The hallway in the house is rightfully considered the main room. We can say that this is the face of the entire home. Therefore, the repair of this room should be given special attention. An excellent solution could be a new unusual material - an artificial stone. A few decades ago, people did not even suspect about this type of finishing material for residential premises. It could be found on the facades and plinths of buildings. But today, artificial stone not only perfectly complements the design of the apartment, but is also famous for its durability.
How to choose the right decorative stone?
Before using this or that material, you first need to study all its features in order to make the right choice. Artificial stone is a mixture of marble placers with various minerals. The natural appearance of the stone, reminiscent of natural material, testifies to its high quality.
This criterion will help you choose. You also don't need to save when buying. Do not think that natural material is more expensive than artificiala rock. Its price may even exceed the requested natural material, as additional resources are spent on its production. The approximate cost can vary from 500 to 3000 rubles per square meter. Of particular importance is the country of origin. You should also pay attention to the cut of the stone. The surface should be as smooth as possible, without the content of large elements. Otherwise, it threatens with the formation of cracks and chips.
Hallway interior using artificial stone
The artificial stone in the hallway looks especially harmonious. However, the design of this room requires some harmony. Contrast and brightness are appropriate only for spacious rooms. But not everyone can boast of a huge hallway. Often contrasting shades visually reduce the space. This fact should be taken into account when choosing an artificial stone. Natural shades that differ by just a couple of tones from the color of the walls are ideal. Also, do not completely cover the walls in the hallway with decorative stone. It is enough to make a few blocks to place accents. For example, you can decorate a doorway with a stone or lay it out along the floor line. You can also overlay a niche for a cabinet with a stone. The modern design of the hallway with artificial stone suggests asymmetry. It can be laid out in a chaotic manner without trying to line up the correct pieces.
Examples of decorating the hallway with artificial stone
On the following photos you can see the options for finishing the hallway with a decorative stone.
The photo shows a partial decoration of the front door with a decorative stone with a smooth transition to the wall. This is one of the easiest design methods that does not require expensive materials and special skills.
The entrance hall in your own house can be decorated by decorating the staircase with an artificial stone. This option also looks quite interesting and unusual.
The wall completely finished with stone, equipped with retractable shelves, looks original. This brings a certain spirit of creativity and romanticism into the interior.
Simply enough, but a stone that highlights the hanger area will look very stylish.
Stages of decorating a hallway with a decorative stone
- Preparing the surface for cladding.
- Complete removal of old finishing materials.
- Identification and elimination of various defects on the surface (chips, cracks, depressions).
- Plastering areas with pronounced differences. Putty coating to a perfectly even state.
- Surface treatment with a primer.
Decorating the hallway with artificial stone requires some knowledge and skills. However, even a beginner can do such work.
Styling process
Wall decoration begins with markings. Of course, experienced builders can skip this step. As a rule, they use only the building level. But for a beginner, this is not possible. Therefore, it is better to immediately put markings in the form of lighthouse stones on the wall. They will indicate the boundaries of the masonry. Laying can be started from any corner of the room. That is where the first mark should be placed. Then, using the level, you need to set the connecting marks. Between them, for accuracy, you can draw twine. Laying can be done both from the bottom up and from the top down, the main thing is that it starts from the corner. However, most professionals start from the bottom for convenience. In this case, the thickness of the floor plinth and cornice should be taken into account. Artificial stone in the hallway is easier to lay than any other material.
Finishing should be carried out, taking into account the thickness of the material. Large stones are covered on the reverse side with an adhesive-based solution. A notched trowel is suitable for application. If the stones are small, then you can use the so-called liquid nails. Stones must be sorted by shade before laying. Colors in each batch may vary. To facilitate the process, you should lay out the intended pattern on the floor to determine the order of laying each individual element on the wall. Glue is applied to the back surface, and the stone is firmly pressed against the wall. Laying is done with a level so that you can immediately eliminate irregularities. When the first row is laid butt to joint, you can proceed to laying the subsequent ones in the same sequence. After the entire surface is framed, it must be dried for a day, after which it is necessary to process the seams between the stones with a special solution.
The artificial stone in the hallway has not lost its novelty for many years. Even if for some reason the material began to lag behind the wall, it can always be glued.
Advantages of decorative stone
If we compare this material with natural stone, its superiority is simply obvious. Artificial stone has a small weight. This greatly facilitates its transportation and installation. Artificial and natural stone have almost the same strength. And even in the first, this figure is somewhat higher. Decorative stone has refractory properties. It is not subject to corrosion, the formation of fungi and mold. This is an environmentally friendly material, absolutely safe for he alth. Its unpretentiousness in care is considered a significant plus. It can be treated with any detergent. It is much easier to lay due to the correct shape. The process does not require significant effort, it can be compared with laying ordinary ceramic tiles.
Types of artificial stone for hallway design
Depending on the production technology, a decorative stone may contain either colored concrete or gypsum in its base. There are practically no visual differences. However, their weight varies significantly. Concrete stone is much heavier than its gypsum counterpart. It also affects the cost of the material. The artificial stone, which costs more, will presumably be made of concrete. However, the difference in cost is not so significant. As a rule, it is no more than 200 rubles persquare meter. The only drawback of gypsum stone is its low moisture resistance. Some manufacturers cover the material with a waterproof emulsion. You can also do this yourself.
Today, the best material for finishing the living room and corridor is artificial stone. In the hallway, it looks luxurious, bringing the atmosphere of nature into the home.
