Looking for something different than your typical material for an accent in your home?  Although it's typically found on a home's exterior, try bringing the beauty of stone indoors.

Manufactured stone veneers – lightweight moulds created from concrete and painted to look like real stone – can add very unique architectural detail to any living space. They also provide textural elements that can be enhanced with lighting accents. There are endless style options for stone veneers, from a rustic cabin environment to a modern loft. Your local Co-op Home Centre provides a variety of style options, including colour selection, stone size, visible mortar, no mortar, as well as choice in texture and material type.

There are many applications in which a homeowner could install stone veneers in the home. Kitchen backsplashes, however, are not a recommended location to install this product, as it is extremely difficult to properly clean the rugged surface. The best way to decide where to put stone veneers is to decide where you will get the most effective visual impact. Some application options include accent walls, fireplace surrounds, kitchen islands and interior columns.

Accent walls

When installing stone veneers as an accent wall, you need to decide if you want the stone running horizontally or vertically. Consider using lighting to accent the textural component of the stone.

Fireplace surrounds

Stone veneers on a fireplace are great as they are made from a non-combustible material and can be used next to the firebox without worry of catching fire. They not only have a practical element, but also add aesthetic detail to the fireplace by dressing it up with colour and texture.

Kitchen islands

An eye-catching way to finish off the back portion of an island is to add stone to it. It is a durable material, able to withstand stools and other types of seating (as well as their occupants) that may be placed in front of it. Most importantly, it will add a design element within the kitchen that sets it apart from the ordinary. Ensure that you have a way to finish off the edges of the stone by having the island’s end panels extend outwards so the stone butts up to the panel for a clean, finished look.

Interior columns

Stone invokes the look and feel of strength, so facing interior columns with this material only makes sense – and it looks amazing. If you install the stone floor to ceiling, it will also give the space a feeling of grand volume.

As you can probably tell from the many possible applications mentioned here, stone veneers are great if you are looking to add texture and an architectural focal point to the inside of your home in a unique way.

Story provided by Adrienne Fedorowich, Director of Design at Studio 2.0 Interior Design + Photography
Photos provided by Josh Fedorowich, Director of Media at Studio 2.0 Interior Design + Photography