Before
After
The homeowners of this Central Florida living room were ready to move on from a look that had not aged well. The room had Tuscan-era hallmarks — sage green walls, dark brown crown molding, arched wrought iron wall panels flanking a flat-screen TV, and a small shelf niche holding AV equipment with visible cables. The bones were fine, including a tray ceiling with dark stained trim, but the surface details felt decorative rather than architectural. They wanted a living room redesign that committed to a material-driven feature wall instead of relying on hung accessories to fill the space.
Marilou Stones designed the transformation around a single structural move: cladding the entire TV wall in stacked natural stone veneer. The stone runs floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall, using a mix of warm sandstone, tan, and honey-toned ledgestone pieces in a dry-stacked pattern. The old wall niches and ironwork were removed entirely, replaced by a continuous stone surface that gives the room genuine depth and texture. A small arched stone detail — a corbel-style niche element — is set into the upper right section of the wall, carrying the Mediterranean arch motif from the original room forward in a more subtle, architectural way.
The television is now flush-mounted against the stone with a slim soundbar directly beneath it, eliminating the exposed cables and shelf-mounted equipment that cluttered the old arrangement. On the adjacent wall, we moved from the flat sage green to a warm tan that complements the stone tones. A framed vintage map in a gilt frame replaces the old ironwork, and a wrought iron candelabra-style chandelier — round, with candle-form lights — hangs from the existing dark-trimmed tray ceiling. Striped valance window treatments in warm earth tones pair with stained wood blinds. The furnishings include a tapestry-print sofa, an industrial wood-and-metal coffee table on a traditional area rug, and dark tile flooring that grounds the warmer palette above.
The living room now reads as a considered Mediterranean space rather than a collection of Tuscan-style accessories on flat walls. The stacked stone wall is the room’s anchor — it adds weight, warmth, and authenticity that no amount of hung decor could achieve. The TV integrates cleanly into the surface; the color palette works as a unified whole from the stone to the window treatments, and the room feels layered rather than decorated. This is the kind of interior design project in Central Florida were replacing one surface with the right material elevates the entire room. To explore how Marilou approaches stone feature walls and Mediterranean living spaces, visit the Stones Design portfolio or get in touch.
Stacked stone veneer uses thin, natural stone pieces — typically 1 to 2 inches thick — applied to a wall surface with mortar or adhesive. It gives the appearance of full-depth stonework without structural weight. In this project, we removed the existing wall accessories and prepared the drywall surface before applying the veneer floor-to-ceiling. The dry-stacked pattern means no visible grout lines between the pieces.
Yes, but it requires planning before the stone is installed. We coordinate with the installer to ensure a reinforced mounting plate or blocking is set behind the veneer at the exact TV location. In this project, the television and soundbar sit flush against the stacked stone with all cables routed behind the surface, giving a clean finish that the previous setup lacked.
A full stacked stone veneer wall like this typically takes one to two weeks for the stone installation itself, plus additional time for wall preparation, TV mounting coordination, and any painting or trim work on adjacent surfaces. We manage the full scope — from stone selection and layout planning to final installation — so the homeowner is not coordinating individual trades.
Natural stone veneer handles Central Florida’s humidity well. Stone is inherently moisture-resistant, and when installed with proper adhesive on a prepared surface, it performs reliably in indoor environments. We recommend it for living rooms, dining rooms, and other interior feature walls where you want authentic texture without concerns about warping or peeling that can affect other wall treatments over time.
The most effective single change is replacing decorative wall accessories with an actual material — as we did here with the stacked stone veneer. Tuscan-era rooms often rely on wrought iron pieces, faux finishes, and accessories to create style. Marilou’s approach is to invest in one genuine surface change, then update paint colors, window treatments, and a few key furnishings to match. That combination refreshes the room without tearing everything out.
Every transformation on this page started with a conversation.
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Marilou Stones is an award-winning, licensed interior designer and ASID member serving Winter Garden and Central Florida for over 40 years.
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