Granite, Travertine, Slate, Marble… The Beauty And Depth Of Natural Stones

Featured Image: Natural Stone Slabs

If you want to add a unique look to your home – something that no one else has – then look no further than natural stone for your floors, countertops, backsplashes and walls. How can that be, you say? Because natural stone is created and quarried from the earth, no two pieces are alike. So even if you and your neighbor get the same type of travertine or granite from the exact same Arizona Tile location (wink) you both will get two different slabs that are not identical and thus will have two different looks in your home.Manhattan Marble Natural Stone

Why Purchase More Tile Than My Estimated Square Ft?

Because of this unique quality of natural stones like marble, travertine, granite, onyx and slate, buying more tiles than you need ensures that you match up the color of the tiles as much as possible. Darker or lighter sections of the area that you are tiling might not look appealing to the eye. This is also the reason why, when you are shopping for granite slabs for a countertop, you need to look for a piece that is larger than you need or perhaps why you need to find two similar slabs with similar veining. Many slabs are book-matched, meaning slab one and two are cut and polished to create a mirror image of each other. Large sections of veining can change the overall color of the stone, which is something to consider if you are going for cream and the veining is making the slab or tile look more peach than cream.

Slab Defects or Natural Beauty?

Vieux Monde French Limestone Flooring Veins, pits and fissures are a natural part of the stone and can sometimes make the slab more valuable. While these characteristics need special care to maintain the stone, they should not be thought of as defects unless the stone has visible cracks from mishandling – another reason to purchase more than you need. Go ahead and think of stone in unusual ways. Create walls, dividers or countertops that are backlit to create a beautiful glow.Carmel Onyx Natural Stone     Because stone is quarried all over the world, the minerals in those geographic areas create interesting colors and patterns that cannot be created anywhere else. Each stone is more beautiful than the next. So choose natural stone to create a unique look in your home that no one else can possibly have. Before you get started, try out our Just Imagine™ Visualizer Tool and let us know what you think in the comments below!