Custom Stone House is making a stunning fireplace renovation the hottest home improvement project this season
By Laura Briedis
It has been said that a house with no fireplace is a house without a heart.
A fireplace adds extra warmth during the cooler months, creates a stunning design focal point, and increases your home’s value—making it the perfect home renovation project.
“Your fireplace really is the showpiece inside your home,” says Ronnie Stout, owner of Custom Stone House. “Nowadays, there are so many ways to update your fireplace, from floor-to-ceiling stonework to modern stacked stone.”
Specializing in fireplace makeovers, Custom Stone House offers everything in-house, from helping you design the stonework to manufacturing the stone to installing it.
“We also partner with Amish craftsmen to make wood mantels and install them over the stone,” says Ronnie, noting they can custom mill reclaimed barn wood beams for your project.
If you have an outdated fireplace, or just want a new look, and are considering painting it, ripping it out or covering it, Custom Stone House can take your fireplace from drab to fab in just a couple of weeks.
“When renovating your fireplace, we offer so many stone styles and custom color choices,” notes Ronnie. “And your original fireplace does not always have to be removed. Typically we can install stone over old brick.”
Stone Accent Walls
In addition to fireplaces, stone also can add an architectural design element to a bar or kitchen counter façade, or serve as an accent wall in any room.
“We use stone to set the mood in a room that reflects a client’s personality,” says Ronnie.
From underground swanky to an old English pub feel, an accent wall in a basement really makes a statement. And a stone accent wall is also a popular choice in family rooms that don’t have a fireplace as it adds some warmth to the décor.
While many homeowners are opting for an accent wall in their basement or family room, stone is also cropping up in bathroom designs.
“When you add stone to a bathroom, it evokes a natural warmth that makes you feel like you are relaxing outdoors while soaking in your tub,” comments Ronnie. “Accent walls are a popular design element as they create a mood, rather than just having painted drywall.”
Thousands of Options
Custom Stone House manufactures its own stone in a 7,200-square-foot plant in Lodi, so it can make an almost limitless array of colors. In its Medina showroom, there are sample boards that offer a starting point, along with a color palette of 40 different colors, and then the staff helps you narrow down your color choices and customize it to your preferences.
After you create your color, the company makes your own sample color board so you can use it to match other materials in your home remodeling project.
“By manufacturing our own stone, people can customize their stonework instead of picking from stock colors,” says Ronnie.
In addition to thousands of color options, there is a myriad of stone styles that can be manufactured—from Roman quarry to stacked stone to limestone.
When Ronnie started the company in 2015, he wanted to offer an affordable option for homeowners by cutting out the middleman. “We have wholesale prices, so rather than going through a supply store you get a better price directly from us,” he says.
Stone also is a popular option for your home’s exterior, and Ronnie says they work year-round installing foundation wraps, stone exteriors and yard hardscapes.
“We specialize in outdoor masonry that enhances your home’s curb appeal, as well as your yard’s hardscapes,” he says.
“Whether used on the exterior or the interior of your home, designing your own stone and picking custom colors allows you to make a bold design statement,” says Ronnie. “If you can envision it, we can create it.”
Custom Stone House is located at 107 N. Court Street in Medina. Hours are by appointment, Monday through Saturday. For a free, in-home estimate, call 330-635-2319 or visit CustomStoneHouse.com.