How to Make an Indoor Space Feel Like an Outdoor Space by Using Stone

Many homeowners are attracted to the polished and glossy look of natural-stone floors for their high aesthetic value. Throughout history, highly polished floors have been associated with cleanliness and opulence. When you step into luxury hotels in Rome or Milan, you expect to see your reflection on smooth marble or granite floors that have been finished to perfection. However, when you travel to the Italian countryside, the glossy look is reserved for a few churches and municipal offices because most homeowners and hotel owners prefer the raw finish of natural stone. If you have already decided to apply a rustic or outdoorsy look to your interior spaces, natural stone can be a smart flooring option. You can use laminate that emulates wood surfaces for the walls, and you can even find faux wood beams for the ceilings, but you will certainly want to choose natural-stone flooring with a raw and textured finish. Here are some choices for you to consider. Granite The natural look of granite after it has been extracted from the quarry and cut into tiles has an earthy look with a lot of grain. Granite is a good choice for kitchen floors, especially if you have already chosen this stone for your countertops. Another advantage of interior granite floors is that they are very durable and can be easily sealed with a specially formulated, safe-on-stone granite sealer. Limestone Beige and cream-colored limestone pieces were used by the ancient builders of the Egyptian pyramids. The look of limestone is naturally rough, but it can be slightly polished for living spaces. Limestone tiles look great with walls that have been painted in pastel tones, and they are a sharp complement for natural or laminate wood surfaces. Slate This stone is often used in spaces that transition to outdoor areas. For example, covered lanais located next to pool areas and patio lounges. Darker slate tiles provide a nice contrast to light-colored walls, and they happen to be cool to the touch. The ultimate slate floor design idea involves tiles arranged in mosaic patterns. Travertine Similar to limestone, travertine is often used for outdoor spaces because of its durable properties. In luxury homes, travertine is the stone of choice for swimming pool decks, but it can be easily be brought indoors with a special finish that increases the permeability of the tiles. Travertine tends to offer more design choices than other types of stone due to its sedimentary formation. Sandstone This is the ultimate natural stone if you are determined to make your interior spaces look and feel rustic. The overall effect of sandstone is rocky and earthy. The tiles can be finished with a slight polish that makes them look attractive under natural light. Sandstone floors are perfect for bright and airy spaces that are very personal. If you want to redesign a home office and make it comfortable, sandstone is a flooring material you should consider. Whether you’re incorporating stone into an outdoor or indoor space, natural-stone care is fairly simple. However, it’s only effective if you clean and seal the stone regularly and correctly. If you’re looking for high-quality cleaning and sealing products that are safe to use on granite, slate, limestone, travertine, and other types of natural stone, reach out to Granite Gold® today at 1-800-475-STONE.