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by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for The House Designers
While light, bright, and clean stone aesthetics have taken off in recent years, rustic natural stone-inspired veneer still offers the perfect effect for a lot of designs. It’s not just for older houses or types of architecture that really underscore the rustic vibe—even brand-new modern homes incorporate natural elements to achieve comfortable, balanced style. Here are some aspects of rustic stone to keep in mind to help you pick the right look!
Unique Stone Shapes
Contemporary design is all about clean lines, and that extends to stone. Modern stone typically has sharp, square edges that can be stacked neatly. This stands in contrast to stone used in the past, which was found in the immediate environment and crudely shaped by hand, if at all. As a result, traditional natural stone comes in all kinds of unique shapes, and using a variety of them gives you a more old-fashioned, authentic-looking application.
Stones give you a few things to think about when it comes to shape. First, there are relatively flat-faced fieldstones that create a mosaic effect, then there are stones with irregular shapes that jut out from the surface. If you select a fieldstone profile, think about how much grout you want to show, because the stone can look completely different depending on the grout outlining it. Irregular shapes have more depth and variation, so it would be a waste to fill them with grout and most people go with a dry stack installation that lets the natural facets and shadows stand out from the wall. Rustic stone is incredibly diverse and you can change the whole vibe depending on how you install it, so find some design inspiration to ensure you know what you want for your home!
Natural Textures
Stone texture can mean a lot of things—protruding shapes can constitute extreme texture, but then there are uneven stone surfaces, depressed facets, gouges, scratches, pores, etc. Geological history and modern processes give you a lot of options, and you shouldn’t shy away from irregularities if you want your stone to add rustic appeal to your space or façade. Remember that uniformity is often the result of modern machining!
Do you want your stone to stand out as a focal point? It’s a good idea to make it more complex than other features, so choose something with lots of texture and shadows across the application. Look for profiles with narrower stone heights, because the larger and blockier you go, the flatter the pieces tend to get. You can also opt for a smoother surface and let the stone shapes take center stage instead, because grout outlines provide plenty of interest, too. Whichever aesthetic you prefer, it will help set the tone for the rest of your design.
Authentic Regional Colors
Considering stone elements used to be plucked from the immediate surroundings, it’s a good idea to stick to colors that your area’s geological history support. For example, volcanic regions are full of dark stone produced from cooling lava. Other areas may have warm sandy stone or cool-toned granite deposits developed over the millennia. We subconsciously associate regional colors with certain architecture and locales already—think Mediterranean villas with earthy neutral stone walls—so deviating from what’s expected will likely stand out for the wrong reasons. But that doesn’t mean your options are limited—you’ll find suitable color blends that create the right visual in lighter and darker shades and with a range of undertones. Don’t be afraid to ask an expert for help balancing your design!
Whatever sort of stone you’re in the market for, take a look at Eldorado Stone! Their extensive catalog includes the full range of stone veneer profiles, and each one is available in different color blends to offer just the right effect in any space. They also have a Stone Visualizer that allows you to test options virtually and a huge network of dealers that can show you real samples. Between their diverse product collection and personalized design support, you’re sure to find awesome stone for your home!