Contrast Adds Visual Appeal to Stone Projects

Importance of Contrast in Design

Contrast is the arrangement of opposing elements to create distinction. This “opposition” can come in the form of color, texture, size, material type, etc. Contrast adds visual appeal for the audience. This is true of design anywhere, e.g., on a website, in a book, on a stage, and in the design of buildings and landscapes. If you are an architect, landscape architect or designer, you have firsthand experience creating contrast with design. Non-designers experience contrast, too. Look around. Contrast is everywhere in our built and natural environments.

Adding Contrast With Stone

Combining natural stone with wood, steel, or other materials is certain to add contrast. But, designers may also add interesting contrast through the clever arrangement of stone that varies in color, size, shape, materials, and texture. A good example of this can be seen in the transition between driving and walking surfaces in the porte-cochere at The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Waikiki Beach, HI.  Contrast is added by varying the shapes and sizes of the stone. The image, from left to right, shows small rectangular stones, then larger rectangles, and then irregular-shaped stone of many sizes. This contrast adds visual appeal. Variations in texture and color further add to the contrast in this design.

HDG Custom-Cut and Finished Stone

HDG specializes in custom-cut and finished, tight-dimension architectural stone like those shown in this design. The natural stone on the left is honed limestone, tight tolerance dimensional stone. HDG can simplify installation by making these as mesh-mounted pavers using limestone or basalt. The middle transition pavers are black basalt, split and pitched. HDG can water-jet stone surfaces to remove tool marks and even add a color-enhancing sealer. The stone shown on the right is random flagstone. HDG can provide this in quartzite or slate.