depends on the binder and fillers.
So, cement, sand, gypsum and clay are not inferior to natural stone, freely passing air and moisture, but acrylic resins are safe only at low temperatures - it is not recommended to place them near a fireplace, oven and other heating appliances. If, already at +30°C, a synthetic worktop, bathtub or washbasin exudes bad smell, it is better to refuse to purchase them, since this is often a sign of low-quality ingredients that are toxic to health.
In one form or another, a decorative stone can be seen anywhere: they decorate houses, apartments, offices, cafes, train stations and administrative buildings. In dry rooms, embossed artificial sandstone, shell rock, cobblestone, slate is more common, and in damp and crowded rooms - smooth "polished" granite, marble, glazed brick-like tiles.
In the first case, the stone gives the interior a cozy and warm look, in the second case, it resembles a seashore with its rounded pebbles, as well as turned boulders. From a practical point of view, this also makes sense, because glossy surface much easier to clean, and matte roughness under the influence of water and steam becomes unsightly.
The energy of stone, even decorative, brings a sense of stability, peace and tranquility to the house. Perhaps, on a subconscious level, it is associated with the reliable walls of a fortress protecting from enemies or the constancy of a native hearth.
This material is indispensable when facing an existing fireplace, as it best transfers the heat of the flame to the surrounding space. In apartments where it is not possible to arrange such a romantic heating, electric imitations or simply niches with candles are often installed. In this case, both the portal itself and the wall can be laid out with a stone - completely or partially.
Sometimes with the help of stone they simply place interior accents, for example, they frame corners, arches, ledges, columns with it. Next to such a noble addition, you should use soft, natural shades, textures of wood and leather, natural fabrics and furs, soft yellowish-white light. Green plants, especially climbing plants, look incredibly beautiful against the background of the stone.
Imitation of sandstone cuts and rough granite is ideal for decorating a country-style living room or chalet. Gypsum and light marble will help to reproduce the classic atmosphere, but in the loft and minimalism, brick-like stone tiles will be most appropriate.
The kitchen is exactly the place where the stone cladding looks as natural as possible. Firstly, it reminds of real hearths and stoves, in which it has long been customary to cook food and bake bread. Secondly, it is the most fire-resistant finish option.
Countertops made of artificial stone have confidently won universal love due to their perfectly smooth surface, on which there are no marks from a knife and hot dishes. In addition, they are very aesthetic - the unique pattern of polished stone creates the impression of luxury. The same advantages are distinguished by polymer sinks, window sills, bar counters.
In general, when choosing a decorative stone for the kitchen, it is advisable to focus on products with a high density, glazed or varnished, since porous products (for example, concrete-sand) can accumulate moisture, dirt and odors. Tiles that will be used for lining the apron should be non-staining, easy to clean and not melt when heated.
Combined with another natural finish, stonework will help create a relaxed atmosphere of a country house or a spacious loft in the bedroom. If you choose natural colors and embossed texture, it will fit well into the Mediterranean, rustic, ethnic interior. As an addition, beams on the ceiling are suitable, rough wooden furniture, linen textiles, as well as fluffy carpets on the floor.
It is better to refuse glossy stone imitations in the bedroom - they look a little cold and can cause disturbing feelings. It is advisable to highlight sections of walls with stone cladding so that the room does not turn into a gloomy crypt.
Lamps stylized as antique metal lanterns, torches or kerosene lamps will look especially impressive.
Artificial stone can be a real find for some design ideas for decorating a child's room. With him ordinary walls easily turn into a tower of a fairytale castle, a mysterious cave, a salt dungeon or an underwater kingdom.
An interesting effect can be obtained if the edges of the photo wallpaper with a landscape are lined with stone - the room will expand, gain perspective. Also in the decor of the nursery, you can use imitation of pebbles: do beautiful mosaics and panels, picture frames or mirrors, paint in the form of bugs and snails.
The entrance hall, trimmed with decorative stone, is somewhat reminiscent of the cozy streets of ancient European cities. It immediately feels the excellent taste of the owners of the house.
Masonry can decorate the walls completely or individual fragments, but in any case it will be an elegant design. Mirrors in forged frames, "street" lights and benches, as well as big clock with Roman numerals, like on town halls.
Wall decoration with decorative stone is the best fit for an insulated balcony or loggia and will give the interior a rich look. In these small areas, you can arrange a cozy place for tea drinking, reading books, organizing a work area or a mini-greenhouse.
Decorative rock in the interior of an apartment or a country house, due to its practicality, reliability, environmental friendliness and hygiene, it provides an opportunity to achieve spectacular design and give the atmosphere a truly elite look.
Several key points are taken into account:
Advantages and disadvantages of this facing type.
There are several facing options.
Due to the artificial stone, you can create a design of any complexity, achieve the desired design result, emphasize the interior advantages and create the necessary accents in the room.
The photo shows a decorative light-colored stone cladding on the wall in the interior of the dining room.
With the use of this decorative finishes, the space acquires a refined, chic and aristocratic look. To create a more relaxed atmosphere, choose styling in the form of straight lines, to achieve a more extraordinary effect, you can thanks to the layout in a chaotic manner.
With the help of additional decorative cladding, it turns out to endow the round arched architectural vault with even greater solidity and originality.
Such a design solution not only makes it possible to give the doorway a neat and thoughtful look, but also to protect the structure, which is often subjected to mechanical stress, from wear.
The photo shows the interior of the corridor with doorways decorated with decorative stone.
Stone finishes give the space the right character, create a three-dimensional surface effect and, thanks to the right tint, matched with the color of the walls, allow for a smooth transition and harmonious balance.
Stone masonry or quartz agglomerate is best suited for decorating a fireplace. With their help, you can partially, completely decorate a wall with a hearth or lay out only a portal.
It is a very interesting decorating option that meets all the requirements and perfectly protects the surface from damage.
It has an attractive appearance with slight notes of negligence. The stone ceiling fills the room with mystery and envelops with a certain mystery.
The photo shows a vaulted ceiling with stone decorative cladding in the interior of a small kitchen.
With the use of flexible stone veneer or other finishes, you can beautifully decorate and smooth out the sharpness of the corners.
Thanks to the finish, the slopes of the door or window look more thoughtful and complete. Most often, marble, granite, sandstone in different shades, slate or quartzite are used for this.
The photo shows the interior of the hallway and Entrance door with slopes trimmed with decorative masonry.
Thanks to columns with marble, granite or onyx decoration, which has an elegant structure and exquisite color, it turns out to fill the space with a certain, incomparable charm and charm.
Various stone products and furniture are currently quite popular and represent a brutal, but at the same time very refined interior element.
Due to its discreet and sophisticated look, a stone sink can complement any design.
Monolithic sanitary ware, such as a bathtub or a toilet, is characterized by excellent tactile sensations during operation and gives the environment a special personality. The stone heated towel rail has an increased heat transfer and has a uniform heating of the surface.
The photo shows a toilet with a bidet, made of decorative stone in the interior of the bathroom.
A kitchen worktop or a base with a washbasin are distinguished not only by their interesting appearance, but also by their good technical qualities allowing to achieve excellent result when using.
Undoubtedly, they will become a fashion item and an unusual interior element that will make the atmosphere much more original and expressive.
The photo shows the interior of the kitchen with a bar counter made of liquid decorative stone.
It has a truly expensive, stylish look and is in no way inferior to a window sill made of natural material. A huge amount of mineral coloring pigments and various additives provide a huge variation in shades and decor.
There are a wide variety of accessories, such as table or floor vases, they look very aesthetically pleasing, have natural beauty and even without additional filling, they undoubtedly attract attention, creating interesting installations. Exclusive stone cutting boards are always presentable and fit perfectly into any kitchen space. Also, mirrors framed in the form of a decorative stone look no less luxurious and elegant.
They can become a fairly bright interior detail that can be easily filled with books, figurines, caskets, vases, photo frames, and thereby give the room more comfort and homeliness.
This decorative finish is also available in different colors such as white, black, pink, grey, brown, beige, yellow, red or red/black.
The photo shows a fireplace with decorative stone trim in a pink hue in the interior.
Black cladding is always distinguished by its special mystery, attractiveness and is perfectly combined with both plain and contrasting shades. Decor in red blends harmoniously with bright and dark interior elements, finishes in beige or brown tones, due to its naturalness, fits into rooms with any design.
The photo shows the interior of the dining room with a wall lined with beige decorative masonry.
To obtain a certain color, use special coloring pigments, allowing to achieve an even, uniform shade of the surface, and then paint the front plane with the help of tinting agents, thus obtaining a color that is as similar as possible to natural stone.
Examples of design for various interior solutions.
Decorative cladding can not only decorate the hall, but also, if necessary, achieve zoning of space. When designing this room, you must first of all pay attention to its dimensions and level of lighting, since, for example, in a small living room it is not at all appropriate to use dark and too embossed masonry. AT this case a smoother and lighter fragmentary finish will look better.
The photo shows a decorative stone of a dark shade on the wall in the interior of a spacious living room.
Due to its durability, practicality, easy care and presentable appearance, decorative stone is especially common in the corridor or hallway.
Using this design, you can divide the bedroom into certain zones, or vice versa, achieve a combination of all elements and create a single composition.
The volume, naturalness and texture of this cladding will undoubtedly attract the eye and give the kitchen or dining room a certain image.
Decorative stone on the walls will become a fresher and more original alternative to tiles or, when used in fragments, will be very harmoniously combined with it, giving the bathroom status and excellent wear protection.
This facing material is a real find for the embodiment of design ideas in the nursery. For example, thanks to such a design decision, you can turn the walls into a fairy-tale castle or a mysterious cave. Also, a rather interesting effect is obtained with a stone finish of mirrors, paintings or photo wallpapers around the edges, which contributes to the visual expansion of the room.
Decorative stone will turn a balcony or loggia into cozy place rest and form a more thoughtful design.
With the use of this cladding with inserts, you can give the toilet a light and casual look and create certain accents in it that will endow the space with pleasant natural motifs.
Stonework looks especially good in areas where various equipment is located. For example, by decorating a wall with a TV, it turns out to bring a very original touch to the atmosphere. To create a certain era of the Middle Ages, in the interior, you can use a torn stone.
The photo shows a TV area, decorated with white decorative stone trim.
Decorative chipped stone with uneven edges will favorably emphasize certain interior areas or will be an excellent solution for decorating a doorway, window or niche. With the help of stone slabs, with an imitation of onyx or quartz with illumination that flows softly from the inside, it is possible to further emphasize its natural beauty.
The most harmonious combinations:
The photo shows a decorative stone in combination with photo wallpaper in the interior of a modern living room.
Various combinations will give the atmosphere a special historicity, add natural motifs to it and enhance the naturalness of the design.
Several popular types.
Seamless glossy or matt marble surfaces, which convey the unique pattern as accurately as possible, fill the environment with a special natural charm.
Thanks to the textured relief, it gives the design a touch of originality. The slate finish is perfect for decorating individual areas or certain interior elements, such as columns, stairs or a fireplace.
It allows you to realize various design ideas, radically transform the room and give it style, modernity and comfort at the same time. It is also possible to achieve original effects with the help of grouting, which can be either contrasting or matching the shade of the brick.
The photo shows the interior of the hallway with a wall lined with decorative brick light shade.
Due to the interesting texture and warm colors, travertine gives the room a special comfort.
The photo shows a small sink made of artificial travertine in the interior of the bathroom.
Can be a great solution for decoration, walls, countertops, window sills or stairs. Products with imitation granite are perfectly combined with different materials and contribute to the creation of a solid and stylish design.
Like finishing option, which has a variety of patterns, colors and textures, provides the ability to design any interior trends, such as eco-style, loft, hi-tech, Provence, modern style and others.
The photo shows decorative brickwork in the interior of the loft-style kitchen-living room.
With cladding imitating sandstone or raw granite, you can easily decorate rooms in a chalet or country style, light-colored marble or gypsum stone are the perfect solution to reproduce a classic atmosphere. Dark decorative stone under expensive breeds, suitable for finishing columns in the Rococo or Baroque style, and products with imitation of aged stone material will harmoniously complement the retro style.
Most often used for manufacturing:
Decorative stone will give the interior a special grace, unusualness and style. A room decorated in this way will always attract attention and delight with its perfection.
New renovation - new expectations. But how can you really expect anything new if you keep thinking in old patterns? If you want the redevelopment in an apartment or house to bring a real, and not a far-fetched change in the interior for the better, you should already look at the usual design ideas with a fresh look. It is possible that you did not notice, but in the design of interiors there has long been a tendency to synthesize finishing materials that are polar to each other in terms of aesthetics. A sort of interior oxymoron, a combination of incongruous - in theory, but in practice, as it turns out, everything works brilliantly. The focus of our attention today is the decoration of the walls in the kitchen and in the hallway with decorative stone and wallpaper. We will carefully study the photos from modern interiors, consider all the advantages of the solution, and also try to give worthwhile recommendations for the optimal implementation of the winning combination. In a word, it will be interesting.
Natural stone is mainly used for finishing the facades of private houses, but for interior decoration it is advisable to use its imitation from modern finishing materials. This is probably the rare case when a copy is no worse than the original, especially if you look at this matter from a practical point of view. Consider all the advantages of combining decorative stone and wallpaper in the design of walls in the hallway and in the kitchen.
Concerning technical aspects use of wall decoration with decorative stone and wallpaper, for example, in the hallway and in the kitchen, then already from the photo above we can draw a fair conclusion: this combination can be safely used in the interior, regardless of the level of humidity in the apartment or house, whether there are open water sources, whether temperature regime whether there are any prerequisites for the emergence of mold and other manifestations of pathogenic flora. However, with some materials you need to be extremely careful and apply certain tricks in order to extend their operation for as long as possible. But about this - in the section on materials that are widely used in industry for the production of high-quality imitation of stone texture in the interior. 
Surely, you have all met wall decoration more than once, where decorative stone is combined with wallpaper in the format of both the kitchen and the hallway. Or you have seen a lot of photos on the Internet with similar examples of interior design. The stone texture on almost all of them looked convincing, however, in some cases, completely different materials. What modern materials are best suited for this task?
To date, it is gypsum that is one of the most successful ways to "settle" a stone finish in your interior, and without any strain on your budget. An affordable price tag, a large number of mastered forms, very low weight and elementary installation - what else is needed for happiness? Oh yes, gypsum is not only possible, but even needs to be painted: you can correctly fit it anywhere, and with well-chosen wallpaper next to it, the interior has every chance to noticeably change. If your walls are made of hl sheets, then this option will be the best solution. 
Good advice: after installation, you can treat the gypsum with a varnish with the effect of wet asphalt or any other glossy gloss and stretch the LED strip over the wall neutral shade- get an amazingly beautiful solution that strikes with deep realism of texture and incredible volume. Checked! 
Clinker refers to red clay tiles that have undergone severe heat treatment. As a rule, they are used not only for decorative wall decoration in the hallway and in the kitchen, but also outside, as facade decoration. Based on this, it is already possible to draw a very specific conclusion about how convincing the clinker is in terms of its characteristics:
The photo shows several options for decorating walls with such a decorative stone in the hallway and in the kitchen - in the neighborhood with and without wallpaper. 
Porcelain stoneware is often confused with clinker, but there is a significant difference between them: porcelain stoneware is hardened at a higher temperature, its base is made of ceramic mixed with quartz sand. According to the characteristics, of course, full parity: also universal use - and also absolute immunity even to strong mechanical influences. However, in terms of transferring the features of the stone texture, porcelain stoneware does not have many trump cards. He perfectly copes with the imitation of marble rocks, however, in everything that concerns volume and relief, he outright loses to gypsum and clinker options. 
An option that you rarely see in modern interiors due to its high cost. However, visual decorative effect fully justifies the investment. And from the point of view of installation, everything is very simple and understandable even for beginners. 
You can read more about the most popular types of decorative stone in the article: "Finishing stone for walls inside the apartment".
Every time we try to integrate some new element into our living space, we hope that it will reveal its potential in any case. However, the opposite often happens. In order not to sprinkle ashes on your head about this later, it is better to foresee all the nuances in advance - such a constructive approach to organizing the interior will undoubtedly bear fruit.
Very often people try to overload their already modest square meters with catchy details. Decorating the walls with decorative stone and wallpaper cannot be attributed to cosmetic changes in the interior: such a combination invariably attracts attention, makes you look at the texture over and over again and note the mood that it brings to the house. And it’s good if there is enough free space so that the entire decorative potential of such a solution turns out to be fully revealed. But in the opposite case, we get an extremely uncomfortable interior with all the sad consequences that follow from this. 
Remember:
decorative stone in combination with wallpaper in any room requires enough free space to unfold the beauty of its texture. If the usable area of the room is modest, then it is worth considering the advisability of using such a combination in general, otherwise the risk of turning the apartment into a kind of cave and losing all the comfort is very high. 
We have already mentioned the role of lighting in unlocking the decorative potential of stone texture. You really have a powerful trump card at your disposal, the use of which allows you to radically transform the visual appearance of the room and emphasize good choice any finishing solution. 
If the texture of the decorative stone already abounds in relief and you want to consistently scatter light over the entire surface of the wall in order to create a harmonious look, then use the frontal rays, which allow you to somewhat smooth the relief and remove all unnecessary shadows. This option is good again for small rooms, where too active decorative stone texture on the walls can provoke visual redundancy. 
If you are faced with the exact opposite task, then use central lighting with streams of light from above: so you can get amazingly beautiful and even mysterious game shadows and it is advantageous to emphasize the features of the stone texture of the walls. 
The photo shows several options for using the winning combination. Picked up options both in the hallway and in the kitchen. 
In the hallway, sometimes there is nowhere to turn around, but if you decorate the wall in a fresh and original way, then your guests will completely forget even about such an inconvenience. For this, use wallpaper with some interesting image, and on top of them, finish the walls with decorative stone. Gypsum is very well suited for these purposes, which perfectly adheres to any kind of surface. As a result, you can get a breathtakingly beautiful result that will significantly expand the boundaries of your cramped hallway and allow you to feel comfortable in it not only for your guests, but also for yourself. 
Here are a few good examples with a photo where similar wall decoration decorative stone and wallpaper is made in the hallway - and you can look at it endlessly. 
Our domestic four-legged friends have an undisguised love for the corners: how the wallpaper is damaged in these places can be seen in every apartment. However, you may well be smart and give a decisive rebuff to the unbridled "hooligans" if you decorate the walls with decorative stone just in this "demanded" place. As a result, the walls will get plus a few points for visual perfection, but most importantly, they will remain intact. 
However, even if you do not have pets, nothing prevents you from using such a tool: in combination with wallpaper, it looks extremely advantageous, fresh and interesting. 
Here you should be extremely careful: not every decorative material used to imitate stone can be suitable for decoration. working area(apron). The fact is that constant operation in conditions high humidity, periodic contact with water can seriously reduce the life of gypsum wall finishes. But they will perfectly cope with all these nuances of imitation from porcelain stoneware, flexible stone or clinker- they can be safely used to decorate the work area. 
beautifully illuminated led strip, these decorative wall materials help to create good mood and get into the same homely atmosphere, to the creation of which absolutely all the owners in the world strive. 
The only thing is that for these purposes it is still better to use a calmer texture - it is easier to care for it, and after all, every housewife knows perfectly well what an apron is and how long it sometimes takes to wash it after intensive cooking. 
But as a wall decoration for the dining area, gypsum shows itself perfectly without losing its performance. Take a look at some photos and see for yourself. We emphasize that the wallpaper in the kitchen should also be chosen carefully, giving preference to practical washable options. 
