When my daughter was little she had an obsession with rocks and pebbles. Whenever we would go for a walk she would pick up various stones and fill her pockets – she usually gained a few pounds by the end of the day.
When I traveled I knew the perfect gift for her would be a small satchel of brightly coloured stones for her to touch and marvel at the beautiful colours and textures.
I have used this knowledge when it comes to designing spaces for kids, most children I know love stones and I am now convinced that this whimsical desire never leaves us completely. Pebble stones are making their way onto the design scene with force. The variety, colour and texture choices are tenfold of what they were five years ago and they make most people respond with a wistful ‘wouldn’t these be gorgeous’.
Yes they are gorgeous, useful in so many creative ways. They are small, flexible and can be installed on floors, ceilings, walls – curved or straight. Pebble stones are available in almost every material from earth-toned rocks, vibrant jewel tones and even metal hues. Imagine a kitchen backsplash done with a stainless steel pebble stone feature – decadent!
How about your dream bathroom? That perfect spa inspired master suite, doesn’t it deserve a serene black pebble floor installed over a heated mat? Your heated floor is perfectly timed to turn on at the same instant as your coffee maker. You walk across your stone floor sipping your favorite blend as your feet are massaged in all the right places by tiny warm stones. Go ahead, allow yourself to covet! You step into your custom rain forest shower surrounded by the colours of nature as you walk across a smooth, rounded path of stones. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it?
A practical, functional mudroom is not nearly as sexy as the above mentioned bathroom but what a perfect spot for pebble stones. The look and functionality of a ‘gravel’ path in a room which takes all of our life abuse and dirt and forgivingly hides our traffic until we are able to sweep or vacuum. Pebbles are naturally varied in colour, size and shape and have an amazing ability to hide dirt that we may track in. Style and function all offered to you in a really cool floor.
Show your fireplace some love. Give a wall or alcove some much needed attention. You can cover almost anything with pebbles. They are instant visual problem solvers if you have a tricky space or unsightly wall to cover, a treatment of pebbles will add the most amazing feature to your space. Angled ceiling spaces, stair wells and cantilevers can all benefit from an application of pebbles. You can choose to seal this product in a matte or glossy finish depending on the look you prefer. I finished a bay window sill in my home in these stones and it is a wonderful feature in that room. It is also the perfect idea for a water feature inside or outside your home – perfectly natural and beautiful.
Pebble stones are in and they are front and center in tile design, please come in and look – but try to refrain from filling your pockets with stones!
Kim Lewis is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre. Feel free to contact her at 343-7711 ext 227, email her at klewis@carpetcolourcentre.com or join her facebook group called “Ask a Designer.”
