Stone siding is a striking exterior for a home, making it look classic and timeless no matter the architectural style. But that’s not the only way this type of masonry can transform a home. From major projects, like a complete renovation of the home’s exterior, to smaller jobs, like resurfacing a boring fireplace or flooring to create depth of character in a single room, stonework can make your home feel like a brand new home.
The variety of options available is dazzling. From rustic brick looks to sophisticated cream stone styles, today’s stone siding is revolutionary in both appearance and ease of installation. So what can you do with it? How can you use it to create a completely new and beautiful look for your home?
Stone cladding for the exterior of the home
- The exterior of the house: The most obvious use for stone veneer is to cover the exterior of the house or to create an exterior accent wall or two. A house with exterior walls of carved gray stonework stands out with a certain sophistication, and a porch with sandstone walls is a bright and welcoming entrance. A stone clad home has a timeless look because it recreates an old material for a fresh new look that makes it stand out.
- Garden Walls – The garden is an oasis in fine weather and even in winter it can be a joy to look at from the comfort of a window chair. Garden walls can be simple boundary markers or, with the right stone cladding, they can be a landscape feature that serves as a stunning backdrop for plants and other garden features. Stone veneer can also be used on lower walls, such as retaining walls around a landscaped slope.
- Paths and Patios: A simple way to add style to your home’s outdoor space is to redo patios and garden paths with stone cladding. Patios are an outdoor living space, and coordinating a stone cladding for your patio with one used indoors provides continuity between indoors and outdoors. Gravel can add some charm to a driveway, but it spreads and becomes dirty quickly, creating a lot of extra work. Stone work offers visual appeal with much less hassle and maintenance. The driveway to the front door is the introduction to a home, so this smaller-scale project packs a big visual punch and can add substantially to a property’s curb appeal.
Stone cladding for the interior of the home
- Interior Walls – A very large space can display amazing character when an entire room or more has stone wainscoting, but even the smallest spaces can be enhanced with a stone accent wall. An entryway or hallway sets the mood for a home, and lining those walls with stone tells guests that your host has distinctive good taste. A rustic brick clad wall can create a warm and homey feeling in a kitchen, and stone cladding in a conservatory with a solid wall can really give you the feeling of an outdoor space but without the exposure to the elements.
- Fireplaces – The fireplace is often the focal point of a room, and a boring fireplace can undermine a charming décor. People are drawn to fireplaces even if there is no fire, so redoing a fireplace is a powerful change to a room. In the kitchen or living room, a stone veneer finish adds to the primitive appeal of the fire. Stone veneer is also always provided by homeowners to change the overall shape of the fireplace. An arch can be created, for example, in a square opening, creating a dramatically different look and feel for the entire room.
- Flooring – Using stone floor coverings is a great way to add the beauty and charm of stone to a smaller space or one with lots of cabinets or other wall features. Stone wainscoting creates the feel of an old space without limiting how wall space can be used. It’s a wonderful choice for narrower kitchens or hallways that would feel cluttered with stone-clad walls. Floors and fireplaces can be made by coordinating stone veneer to develop a strong decorating theme for a single room or the entire home.
Stone veneer can be a reasonably priced investment to give a home a complete makeover, whether homeowners are looking to improve their living space or increase their value because they plan to sell. This is a lasting change for a home, but one that means lasting beauty and less maintenance than paint or cobblestone for the exterior and a stunning transformation for the interior.
