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Starting the new year with a home remodeling project can be exciting. It’s a goal that can increase the value of your home while also providing a fresh look to your environment. Unless your focus for remodeling is to address health and safety risks, the investment you make toward remodeling is best spent on projects that improve your home’s appearance.

The material you use when you remodel can make a significant difference to your return on investment (ROI). Remodeling with stone veneer provides luxury with a great ROI. According to Remodeling magazine’s 2018 Cost vs. Value Report, manufactured stone veneer offers a 97.1% ROI.

To help get you thinking about how you’ll want to improve your home with stone in 2019, we’ve compiled a list of ideas for a new look.

Install a new stone veneer backsplash in your kitchen.

The kitchen is often called the heart of the home. If you are planning on redoing your kitchen, stone can help provide a warm and inviting area for family and friends to gather. An ideal place to add a stone veneer feature in the kitchen is the backsplash. A beautiful backsplash using stone veneer provides a textural element, and the warm tones of stone blend beautifully with cabinets and countertops.

Create minimalism with an accent wall.

Placing a stone veneer accent wall in any room in your home will create a focal point that is impressive. An accent wall provides textural interest and offers a clean and simple look. Fieldstone Center has a wide range of stone veneer products, both natural and manufactured, to choose from. We can help you find the stone to create the perfect look for your decorating style.

Design a dreamy bathroom.

Sleek, stone surfaces are welcome in a bathroom, but you can also add depth with texture along the walls or in the shower. Using a material such as manufactured stone has the same look as natural stone but has more consistency in its colors. This makes it a great choice for bathrooms where you want the same color distribution along the walls and in accessories.

Make a statement with a stunning fireplace.

There is something that speaks grandeur when you walk into a living area with a stone fireplace that extends to the top of the vaulted ceilings. Some great features about stone veneer are that it is lightweight, durable and easy to install for this type of remodeling project.

Are you ready to start the new year with a home remodeling project that will look great and have a good ROI? Fieldstone Center is ready to help you choose the perfect stone for your project. We have a large variety of stone products for all your interior and exterior decorating needs. Call us at (770) 385-7708 and tell us about your project.

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If you want to extend your living area to the outdoors, choose stone for its versatility to create the outdoor space of your dreams. Stone is a beautiful choice that can add luxury for entertaining or increase the charm of a rustic retreat. It can also help increase your property value.

Ideas for transforming your outdoor space:

Customized walkways

Create ambience immediately with a customized stone walkway that leads you and your guests to your paradise. When you replace the concrete, you have many beautiful options such as laying flagstone. Lay the flagstone down in a regular pattern for a sophisticated setting or mix the flagstone with aggregates for a rustic appearance.

Raised garden beds

Go vertical with your garden when you stack drystone to raise your garden beds. By using varying heights and textures of stone to show off your beds you can add amazing visual appeal. Use larger stone products to make your space appear larger and smaller aggregates to draw attention to the details. Place stones uniformly for a structured look or randomly for a more casual look.

Outdoor kitchen

The outdoor kitchen has become a central gathering place for many backyards. Think beyond the standard grill when you add all the essentials – oven, fridge, sink, wet bar, etc. – for your outdoor convenience. Stone veneer is a great product for building your outdoor kitchen and will impress everyone.

Fire pit

Imagine having a relaxing fire pit area to head to once the grilling is done and the evening sets in. Design a fire pit with pavers or stacked stone. For the full luxury experience, expand the stone area to include a paved area and built-in seating.

Columns and retaining walls

Increase the glamour of your space when you dress it up with stone veneer columns. Add the feeling of a private room when you build a retaining wall enclosure. Or choose to partially enclose the area. A wall along the back gives the appearance of privacy because it sets the area apart.

When you transform your outdoor space using stone, you have a wide selection to choose from. Stone products offer abundant color palates and unlimited pattern options to create the look and feel you want. Contact Fieldstone Center at 770-385-7708 for assistance in selecting the right stone to use in your space.

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There are many areas in Georgia that highlight the classic beauty of stone. Here are a few examples.

Springfield Village Park in Augusta

Downtown Augusta is full of history but it’s a modern, urban park that caught our attention because of the veneer stone. Located on Reynolds Street and about a block away from the waterfront, Springfield Village Park highlights towering structures and waterfalls set along stone walls and staircases. The 2.5-acre park celebrates the legacy and aspirations of Springfield Baptist Church (the oldest black church in the U.S.) and the community which developed around it.

Highlights of the park include a reflecting pool, bronze historical plaques, and sculptures by world renowned sculptor Richard Hunt. Hunt’s masterpiece “Tower of Aspirations” was unveiled in February 2002. A second sculpture titled “And They Went Down Both into the Water” was unveiled in June 2006. If you want a sense of immenseness and grandeur in your landscape, you might want to study how the reflecting pool, plaques, and sculptures are set around the stone walls and staircases at this inspirational park.

Historic Waterfront in Savannah

Savannah is known for its beauty and one beautiful area is the historic waterfront with its cobblestone streets and stone retaining walls. The area is a testament to stone’s longevity. Walking along the area, you will see great examples of stone walls mixed with ironworks and the live oaks.

The stonework in Savannah is vividly asymmetrical. The rocks used are ballast stones from afar that cobble the streets and reinforce the walls. Constructed during colonial times, the stones help to bridge the industrial setting with the natural setting. As you walk around, you’ll notice the different shapes and sizes of the rocks in the streets. The variety inspires. The ballast stones were brought over from different areas in ships to help weigh them down. Once the ships arrived in Savannah, the rocks were dumped to make room for the more valuable goods from the colonies.

Grant Park in Atlanta

The Grant Park Historic District is one of Atlanta’s oldest neighborhoods. The distinctive landscape is characterized by rolling hills and scenic vistas. Mature trees line the streets, which provide an extensive sidewalk system. Due to the topography, retaining walls are an important landscape feature. Driving through the area, many of the homes provide examples of how to use stone in walkways, steps to the entry, and in the facades.

Need more inspiration? Look through our online catalog at fieldstonecenter.com/fieldstone-catalog/. We can also help you choose from our wide selection of quality stone. Contact us at at 770-385-7708 for more information.

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Have you looked out in your garden lately and wondered what you could do to make it more appealing in the winter? If the warm weather isn’t appealing enough, then add stone into your winter garden. Stone is a beautiful and versatile material that adds interest to the garden.

A beautiful stone pathway

Since many plants and weeds are dormant in the winter, it is a good time to etch out a pathway in your garden. Flagstone is ideal for pathways because it is functional with its flat cut, non-slip surface and ability to handle high traffic. It comes in a variety of shapes and colors for every gardener’s style. Create a walkway with a pattern that weaves along in a casual way for an enchanted garden or is structured with well-defined lines for the sophisticated garden.

The perfect water feature

Place a water feature along your pathway for visual appeal and tranquility. A water feature can be quite easy to maintain in our mild winter climate. Design a unique, custom natural stone water feature that has character. Stack drystone to create a waterfall effect or place river rocks around a deep pool with a fountain to give the appearance of a pond. Using natural stone to design your water feature will give an authentic look that blends with your garden.

Textured groundcover of aggregates

Using aggregates as groundcover adds texture and color to different areas of your winter garden. You can place aggregates such as pea gravel or egg rock around your trees or use aggregates to replace large areas of grass. This decorative alternative to grassy areas not only adds interest to the landscape, it also provides a head start against weeds and helps to reduce maintenance come spring. Boost the creativity level up a notch by alternating different types of aggregates with layers of ground-hugging evergreen plants.

The intimacy of a rock wall

Building a rock wall can help dress up your landscape and provide vertical appeal to your winter garden. It also helps to divide up the space and create intimacy so that it doesn’t look so vacant in winter. Design a rock wall around a patio or to form a border. Drystack stone can be piled in a neat, organized manner for the meticulous garden or offset it in an irregular pattern for a more whimsical garden.

Decorative columns

There is something about columns in the garden that give a finished look. It’s that added detail that can provide an artsy flair or regal quality, depending on the type of natural stone material and design. Natural stone veneer is a popular material for decorative columns and is available in a variety of stones to match the style you want.

Fieldstone Center has a large selection of stone products for every project in your winter garden. Share your ideas and we can help you select the right stone for the application. Contact us at (770) 385-7708.

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Fall is almost here and it is a great time to do some garden projects. If you are finding yourself doing the same type of projects year after year, it might be time for a change. Although your mind might be on the plants in your landscape, you don’t have to limit your vision to the living environment.

Consider blending in hardscape materials to compliment your surroundings. Mixing stone materials into your landscape can provide lasting beauty and decrease your fall gardening chores so you have more time to enjoy. Stone is versatile and with numerous materials to choose from, you can mix and match different materials to create a unique landscape that fits your personal taste.

Here are a few ideas for mixing materials in your garden:

Pair larger rocks with smaller rocks

Smaller rocks such as pea gravel make a great alternative to mulch when spread around plants or trees. Incorporate in a few larger rocks or a boulder here and there for visual appeal. You can even create a dry creek bed between an area of trees by using larger riverrock or boulders.

Make a gravel path around stone garden beds

Garden beds can bring your plants up to your level and add a new dimension to your garden. They can also add a lot of charm when constructed of granite cobblestones or drystack stone. Entice yourself to walk along the beds more frequently with a gravel path that weaves around the area. There are a number of aggregates to choose from that would nicely complement your cobblestone or drystack beds.

Add pebbles to your paved walkway

If you are thinking of installing a paved walkway or patio, add visual appeal with beach pebbles placed in the space between pavers of a fieldstone walkway or as an edge. The pebbles will help to soften the look. Pavers and pebbles can be arranged in an orderly pattern or intersperse the pebbles for a more random design. You can also set pebbles and sand in concrete along the edges and corners of your patio to create a carefree edging design.

Create depth with wide layers of different aggregates

Aggregates are very versatile in their applications and can help to add layers to a landscape. Border a large area of plants and trees with a wide edge of pea gravel lined and a second edge of riverrocks. Or use large stepping stones in a wide gravel walkway to emphasize the size.

Give a reason to linger with a stone focal point

If you have a wide grassy area that looks plain, consider adding in a focal point in the center with a path. A custom limestone fountain or small waterfall made of drystack stones can create an interesting central focal point. Pave a small area with fieldstone around the feature and create a resting area with a few stone benches. Create a courtyard effect by laying a straight pea gravel path that passes around the focal point area and goes from one end of the space to the other end. Add intimacy to the area by surrounding it with a wall, such as one constructed with drystack stone, and gated entrance.

There are so many ways to incorporate stone into your landscape and mixing the different types of stone can add to your landscape’s natural beauty. Choosing the stone can be just as fun as creating the design! Fieldstone Center has a wide selection of stone material to choose from. Call us for more information at (770) 385-7708.

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Stone will stand the test of time. It is durable and long lasting. Its use in landscape design is called hardscaping. And while stone is hard, it also gives a softness to landscape design projects. The trick is to use it so it blends seamlessly with the natural environment. When done well, adding stone into your landscape creates a design you can appreciate for a lifetime.

How do you create a landscape that lasts and is appreciated for years?

Choose the best materials for the purpose.

Paved walkways and patios give permanence to an area but don’t have to be boring. Concrete is boring and also cracks over time. You want function, longevity and attractiveness. Using quality materials that are durable and weather well is important. Stone is one of the most durable, long-lasting materials used in landscape design projects. And it provides a natural beauty that can look attractive in any setting. It also doesn’t fade so it maintains its color. With its versatility, stone can be used for walls, walkways, garden beds, patios, outdoor fireplaces, firepits, seating areas, and more.

Incorporate low maintenance elements.

When you have areas that require little effort to maintain, the landscape maintains itself and shows the way you want it to look for a long duration. Stone resists weather and ultraviolet damage. It requires minimal maintenance. It is hard and if it chips or scratches, it is not easily noticeable. Use natural stone to hardscape areas where plants are hard to grow or in place of lawn so you can reduce your watering and mowing. The result is that you will be incorporating low maintenance elements with the permanent beauty of stone.

Build strong structures.

When you think of landscapes that have endured, you might think about rolling hills divided by stone walls that have lasted generations. They stand the test of time. Stone walls are strong structures that can be built directly into a sloping or terraced landscape, or to form boundaries along a property edge or patio area. And there is a large variety of stone that can be used to build strong structures in a landscape. In addition to stone walls, think about granite cobblestone driveways, bluestone steppers, flagstone seating areas and stone veneer building facades.

Design for lasting impressions.

Blending strength of structures with the living environment is an art when done well. Mix stone with other materials or other stone to create a rustic look in a wooded or casual environment. Use it in solid lines or geometric shapes for a more formal, well manicured landscape. Impress by choosing a material that adds value to the surroundings and matches the style so it seems like it belongs there. Look at the origins of stone. For example, fieldstone is popular in agricultural settings, riverrock along river settings, and ledgestones along more rugged, cliff settings.

When it comes to creating a landscape that stands the test of time, stone is a versatile option. It impresses while continuing to look beautiful and endure the elements season after season.

Fieldstone Center has a wide selection of quality stone for many types of landscape projects. If you would like see our selection or find out more information, contact us at 770.385.7708.

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Here are a few design ideas to landscape with stone:

Create garden beds with granite cobblestones.

The larger cobblestones can make a space appear larger while providing a barrier against weeds, grass, and mud. Stack the cobblestones casually for a rustic look or lay them evenly for a more sculpted look. Change the height of your stone beds to create depth while keeping the consistency of cobblestone for balance.

Lay flagstone for a patio surface or pool area.

Flagstone is a beautiful alternative to a plain, concrete pad. It has an abundant color palate and unlimited pattern options. You can choose from cut or irregular patterns, and use one consistent color or a variety of hues to create the look and feel you want.

Step into your own private space with stone steppers.

Use solid stone steps to create either an elevated or sunken area that gives the appearance of a private space. And if you have a hilly slope, add a stone staircase that leads to a hidden sitting area.

Customize your walkways by adding stone details.

Stone edging or pavers mix well with different materials such as concrete, gravel, or mulch. Consider laying cobblestone or pavers in sections of a sidewalk to break up the concrete and provide visual appeal. Line your walkways for a sculpted look. Or, transition from concrete to stone to emphasize an approach to the door or an area that has a fountain.

Dress up your front entrance with drystack columns or retaining walls.

If you have smaller area, give the appearance of height by stacking drystack stones to form columns. And if you have a large, sloping yard, create a terraced landscape by dividing the levels with drystack retaining walls.

Build a stone fire pit and seating area.

Using pavers, design a round or square fire pit, expand the area by paving the ground, and then frame the area with stone benches. It will be a little extra luxury that makes your backyard space a stylish hangout with friends and family.

Stone is the perfect material to add luxury and rustic elements to your outdoor space. Mix and match stone materials for a dramatic effect or blend materials for visual interest. The combinations depend on the look you want to have and what you feel is right.

Fieldstone Center has a wide selection of stone to choose from. We can help you decide on the right stone to use in your landscape design. Contact us for assistance at 770-385-7708.

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