Stone Skin

What stone veneer is

Each sheet carries a genuine stone face, about 2 mm deep, on a fibreglass and backing layer. Because the surface is split rather than printed, no two sheets are identical. The veins, the mineral flecks and the slight relief are the stone's own.

Sheets come in 2440 x 1220 mm and 1220 x 610 mm. From a step away the wall looks like solid stone, yet the sheet can wrap columns and gentle curves that a slab never could.

The stone families

The library is organised by the stone the veneer is taken from. Here is what each one looks like on a wall:

Slate

Layered and matt, with a fine texture. Charcoal, rust and copper tones that suit entrances and dark feature walls.

Quartzite

A fine sparkle under light, with silver, gold and grey banding. Lively on lit walls and lobbies.

Sandstone

Even and soft-grained. Creams, buffs and earthy reds for living rooms and elevations.

Marble

Clean veining on pale grounds, for formal rooms and bathrooms.

Limestone and travertine

Muted and porous-looking, with the gentle texture of quarried stone.

Concrete look

Plain grey with the look of cast concrete, for studios, offices and retail.

Where it suits

Feature walls

Behind a sofa, a bed or a TV unit, where one stone wall becomes the focus of the room.

Columns and pillars

The veneer follows the column, so a round or square pillar looks like carved stone.

Entrances and elevations

Porches, entrance walls and building fronts, the first thing a visitor sees.

Bathrooms

Vanity walls and dry walls beside the bath, for a spa-like texture.

Reception counters

Fronts of desks and counters in offices, clinics and showrooms.

Hotels and retail

Lobbies, corridors and storefronts where the wall needs to hold attention.

Stone veneer, stone slab or PU stone?

A stone slab is cut from the block in thicknesses of 15 mm and more. It is heavy, flat and suited to floors and counters. Stone veneer keeps the real stone face but at about 2 mm, so it can go where slabs cannot: up columns, around soft curves and on large feature walls.

PU stone panels are moulded polyurethane, sculpted to look like stacked or split stone with deep relief. The look is bolder and more three-dimensional, and the panels are made in a mould instead of quarried. Pick stone veneer when you want the genuine surface of natural stone, flat and subtle.

All three are on display side by side at the Experience Centre in Choolai, so you can compare them in one visit.

Stone veneer in Chennai homes

In Chennai, stone veneer is most often specified for living-room feature walls, foyer and lift-lobby walls in apartments, and the entrance walls and porches of independent houses. Warm sandstones and slates sit naturally with the teak, cane and brass that many Chennai homes favour, while quartzite and marble bring a lighter, contemporary feel to new apartments.

Designing with stone veneer

Plan the lighting with the stone. A wall-washer or a grazing strip along the top picks up the cleft surface and the mineral sparkle, especially in slate and quartzite.

Pair warm sandstones with timber, cane and linen for a relaxed room. Set dark slate against white plaster and black metal for a sharper, contemporary look. In smaller rooms one wall of stone is usually enough, with plain paint on the rest.

Every sheet is different, so look at several sheets of the same shade together before you decide. You will then know how much variation to expect across a whole wall.

Choosing your shade

Start with how you want the room to feel, then the light it gets. Bring a photo of the space or the drawings to the Experience Centre in Choolai, and we will lay out full sheets so you can compare shades side by side. Samples can also be sent to offices in Chennai for viewing.