Monthly Archives: September 2016

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How to Instantly Upgrade Your Home With a New Stone Fireplace

When you walk into a home and examine the features, a fireplace is often one of the things that stick out the most.  It can make or break a first impression and really sets the tone for the feel of the room and even the entire home.  No matter how much you decorate your home with your own personal design aesthetic, if your fireplace looks outdated or odd there is not much you can do to disguise it.  But, there is one look that is timeless, elegant, stylish and versatile, and that is a stone fireplace.

The stone fireplace has been a staple of design for centuries, and for good reason.  It makes a grand statement, is effortlessly elegant, and exceptionally durable without being overly trendy.  It is perfectly fine to decorate with trends but when choosing architectural elements for your home it is best to stick with timeless classics to ensure they stand the test of time.  Investing in a stone fireplace will give you both intangible and tangible ROI – it really does add actual value to your home.  If you are looking to upgrade your home, one surefire way to do so in an instant is with a stone fireplace.  Stone fireplaces are incredibly durable, capable of lasting decade after decade.  A natural stone, such as limestone, can stand up to decades of use and its look will only continue to grow more naturally beautiful over time as it weathers.

In addition to instantly upgrading your home’s value with durability and long-lasting materials, a stone fireplace instantly upgrades your home’s style.  Whether your hone boasts a traditional look, modern vibe, or transitional feel, there is a natural stone fireplace for you.  Natural stone comes in a variety of colors and styles, and can be carved in a variety of ways to ensure that your new fireplace blends seamlessly with your home’s architecture and décor.  A stone fireplace is craftsmanship at its finest and silently communicates luxury to anyone who sees it.  Further, it is your chance to put your individual spin on your home’s architecture.  A house is not truly a home until it exudes your own personal style and by adding a stone fireplace, you are defining your home’s aesthetic as uniquely “you.”  Additionally, when properly sealed and protected, a natural stone fireplace is very low maintenance.  It will change and weather over time but, as mentioned, that is part of its natural beauty.  Beyond that, stone is very durable and requires little-to-no-maintenance.  If you want to upgrade the value and style of your home, one way to do so in an instant is with a stone fireplace.

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Types of Stone and Colors for Home Architectural Elements

We have often mentioned the unique beauty of natural stone that is the result of the varied nature of natural stone color and pattern.  At Architectural Stone Elements, not only do we offer our clients a selection of different carving styles to seamlessly coordinate with any architectural and decor style, but we carry a vast selection of colors and patterns.

First, we offer a gorgeous selection of Cantera stone.  The word Cantera is Spanish for “quarry”.  Cantera stone is quarried igneous stone that is then carved into exquisite forms by expert craftsmen, which gives it it’s immense value.  Each region in North America has its own unique Cantera stones that are produced in different colors, hardness and textures throughout.  Because it takes millions of years for this stone to be formed, it is an incredibly valuable resource.  Cantera stone comes in shades including neutral tans and beiges, as well as reds, greens, and other earth tones. Beginning in the 16th century, Cantera stone rose in popularity and became the prime choice for the building of monasteries and churches in Europe.  At Architectural Stone Elements, we want to provide our clients with the highest quality materials which is why we mine selected areas and quarries.  This customized carved stone is in very high demand and we ensure that our Cantera stone is handled by only skilled craftsmen that know how to properly handle such valuable material when hand-carving it into architectural and art pieces.

In addition to Cantera, we also offer a beautiful selection of limestone.  Limestone is a sedimentary rock that is composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite.  Travertine is also a type of limestone.  Limestone is typically available in whites, tans and cream colors.  What truly sets limestone apart is the wide variety of texture and tint that it exhibits.  This high density beauty is a top notch architectural stone and can be used in a variety of applications which is why it is often chosen over granite or sandstone.  Travertine has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties.  And Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock composed of re-crystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.  With our vast selection of such lovely and unique stones, and their colors and patterns, we can help any client find the ideal natural stone to suit their needs and enhance their home’s architecture, decorative style, and value.