If you’re building a home from scratch there are often two colours you need to decide on. With a brick home, for example, it’s the main colour of the stone, plus the accent section. On the other hand, if your current home needs repairs to the brick, then you need to decide on the colour for the new stone. Either way, having to choose the accent (or second colour) can be tough. This article explores how to select the right stone for your exterior accent.

MOST POPULAR OPTIONS FOR THAT STONE LOOK

The look of stone is extremely versatile. It can be natural and rustic, or modern and minimalistic.
STUCCO: In actuality, stucco is a decorative coating. It’s a cement plaster that’s applied wet and then hardens, creating a strong stone-like finish. Stucco is flexible; expanding and contracting with the house. Nisby can offer 90 custom tinted colours as well as computerized colour matching.
NEXTSTONE: Faux stone that couldn’t possibly look any more realistic. NextStone is a safe and durable option, made with polyurethane, fire retardants, and UV inhibitors.
TANDO STONE: Composite stone that looks much more prestigious than most options on the market. It has the texture and low-gloss look that most homeowners want, but is installed as panels, making it a quick and easy option.
VERSETTA STONE: A great way to increase your design options. Versetta stone offers a traditional stone look, with a mortarless panelized design that’s easy to install. It’s covered by a 50-year limited warranty, in which time you’ll never need to paint, coat or seal.

DON’T TRY TO MATCH

This is a mistake many homeowners make, especially when repairing the exterior or building an addition. No matter how hard you try, you likely won’t find a stone that exactly matches your current exterior. Even if the exact same brick from the same manufacturer is being made, it’ll likely look different when it’s installed, because it hasn’t absorbed years and years’ worth of UVA and UVB rays.

Instead, look for a new stone that complements your current selection. There are two easy ways to do this:

CONTRAST. Choose a colour that is nowhere near the first one on the colour wheel. Popular examples are grey with white, or cream with brown.
PULL FROM WITHIN. If your original stone has multiple colours, choose one you’d like to highlight by making it your accent colour.

SAMPLES ELIMINATE THE GUESSWORK

If you were painting the interior of your home, you would bring home paint samples to find the right colour. Take this step with your exterior as well. It will, after all, be seen by all your neighbours and guests. Sit with the sample for a while, bring it around to the sides and back of the house as well. This way you can see how it looks in all light conditions, and from all angles.

FIND INSPIRATION ONLINE

Sometimes seeing what others have done is all you need to make the right decision. Your contractor should be able to offer you a gallery of past projects similar to yours. This will not only make you more confident in your colour selection, but will help ensure you’re working with the best team possible.