Norrvange limestone
Mountains and cliffs are like photographic negatives that capture periods in the development of the earth and can be developed several million years later. The Gotland limestone reveals that 400 million years ago Sweden lay close to the equator. Gotland was then a tropical island in a sea with coral reefs and a great many algae, mussels, sea lilies and other species. Those species are now found as fossils in our limestone floor and wall tiles!
According to the history, the limestone Norrvange began to be quarried as building stone as early as the 800s, but it was only later, during the Hanseatic era, that Gotland took on a larger role in the stone trade. This was because Gotland was a geographically well placed trading point. Since 1954 the stone has been quarried and finished by the local family business Slite Stenhuggeri, which quarries and works the stone to this day. There are ceramic tiles on the market with similar names and appearance — but that is printed ceramic, not stone, and the materials behave quite differently over time. The limestone Norrvange is well established and much loved in Sweden as well as in Europe for its warm, light colours. The stone is a piece of cultural heritage that, with its colours, fossils and plants, tells a story of the nature of Sweden and Gotland 400 million years ago.
Furnishing with Norrvange
There is a great deal you can do with a hard-wearing material in light, warm tones. Norrvange is usually seen on floors and walls, but the stone is also widely used for worktops and windowsills. Whether you are after a rural feeling or a modern impression, the stone suits beautifully. Its shade and texture create a warm feeling wherever you lay it, and it is pleasant to walk on.
If you are planning to lay Norrvange on the floor, there are several furnishing aspects to think about. To begin with, the format and its direction affect how the room is experienced. Square tiles of, say, 30x30 cm can feel more modern, while falling lengths can be perceived as more classic. It is also worth giving some thought to the direction of the tiles. One option is to lay the falling lengths so that they follow the direction of the room, which makes the room read as long and narrow. Laying them across makes the room read as wider instead. If you want to reinforce a movement or a walking direction, as in a hallway for instance, it is worth laying the tiles along the direction of the room. If instead you are laying the stone in a room where you simply spend time, it can be lovely to lay the tiles across.
When you lay the stone there are also many choices to make about colour. Furnishing with a monochromatic colour scheme, that is, tone on tone with the base colour of the stone, creates a symbiosis in the room that gives a harmonious feeling. Stony Ground No.211 or School House White No.291 from Farrow & Ball are neutral shades that sit tone on tone with Norrvange. If you want to match the stone with tiles, Grynna White from Höganäs works well.
If you are after more impact and life in the room, you can break it up with accent colours that contrast with the stone. One lovely combination is to use cornflower blue or red textiles, objects or furniture in the room. Farrow & Ball’s Drawing Room Blue No.253 contrasts nicely with the shade and texture of Norrvange.
Combining Norrvange with other natural materials such as oak or walnut is remarkably beautiful. The light natural colour of oak in combination with the shades of Norrvange creates a Scandinavian feeling close to nature. If you are after a more exclusive and contrasting impression, walnut suits beautifully. Its dark brown tone and grain sit very well with the softly sand grey colour and texture of Norrvange.
