How to Increase the Curb Appeal of Your Home Using Natural Stone

When it comes to adding stone to your house for curb appeal, the value is both aesthetic and practical. Well-manicured landscapes, pleasing cladding, and paint colors, as well as clean drives and walkways, exude tidiness and uniformity that's appealing to homeowners, passersby, and potential buyers.

With the increasing popularity of curb appeal ideas, natural stone offers a low-maintenance way of maximizing the value of your home. From pathways to windowsills, walkways, and more, architectural natural stone can give your home a beautiful makeover that will last for years. Here's what our team at Stone Center recommends for adding curb appeal.

What Is a Home's Curb Appeal?

Before we offer you our tips, let's start with the basics. Curb appeal refers to the visual appeal of a home's exterior when viewed from the street. It encompasses a range of elements, such as landscaping, architecture, colors, and features, that collectively make a property more attractive and inviting.

A well-curated curb appeal can boost property value, inspire a sense of pride in homeowners, and create an inviting ambiance for visitors. Improving your home's curb appeal is a smart investment that can make a significant difference in enhancing your property's overall appearance and value.

See how our natural stone products and adding stone veneer to the front of your home can increase curb appeal.

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6 Stunning Ways to Transform Your Home by Adding Stone to Your Home’s Exterior

Whether you're planning to sell your home or simply want to spruce up your surroundings, these tips will help you make a statement with your curb appeal.

Add Stone Veneer to Front of House

The main types of stone siding include veneer, solid stone, manufactured stone, and faux stone. Stone veneer siding is one of the most impactful opportunities to transform your home's appearance, and it comes in both natural and manufactured options to suit any budget or style preference. More durable than aluminum and vinyl, a natural stone accent on a house exterior can add warmth and liven up an entranceway or outdoor wall with texture and character.

The good news is that stone veneer can be easily applied over concrete blocks, brick, or stucco, so revamping an outdated exterior is virtually hassle-free. Many homeowners create striking and beautiful contrasts by combining brick or painted walls and stone. It's even possible to upgrade a chimney with natural stone caps, adding stone veneer to the house roofline.

Not sure where to start? Check out our deep dives into various topics:
— Full Bed Stone Veneer vs. Thin Stone Veneer
— Everything You Need to Know About Manufactured Stone Veneer
— Cultured Stone vs. Natural Stone Veneers: Key Differences

Install Stunning Columns or Pillars

Simple changes like installing stone columns or adding stone veneer to existing ones can produce a big aesthetic impact. Natural stone columns complement many different styles of home, including Greek Revival, Neoclassical, Colonial, Federal, Cottage, Farmhouse, Craftsman, and Contemporary.

Beyond providing structural support, installing natural stone on plain exterior columns can transform a porch from standard to sophisticated. Combining natural stone columns with stone balustrades and veneer makes for an elegant exterior balcony.

Create Dynamic Texture with Stone Accent Walls

Adding stone to just a portion of your home's exterior can create a focal point that draws the eye and adds architectural interest. A stone-clad wall can break up the visual monotony of large façades and add serious character. When you add stone to the exterior of your house in strategic locations, you’ll gain maximum visual impact while keeping your budget in check.

For example, many homeowners choose to apply stone veneer to prominent gables or to create a striking contrast between upper and lower portions of the façade. The textural difference between stone and materials like wood, fiber cement, slate, or stucco creates a dynamic visual interplay that adds dimension and character. Consider using stone veneer, slate, or limestone in complementary colors to your existing siding.

Draw Eyes to the Entryway

Your entryway sets the stage for your entire home, and adding stone to front entryways instantly creates a welcoming, high-end look. Extend the stone to wrap planters, steps, or low walls to guide guests right to your door with style.

Light-colored stone can pop beautifully against dark siding — or flip it for bold contrast. It’s a simple framing trick that adds curb appeal and defines the transition from outside to inside. Finish the look with copper lights, wood accents, or iron hardware for a warm, layered entrance that stands out in your neighborhood.

Cover Foundation Walls with Stone

Exposed foundation walls can make a house look incomplete. One of the smartest uses of stone veneer siding is to wrap the foundation for a more polished appearance. Not only does this create a clean transition between your home and the ground, but it also adds a protective layer against the elements.

Many homeowners choose stone to conceal cracked or dated concrete bases. With stone, the base of your home becomes part of the design instead of an eyesore.

Elevate Garage Doors with Stone Framing

Garage doors take up a big chunk of your home’s front facade, but they’re often overlooked in exterior upgrades. Framing them with stone instantly adds elegance, turning functional doors into design features. The rich texture of stone contrasts beautifully with smooth garage panels, creating depth and curb appeal.

Stone framing brings a cohesive, intentional look when there are multiple doors on the property. Try adding columns between doors or arches above for extra charm. When matched with other stone elements on your facade, this approach unifies your home’s exterior and boosts visual impact.

Refresh Your Steps

Flagstone, bluestone, basalt, and Indiana limestone steps are popular options for outdoor areas that last a lifetime. They're a functional, safe, and durable natural material that can beautify your landscape by providing greater definition without the need for additional plants or heavy maintenance.

Your landscape design will dictate the choice of stone treads. Generally, people tend to either choose a rugged look, which is more bumpy and uneven, or fabricate flat stone veneer that's sleek and geometric. In terms of functionality, stairs can double up as seating or a retaining wall.

Transform Your Home’s Surroundings with Stone Landscaping Features

Your home isn’t the only thing that matters — your yard and surrounding hardscapes play a big role in curb appeal, too. Smart landscaping with stone can complete the look.

• Make your patio stand out: If your backyard patio feels like an afterthought, natural stone can change everything. Whether you're using full flagstones or combining decorative aggregates with larger pavers, the results are beautiful and practical. (Bonus tip: Use our patio paver calculator to estimate your needs before starting!)
• Install window sills: Window sills made from natural stone can be a beautiful addition to a home's exterior. The durability and low maintenance of natural stone make it a practical choice, ensuring the window sills remain beautiful for years to come.
• Refresh your walkways and driveways: Laying stone pavers for walkways and driveways adds texture and form to landscaping. Severe weather and heavy traffic leave a marginal impact on natural stone, which is long-lasting and less prone to fissures and cracks.
• Use decorative aggregates: Decorative aggregates add a unique and polished touch to gardens and exterior entertainment areas. They are well suited to rockeries, alpine gardens, and gravel gardens, especially if you want to create a low-maintenance and water-wise garden.
• Add a water feature: A stone water feature can add a sense of tranquility to your outdoor space. From a simple stone fountain to a more elaborate waterfall, there are many different types of stone water features to choose from. Incorporating boulders into your stone water feature can guide the flow of water or act as a focal point for the feature.
• Place natural stone edgings: Limestone or rustic rock can neatly demarcate flowerbeds, driveways, and pathways. Natural stone curbs make it easier to cut grass without accidentally damaging plants, keeping mulch contained, and enhancing exterior decor.
• Build a natural stone retaining wall: A well-built natural stone retaining wall isn’t just practical — it’s gorgeous! Use one to terrace a slope, frame a garden, or add dimension to a flat yard. As a bonus, it boosts drainage and soil retention while looking like part of your architecture.

The Cost and ROI of Adding Stone to Your Home

At Stone Center, we understand that adding stone to the front of your house represents not just an aesthetic improvement but a significant financial investment with impressive returns. The cost to add stone to the exterior of your house varies based on several factors, including the type of stone, coverage area, and complexity of installation.

^{*Prices depend on the type of stone, the complexity of installation, and your location. Don’t forget to factor in the scratch coat, mortar, wall sheathing, and labor.}

According to the JLC Cost vs. Value 2024 Report, stone veneer installation, averaging $11,287, delivers an exceptional 153.2 percent return on investment, making it one of the most financially beneficial home improvement projects available! This remarkable ROI surpasses kitchen remodels, bathroom updates, and most other common renovations.

Improve Your Home's Curb Appeal with Stone Center

Humans have used natural stone in architecture since the beginning of civilization, dating back almost 12,000 years. Today, stone remains a versatile and timeless material applicable to a range of functional and aesthetic building needs. If you require stone facing for homes to clad a wall or some bags of decorative aggregate to uplift your flowerbeds, we can help.

At Stone Center, we supply high-quality stone for commercial and residential use. Whether you want to add stone to the front of your house or repave your driveway, our experts will point you in the right direction. Contact us today to find out more about our natural stone for landscaping!