Stone
By on Apr 09, 2008
By Kathy Flaxman
Stone is beautiful: its reputation as cold, hard, and grey undeserved. Just ask Paula, whose husband, a stonemason, recently installed a slate floor in their kitchen. Paula was captivated by the myriad of colours that one piece of slate could contain. "Paula likes the variation in the colours," Ken explains. "There are blues, greens, and browns, all in one piece. It looks different depending on the time of day or the angle from which you view it."
No doubt about it, this is the new Stone Age. Materials such as slate, granite, flagstone, marble, soapstone, and limestone are appearing throughout our homes as floors, countertops, fireplace surrounds, hearths, and sinks as well as more traditional walkways and steps.
Stone hasn't changed. It's natural, beautiful, enduring, and real, almost alive, but technology has made a difference. Now available in thinner, easier to work with slabs, stone is installed with recently developed compounds that offer rock hard durability and flexibility in one thin coat. Ken points out that ironically some techniques purposely create the look of days gone by. "With slate, as each piece goes in, the ends can be chiseled to roughen them so that they look like they have been there for years," he says.
Slate can be cold, but other stones are virtual heat traps. Soapstone for example, absorbs heat quickly, releases it very slowly, and yet will not feel hot to the touch, making it perfect for fireplace surrounds and hearths. Additionally, it has a softness akin to soap in feel, that while recognized as beneficial in science labs, is attractive to homeowners too, who don't mind applying mineral oil regularly to keep the dark green or grey beauty. It works well as a floor tile and now sinks have been cut in slate in sleek modern shapes, taking soapstone out of the rustic category.
Granite is probably the most popular stone being used in home décor at the moment, due to its durability and the fact that it is available in a breathtaking range of colours. Counters in kitchens and baths and floors shine with a depth that isn't only on the surface, but can survive a scratch. Marble, its cousin, is more porous and susceptible to staining, but makes a lifelong statement in a bathroom. Additionally, those who bake swear by a marble seamless, bumpless, slab for rolling that pie and strudel dough.
Limestone is no longer reserved for sturdy walls; it's a countertop too, in a selection of soft colours. It does need to be babied and cared for, but like many beautiful items, those who appreciate it are able and willing to go the distance. Stone is eternal and predictable. The flagstone path built in the 1920s is still taking your family up to the cottage door. Now flagstone is just as likely to be a beautiful kitchen floor. This is a floor covering that is never going to chip or look worn and tired.
Stone's durability is undeniable and it has a majestic beauty that started in a mountain. That mountain might be in Brazil, India, or Ontario; now a part of it is in your home.
On the Rocks
Slate: Looks like a very dark grey, but actually contains different veins that can be green, blue, brown. It is brittle, and may need regular refinishing.
Soapstone: Chemical composition means it is soft to the touch, like its namesake. Absorbs and retains heat, but only warm, not hot to the touch. Dark green or grey mottled surface is enhanced by frequent applications of mineral oil.
Granite: Extremely durable and virtually maintenance-free. Available in a full spectrum of breathtaking colours. Countertops, floors, and furniture as well.
Marble: Porous material often in softer tones is best used where staining is not a concern or by those who will take care to protect it.
Flagstone: Came into the house from the patio and now serves as a sturdy and 100 per cent durable floor. Natural texture adds interest.
Limestone: Creamier toned stone in taupes, pale greens, and greys. Gaining popularity among people who want something beautiful and long lasting but do not mind regular maintenance and scrupulous clean up.
