In a hurry? Here’s the company we sourced our stone from. Want to shop my home finds? Go here!

Here, I’m delivering every detail of my stone home exterior, right down to the mortar grooves and the “did-they-really-ask-us-to-do-that?” requests we gave our mason. Because when you’re building a custom home, those details matter, especially on the exterior. It’s the first impression, after all.

We wanted a stone home exterior that wouldn’t feel trendy now and dated in ten years. So, we did what any reasonable people would do… we blended two different natural stones, made some bold requests, and drove our mason a tiny bit crazy (don’t worry, he ended up loving it!).

Why We Chose Natural Stone Veneer for our home exterior

Let’s talk budget and beauty. We opted for natural stone veneer, which, yes, is more affordable than full bed stone both upfront and in labor costs. Plus, it looks stunning without compromising that rich, authentic feel.

Most people pick one stone and call it a day. But our vision needed a little more nuance.

The Blend: 80% Essex, 20% Bonneville

Here’s the exact stone formula of our stone home exterior from Beehive Brick & Stone:

• 80% Essex Stone
  This one’s very gray, modern, and linear, which we loved, but our home isn’t overly modern. So we asked the masons to chop the stone and hand-chisel the edges to create a more natural, timeless feel.
  Pro tip: You could also ask for it to be tumbled for a similar effect.
• 20% Bonneville Stone
  Bonneville added just the right warmth with creams and whites. No chopping or chiseling needed, she was ready to shine straight out of the truck.

The Bold Moves That Made our stone home exterior Ours

Here’s where things got fun (and by “fun” I mean “slightly terrifying for our mason”):

1. Vertical Stones, Yes, Really
   We asked for random vertical pieces throughout the stonework. It’s hardly ever done with natural stone here in Utah, but we’d seen it in other high-end builds and loved how unique it looked. It adds unexpected charm and texture, exactly the timeless but custom feel we wanted.
2. Recessed Mortar Finish
   Instead of the trendy smeared or flush mortar (which can date a house), we requested a ½ to 1-inch recessed mortar joint. This lets the stone shine on its own and gives a lovely shadow line. Plus, it’s a subtle way to future-proof your home’s exterior style.

Final Result: Custom, Timeless, and Full of Character

From the chopped Essex to the vertical surprises and that dreamy recessed mortar, every choice here was intentional. And even though it took a few extra conversations (and maybe a raised eyebrow or two), our exterior stonework turned out better than we ever imagined.

Want to bring some of this inspiration into your own home? You can browse every detail we’ve used, shop our home here.

More Exterior Design Tips to Steal:

• Always consider blending materials for depth and character.
• Customize your mortar style, it makes a huge difference.
• Small pattern changes (like vertical pieces!) can transform an ordinary finish into something designer.
• Stay away from one-size-fits-all trends. If it’s everywhere today, it might be dated tomorrow.

Have questions about stone, installation, or how to talk your mason into vertical placement? Drop them below or DM me on Instagram, happy to help however I can.

Liking my front porch look? Read about it here!