Stone fireplaces: pros and cons

The modern interior of housing provides not only a convenient layout of rooms, but also the creation of maximum comfort. For this, designers use various ideas in their projects, the most popular of which is the installation of a fireplace. This decor item looks beautiful and allows you to fill the room with a romantic atmosphere and home warmth.

Stone fireplaces represent an unusual beauty that makes any room design chic and sophisticated. The stone framing of the hearth harmoniously fits into all interior styles, from strict classics to sophisticated country.

In addition, this decor has many advantages:

• Long service life.
• Resistant to mechanical damage and high temperature.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Huge selection of textures and colors.
• Easy to care for.

As for the disadvantages of stone cladding, they include:

• Heavy construction weight... When planning the hearth, it is necessary to think over the installation work correctly, and additionally strengthen all the details.
• Complexity of installation... Stone finishing requires not only special tools, but also knowledge of installation. In addition, the material must be prepared and "adjusted" to the required dimensions of the structure before use. Therefore, you cannot do without the help and recommendations of specialists.
• High price... Natural stone, unlike artificial counterparts, is expensive.

Despite the presence of the above disadvantages, stone fireplaces are in great demand, as they combine high quality and aesthetics.

Of course, their installation at first requires large financial costs, but in the future they will justify themselves, and the stone "handsome" will delight not only the owners of the house, but also the guests for many years, creating a favorable environment for relaxation.

The fireplace is most often decorated with natural stone, as it is characterized by high strength and safe for human health. The hearth creates a high temperature during the heating, so it is important to choose the right material for the cladding, paying attention not only to its appearance, but also to its properties.

Today, fireplaces are decorated with the following types of stones:

• Wild... It is an unpolished and unprocessed raw material in the form of lumps and boulders. The installation of a wild stone is difficult. The material does not have standard sizes, so it must be selected by combining small and large parts. The stone hearth in this design option looks great in a design dominated by old notes.
• Granite... It is a flexible finishing stone with high thermal conductivity and a glossy surface. Granite comes in a variety of textures and colors.

• Marble... It is considered one of the most widely used cladding materials of natural origin. It is recommended to decorate fireplaces in large rooms with marble tiles, as their beautiful glossy shine requires space. The shimmering veins of the stone lend a rich and stylish design.
• Onyx... It belongs to semiprecious stones and is expensive. Therefore, for facing decor, as a rule, only separate inserts are used. The slabs of material are cut to a small thickness and installed as an additional composition. In addition, this mineral is characterized by useful properties - it heals many diseases and fills the room with positive energy.

• Pebbles... Well suited for Mediterranean style rooms. At first glance, the stone may seem cheap and simple, but in fact, its decorative finish looks very beautiful.
• Tuff and shell rock... The material has a porous structure, so it warms up the space perfectly. Its only drawback can be considered the lack of aesthetics. Therefore, this stone is suitable for finishing a fireplace, which will only act as a source of heat, the high cost effect cannot be achieved with it.

• In addition, fireplaces often faced with slate stone, which allows you to create an interesting design and gives the room an individual image. Structures made of rubble and Dagestan stone also look good; they are usually installed in bedrooms and living rooms with a modern interior.

• It is worth noting that fireplaces can be placed not only inside the house, but also outside. Therefore, in order to design a street hearth in an original way, for finishing choose limestone or talc magnesite slabs... This material has an excellent appearance and is resistant to temperature extremes.

A stone fireplace is a unique element in any interior, but its design can acquire special design features that depend on the overall environment in the room. So, in a room with a Mediterranean style, pastel shades and natural wood furniture prevail. Therefore, in this case, a fireplace trimmed with stone and glass is perfect.

An interesting solution is considered and chalet style fireplaces... A room in this design is a harmonious combination of simplicity and beauty of natural material. Stone floors, ceilings with wooden beams will look chic against the background of the fireplace stove. At the same time, not only stone portals, but also small countertops can be installed on the sides of the structure.

Deserve special attention Scandinavian style stone structures... The decoration of fireplaces in this design is distinguished by simple forms and contains a minimum of decorations. Iron, stone and glass can be present in the structure at the same time.

For fireplaces in the style of minimalism use a stone of a neutral color, giving preference to cream shades, most often the lining of the hearth is made of light marble. The walls near the structure are covered with wallpaper or covered with plaster.

In addition to traditional models, false fireplaces are also used in the Scandinavian style, which in their beauty are in no way inferior to the "live" flame.

Besides, there are stone fireplaces in the loft style, they are characterized by bizarre shapes and eccentricity. No less popular are designs that combine masonry and forged elements.

Depending on personal preference and imagination, fireplaces can be decorated with expensive accessories, catchy details and plants.

The interior of the home will be cozy if it is supplemented with a fireplace, but even after its installation, the design will not be considered complete, since the question arises as to which finishing material is best to choose for decorative cladding.Recently, craftsmen prefer to use stone to decorate fireplaces, since this material does not require special care, it serves for a long time and retains a beautiful appearance.

To do this, you need to perform the following work:

• Surface preparation... The base must be flat and free from flaws. The surface of the structure can be leveled with plaster, while reinforcing material must be added to the mixture, which will strengthen the mortar and ensure good adhesion. Before applying the first layer of plaster, the surface of the walls of the structure is sprayed with water. The solution is evenly distributed over the entire working area from top to bottom, making sure that the layer thickness does not exceed 8 mm. After the base is completely dry, grout and primer are made.
• Setting the stone... The finishing material is fixed with a special glue, which has high technical characteristics and heat-resistant properties. In order to properly veneer the fireplace, glue is applied not only to the surface of the structure, but also to the stone itself. To do this, the mixture is spread over the surface of the spatula and a wavy groove is made, then the material is pressed tightly and knocked on it with a hammer. Each row is laid like a constructor, in a checkerboard pattern.

• Installation deviations. In work, you may encounter the problem of non-standard stone sizes. To avoid this, it is recommended to select the material in advance, or adjust the parts to the required standards using tools that are used for wood and metal work. Making a beautiful composition involves laying the stone horizontally. The cladding can also be performed in even rows, or more original styling options can be chosen.

• Decorative finishing... Upon completion of all rough work, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the surface of the fireplace, and fill the resulting joints with a special mixture with colored chips. Additionally, it is recommended to decorate the structure with a frame.

See below for more details.

A stone fireplace should be harmoniously combined with all interior details, act as the compositional center of the room. Therefore, when choosing its stone finish, it is imperative to take into account the color of the walls of the room. Since the shade of natural material is diverse, it can be safely supplemented with a bright palette.

Fireplaces of gray, yellow, beige and brown colors look beautiful in the interior of living rooms, this range belongs to warm shades, it emphasizes the beauty of natural material in a special way. To maintain the style of the design, it is recommended to carry out the continuation of the stone in the decoration of furniture and walls, for this, the upholstery and coverings are selected in the same color.

An unusual solution is a beige stone fireplace, it looks original in combination with wooden wall decoration, such a combination of stone and wood creates an atmosphere of comfort in the room. The shade of beige hides the shape of the space a little, so the interior needs to be filled with bright decorations as much as possible... Decorative pillows and textiles in neutral colors are well suited for this.

For small rooms, it is best to choose fireplace made of white stone. It will help to visually hide the lines of space and make the room spacious., filling it not only with home warmth, but also with light. At the same time, a white tone should be present in all - finishing of walls, flooring and furniture. If the owners of the house prefer a unique interior, then they can choose a cladding made of dark brown and blue material for the hearth. In this case, it is recommended to give preference to polished stone.