"Rock on" may be a uniquely American call to party, but when it comes to decorating your home, rocks, stones and pebbles can have an altogether different effect on your mood. When incorporated into your interior design efforts, stone can create a soothing effect to balance the hectic pace of modern life.

Pebbles are the latest hot trend in stone-themed home décor, and they're showing up in everything from wall murals to pebble-textured fabrics. Decorator items made from and inspired by pebbles add a whimsical, light-hearted layer to the underlying peaceful persona of stone.

You don't have to build a Japanese rock garden in your back yard, however, to take advantage of the pebble trend. Pebble decorator items can be found at all price points from a variety of resources, including your local home goods store and the Internet.

Here are some ideas and items for bringing pebble and stone power into your interior design:

* Check out HGTV.com, where you will find detailed instructions for creating your own pebble-topped accent table. Depending on the type of table you choose to decorate and how you obtain your pebbles, this piece can be made for less than $50. Purchase decorative pebbles at craft stores, or enlist the family to collect pretty specimens while on beach vacations, outdoor excursions or even their own back yards.

* Stone wall clocks, made from a variety of decorative rocks, are available for as little as $30 at www.Pebblez.com. The same site also sells lamps made with translucent onyx in the same price range.

* At MuralsYourWay.com, you'll find an inspired mural of pebbles. The soothing natural colors of the stones and their gently rounded appearance, shaped by decades of flowing water, evoke a beach beside a mountain lake. The mural can be custom printed for $7.95 per square foot to fit any wall, comes in easy-to-hang panels and goes up just like wallpaper. Visit www.MuralsYourWay.com, or call (888) 235-1318.

* Designers are using pebble-themed floor tiles to add punch and definition to floor areas. For example, tiles made with natural river pebbles are a wonderfully contrasting accent to border an area of hardwood flooring. The natural qualities of the material compliment each other, while the coolness of the stone is an exciting foil to the warmth of the wood.

* Fabrics are paying homage to pebbles as well, with linens and window treatments in patterns that evoke the shape and texture of stone. For example, Pebble Earth makes a cotton/polyester blend sateen coverlet in a pebble shape quilting stitch. Machine washable, the coverlet's design also incorporates a subtle rock hue to achieve an effect that is luxurious and modern, yet still simple and soothing.

Source : ARA