Matching Stone to Your House

Matching stone to your house is probably the single most important aspect of landscape design.  This way of thinking takes a lot of the guesswork out of material choice.  Essentially this reduces a lot of stress and allows the focus on other parts of the project.  Try running through the list below and see what comes to mind and ultimately what direction you might be steered.

1 – House Color:

House color is numero uno.  Good design will match stone choice to the house color.  Design can also go the opposite side of the color wheel to create balance.  Lastly, the choice can veer slightly off what exists seeking multiple tones and harmony.  When applying this to natural stone the options are limited so color choices are fairly easy.  On the other hand, concrete options are all across the board.

2 – Trim:

The trim color of certain homes usually screams out what stone to use.  The most prominent trim color is white.  When we see white we typically hone in on Fond du Lac.  When grays are used then our design path typically will go to a Bluestone.  Earth colored trims are best friends with limestone.

3 – Roof:

The roof color isn’t as vocal as the house color or trim.  Sometimes you won’t get a feeling from it at all.  Then, at other homes, it can be very telling.  The majority of roof colors foretell a paver or edging choice.  It can also drive the project’s mulch and structural elements choices.

4 – Indoor Stone:

Head to your kitchen or fireplace and this can often lead to what type of wall will be built or what path stones will be laid.  The classic example stems from the use of stone veneer around a fireplace.  This exact stone can usually be sourced and made into a wall or another fireplace in the backyard.  This certainly creates excellent cohesion from inside to out.

5 – Door:

If you have a red door its perfect match is dyed red mulch.  This is a non-stone option and about the only one.  Other doors colors are very versatile and team up well just like the house color or roof.

6 – Driveway:

Driveways are made out of pavers, concrete, and asphalt.  Most of the time it is acceptable to use the same paver throughout the rest of the yard.  Concrete lends itself to using a lighter color paver to stay consistent.  Trying to avoid an abrupt light to dark transition most pavers or walls in proximity to a dark driveway would remain in the dark hues.

7 – Existing Stone:

Existing stone in the landscape can be carried into a new project.  Designers and homeowners naturally latch onto what is already existing in the yard if it is a material of good quality.  Hopefully, materials can be sourced that will look fairly close.  Sometimes there can be minor discrepancies from old stone to new, but in most cases, it works out just fine.