Are you a fan of natural stone or indeed just the look of natural stone?  If you’re like me, you’re somewhat entranced by stone and like to keep up with the latest trends and innovations.  Even with such a classic material there are still plenty of strides being made all the time!  Here are some of the new stone products that I find absolutely fascinating.

Madagascar – African Limestone

This truly is a breakout stone product and one that I personally find incredibly exciting!  Madagascar is an exclusive African limestone that is cool in summer and warm in winter, so it’s comfortable underfoot all year round.  As well, it’s an attractive, dense, light stone that doesn’t have any glare and that can be used in all outdoor areas without trouble at all – lay it around the pool, as a driveway, in your entertaining areas, wherever you like!  It also doesn’t have too much colour variation from piece to piece, making it perfect for people who love the durability and style of natural stone but get turned off by excessive colour variations.  Best of all, it’s affordable being cheaper than even sandstone pavers!

Cultured Stone

Love the look of stone but find it cumbersome to work with and a bit too expensive for your budget?  If you’re planning on using your stone as cladding, Cultured Stone products may meet your needs.  Cultured Stone is lightweight, easy to install, and actually very affordable!  It’s even more environmentally sustainable than most regular stones as well because it is made up of at least 54 percent recycled content.  Add all of that onto the fact that it has all the benefits of regular stone (strong, sophisticated, range of colours, etc) and you’ve got a product that’s a real winner.  It may be a manufactured stone product but it’s just as long lasting as regular stone, coming with a 50 year limited warranty.

Advances in Manufactured Stone

Manufactured stone products have been around for quite a while now but there are still plenty of advances to be made.  One of the newest involves a push towards further environmental sustainability with the use of stone bonded together with resins made from renewable vegetable sources.  These manufactured stone products are ideal for benchtops in the kitchen or bathroom and they are packed full of benefits – scratch, heat and stain resistant, durable, attractive, consistent in quality, and so on.