Landscaping Rocks Blog

Thin natural stone is a popular, versatile product. In the last few years its popularity has exploded, particularly as more and more people have turned to natural stone as an interior material, but it has always had a huge number of outdoor applications as well. In the past, designers were concerned that natural stone would always look rustic, but now people are better educated, and know that thin natural stone can be cut to fit smooth, straight lines and the most up to date urban designs.

We carry many different types of thin natural stone, such as limestone, Penn Blue Sandstone, granite, slate and quartzite. Colours, textures and patterns exist to suit virtually every design scheme and surface. If you want natural stone for flooring, fireplaces, showers or exterior patios laid on cement, thin natural stone is your product of choice.

Thin natural stone is available in specific cut patterns for a formal stone designs incorporating tile-style layouts and straight lines, as well as irregular shapes (“crazy work”) for informal or rustic designs.

Because thin natural stone can be cut to fit almost any design, you are free to concentrate less on fitting the stone in, and more on colour. There are too many colours available to list, ranging from red, rust and brown to dramatic blacks, blues and greens. We have always loved the unique colour of Penn Blue Sandstone, and highly recommend it for matching colour schemes. Whatever colour you choose, you can be assured that the stone we provide will be expertly cut, durable and represent the highest quality. Drop by and see for yourself!

Tags: English, Landscaping Rocks, Natural stone, Sand Stone by mike
No Comments »

Coordinating your renovation’s colour scheme to account for natural stone interiors requires more than just picking a colour and finding the stones with the closest colours. You need to plan carefully so that natural stone interior elements fit with the rest of your vision for a particular room.

Pick the type of stone you want to use before settling on interior colours. Natural stone comes in hundreds of amazing colours and shades, but not all types of stone come in all shades. That’s why you need to start by asking yourself what you’ll be using the stone for, as that will determine the best basic type of stone. Do you want veneers on your walls? Do you want a stone floor? What about stone counters and shelving? Depending on colour and texture your choice of stone could be limestone, Penn Blue sandstone, slate or granite.

To make the right choice you’ll not only need the help of someone who knows natural stone, but a stone retailer who combines that experience with access to a large selection of different types of natural stone. While you might read about a particular type of stone, what if it isn’t the best choice for that particular interior feature? What if the retailer doesn’t have it in stock? At Stone Haven we pride ourselves on access to a diverse array of natural stone varieties, along with the experience to guide you to the best possible choice.

As there are so many options available it’s possible to use natural stone to meet very specific interior design specifications. At the same time, natural stone is an enduring material that may last longer than your plans for a specific room in the house. You may want to choose a textured might to medium grey colour if you plan on changing your interior spaces regularly. Grey is a neutral colour and won’t clash with others.

On the other hand, don’t think you have to pick grey. One of the great things about natural stone is that almost any colour comes off as neutral compared to non-stone interior elements. Natural stone’s appearance and range of textures means that any colour takes new “dressing” (the addition of furniture, shelving and other interior pieces) well.

Once you’ve narrowed down the type of stone you want to use and found the right colour, it’s easy to decorate the rest of your interior. By determining your base colour, your natural stone guides you to the right wall colour, furniture and other elements, but doesn’t lock you into that choice forever. If you’d like some specific examples of how natural stone makes your interiors more attractive, contact us at Stone Haven. We’ll share our experience with successful designs.

Tags: English, Flagstones, Granite Stone, Landscaping Rocks, Sand Stone, Stone Veneer, Uncategorized by mike
No Comments »

High maintenance properties are show pieces. They’ve got abundant flower beds, rock gardens, water features, flowering shrubs and trees, often arranged across multiple levels and combined with stone retaining walls and other stone landscaping features. The result can be breathtaking, but without regular management weeds, erosion and general neglect can make them extremely unattractive. That’s why they’re called “high maintenance properties.”

Two types of people are interested in high maintenance properties. The first group is financially capable of carrying the expenses inherent in keeping up the property. They can hire maintenance teams to do the watering, pruning, planting, mowing and other chores required to maintain the property’s spectacular appearance. The wealthiest property owners can afford to buy expertise so they’ll have people on hand who can, for example, recommend Penn Blue sandstone for a path or decorative wall.

The other typical owner is a retired, semi-retired or a dedicated workaholic (I’m in that last category) who wants to constantly work on the property. He enjoys it as a hobby, or is a landscaping professional who wants to demonstrate his skills on his own real estate. One of the advantages here is that if you do it yourself, you’ll be able to explore your own ideas thoroughly, instead of describing them in vague terms for a contractor to interpret. If you imagine a hardscape that uses a certain type of granite stone, for example, you can make it happen – as long as you learn the correct skills.

No matter which category belong to, choosing high maintenance properties can, once you apply the right mindset, help you relax, even if you’re taking on a substantial amount of work to develop the land into something you’ll love – and that’s because you will love it. The great thing about these projects is that you are ultimately investing in yourself. It’s your land and your dreams taking shape, so as the project continues your ideas will take you down unexpected paths – a stone retaining wall with a particular bend, shrubs where you didn’t expect them, and other examples of creativity born from your own ideas and the practical aspects of working with the land. That special relationship between your dreams and the real earth and stone of landscaping, creates genuine beauty that is definitely worth the effort.

Tags: English, Granite Stone, Retaining Walls by mike
No Comments »