Stone veneer could be trending this year for local home improvement projects.

Will this be the year for stone veneer? Local remodeler, Opal Enterprises, predicts siding with a strong chance of stone. This forecast isn’t up in the air -- Opal is using data from social media activity, home shows, and past projects to predict which exterior products will be trending this renovation season.

Tara Dawn of Opal Enterprises recently ran a booth at the Naperville Home and Garden show. She presented a variety of their product samples and was impressed by how much attention the stone siding got. “Stone is SO popular! Homeowners would NOT stop touching the stone samples on my table and they had lots of Q's about it,” noted Dawn.

This isn’t just any stone we’re talking about. What makes this stone special, is that it’s actually more like siding. In fact, some don’t even require mortar and are affixed with mechanical fasteners. These siding like qualities make stone veneer very appealing to homeowners. It’s lightweight and cost effective, with the look and feel of a solid stone wall.

People sure do love the way it looks. Dawn says they're seeing a high demand for stone on Pinterest. Their most shared pin to date features Boral Versetta Stone® veneer. It’s been repinned to over 3,400 boards to date, and in the last 30 days the pin has seen nearly 70,000 impressions!

A high return on investment (ROI) may be another reason why homeowners love the idea of stone veneer. A 2017 report from Remodeling Magazine indicated that the average cost recouped after a manufactured stone veneer installation was 104.5%. Dawn says they’ve seen an uptick in requests for stone in Naperville and people are getting more creative with it. This may be an effort for homeowners to add unique curb appeal, but ROI likely has a big influence. People want to invest in something that will last and add value to their home beyond looks. Cost vs value information is something that Opal covers with many homeowners during the project proposal.

With all factors considered, Opal is expecting stone veneers to be a hot topic this remodeling season. They plan to take lead this trend by adding more photos and information about stone products on their website, and social media platforms like Houzz and Pinterest. Dawn says stone siding is a way to differentiate not only for homeowners, but also for Opal as a stone installation specialist.

Looking for some stone inspiration for your home? A Pinterest board or a Houzz ideabook are great places to start. Opal even offers collaboration with local homeowners on a custom collection just for their project. This makes the planning process flexible and fun.

You just might see more stone being installed in your neighborhood this year. Maybe even on your house!

For more information about stone veneer visit:
www.opalexteriors.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-stone-veneer.