DIY days in Granitop: Seven ways to use stone in your home and garden

Summer’s here, and everyone’s barbecuing for all they’re worth! People are making the most of the warmer weather to abandon the four walls they spend the rest of the year between and get outside. This season is one to spend with friends and family in the garden and on the terrace, grilling up a storm. But how can you create a cosy space for yourself to relax in while still enjoying everything the barbecue has to offer? Well, you might want to swap out your ordinary garden furniture for a stone-clad outdoor table, or get yourself a baking stone to make the crispiest thin’n’crispy pizzas you’ve ever tasted. Alternatively, you could go much bigger and build yourself a dedicated barbecue hut or summer kitchen. For many people, summer’s a long-awaited opportunity to build or repair their homes, cottages and garden structures – and that’s why Granitop’s latest campaign is all about the joys of DIY!

Like all modern companies, Granitop’s factory and production facilities are future-oriented, supporting sustainable and environmentally friendly development. As specialists in the field of stone production, we work hard every day to ensure that stone surfaces symbolising quality and durability are able to adorn our customers’ homes while respecting principles of conservation and energy-efficient production. We’ve invested in a water purification plant and use modern, innovative equipment, heat-recovery ventilation and renewable energy. That said, use of materials can always be improved, which is why we’re open to new ideas on making effective use of stone residue. We urge everyone to get behind us in this regard, starting by considering the stone tiles we’re selling at heavily discounted prices. They might not be quite big enough to finish an entire kitchen with, but in terms of cost they’re on par with much cheaper materials – making stone available to just about everyone!

Here are a few ideas on what you could do with the granite, marble, limestone, quartz or terrazzo you find in the Granitop “Best Finds” section?

Garden and dining tables

The easiest way to adorn your home with stone is to take existing furniture and give it the stone-tile treatment. Measure your garden table or coffee table, find the right-sized tiles (fashioning the edges yourself, or getting us to do it for you) and voila! If you want the tiles to stay on as firmly as possible, use glue or silicon when laying them.

Serving table/small kitchen island/hors d’oeuvres platter

Polished stone doesn’t make a very good chopping board, and some materials are sensitive to stains, but the beauty of stone will harmonise perfectly with the food you serve and add a touch of luxury to anything you put on the table. And if you put a stone platter in the freezer before using it, the finger food you serve on it will stay chilled for much longer.

Coffee table/dresser/bedside table/TV table/make-up table

Stone’s one of the best materials you can use to cover a coffee table. A big, strong, stone table-top will offset soft furnishings and add an extra layer of beauty to your lounge. If you cut the stone on a 45-degree angle and glue the tiles together, you can create the illusion of one continuous surface. Cubes made in this way are so stunning that all you need for a truly impressive coffee table worthy of an eminent designer is to cover the stone in tempered glass.
Marble, slate and granite with eye-catching patterns can be used not just for ordinary tables, but also for bedside tables, TV tables and dressers. Even the most ordinary cupboard will end up looking like a designer piece when it’s given a stone render. An original approach to the edging – like a semi-rounded finish or antique profile – can turn even the most simple TV stand into a work of art.

Plant shelves/laundry shelves

Stone shelves are perfect for laundries, conservatories, balconies and specialist boutiques. Stone (in particular polished quartz and granite) is almost 100% waterproof, thanks to which it’s incredibly easy to keep such surfaces clean.

Coffee corner/bar

Have you got any old or indeed antique furniture that’s lost its lustre over the years but which is still structurally sound? Then why not give it a new lease on life with a stone finish! A timber sideboard could become a unique space to enjoy your first coffee of the day, or your very own bar to spend time around with friends and family.

Windowsill

Stone windowsills have been popular for centuries. They’re most often found in grand buildings in the city centre, but they can be very effectively paired with modern interiors, too. Cover sills and door frames with the same stone material or make a windowsill with a raised edge and the results can be stunning!

Barbecue area/stove/hearth

Fireplaces are a true classic when it comes to the use of natural stone. But if you already have a hearth or stove or oven, why not spruce up the area around it with stone tiles? Alternatively, or additionally, create a space to store firewood, or a lovely spot to sit and relax, or a cosy little hangout in which to enjoy a roaring fire. The popularity of bioethanol fireplaces continues to grow, too, and stone’s the perfect material for lining design elements that don’t need a chimney.

What would you make from stone?
Take a look at the Granitop DIY campaign’s special offers and get to it!