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by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for The House Designers®
Have you ever been wowed by centuries-old architecture, anywhere in the world? No matter the location or style, you’ll probably feel that it has some sort of connection to the land greater than the fact that the building happens to reside where it does. The natural resources of the area, including those from local forests and quarries, provide a lot of that style and personality! While we can ship materials from around the world to complete projects these days, choosing to build your home with a regional aesthetic will help it fit into its surroundings. Your choice of stone heavily influences the vibe of a house, so shop with this in mind if you want your new home to fit right into its lot.
We’ll illustrate this point using the same house outfitted in different types of stone. Please look past the desert setting of the picture and imagine it in a neighborhood or on a piece of land with scenery that matches the region for the full effect. Visualize mountains and temperate coniferous forests for the Northwest, hills and broadleaf trees for the East, and sandy land with drought-resistant plants for the West. Of course, there can be plenty of variation within these general regions, so there are a number of suitable stone options beyond those we show here!
Get Inspired by the Landscape
All parts of the world offer different types of stone due to a long, diverse geologic history. And you can see the differences whether you explore old mining sites or the cities built from them! Around New England, granite fieldstones from glacial deposition and quarried blocks of iron-rich sandstone—known as brownstone—feature prominently. Adobe and stucco built the desert portions of the country, and warmly hued stones from the environment complement the look well. Due to volcanic activity, dark-colored basalt is common around the Pacific Northwest. Take the time to do some research into the geological and human history of your area—it’s fascinating to see how they relate!
While regional trends definitely exist, you’ll also find a good range within geographic delineations. No matter where you live, take a look at your surroundings and see what types of stone exist around you. Structures of the past were often built with what was immediately available, so if you have a unique rocky outcropping or type of gravel on your property, use that as inspiration to give your home accents that make it look like it’s always belonged there.
Take Your Developed Environment into Account
That is to say, do you live in an urban, suburban, or rural area? Population density affects architecture, and with it, aesthetic preferences as well. Cities tend toward tightly stacked blocks of stone, while unique shapes and textures define homes found farther out. Again, there’s history here—quarried blocks were more efficient to ship and build with, and people in the countryside were more likely to use what they had at hand.
You should consider if your exact area also leans toward any particular style. Look around the neighborhood for ideas so you can figure out how to make your home stand out for the right reasons. For example, you can stay within the same color family or general shape and vary the other for contrast. Towns and homeowner associations might have rules—including color and minimum/maximum coverage allowances—that need to be factored into the equation, too. Consult with your builder to help you decide on a balanced exterior design!
Look for Environmentally and Budget-Friendly Options
Whether cut from the earth or gathered from its surface, authentic stone elements come at a greater cost than many homeowners know. Ecological damage from excavation, high emissions from high shipping weights, and waste from breakage all take a toll on the planet. And of course, this translates into a more expensive price tag. Look into a quality manufactured stone instead; you can get lightweight, faithfully recreated looks molded from real stone and hand-painted to perfection. Veneer breaks less often in transit and comes in at about a third to half the cost of natural stone. Best of all, you can support a healthier environment where you live and beyond.
Whether you’re looking to outfit your home’s exterior or create a natural interior highlight, Eldorado Stone veneer products will create gorgeous results. And you won’t be lost for lack of options—they have a wide variety of nationwide as well as region-specific profiles. Try the product selector if you want to narrow the choices down by style, color, and regional suitability quickly, or go straight into the visualizer to explore looks curated for different locations on a sample space or an image of your own home. It can be difficult to make a selection with so many lovely options, so if you’d like an expert opinion, Eldorado Stone also offers design services for personalized assistance!