Articles written by guest contributors


Mark Booth of Booth’s Cobblestones installed the hardscape for the New American Remodel Home, and he was impressed with the Natural Paving USA pavers. “The stone is gauged very well and that makes it a lot easier to install. The thickness, the widths and lengths were all very consistent. It was easy to cut and handle, yet very durable, as it was not brittle, nor did it break. It was able to absorb a lot. When I went back after the show there was no damage at all after thousands of people walked on it.”

Natural stone stands the test of time
By Jenna Anderson, Natural Paving USA, Inc.

If you consider wonders of the world such as Stonehenge, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the Colosseum, you cannot help but be awestruck by the 2 things these ancient structures all have in common, they are a testament to time and they’re all made of natural stone. In addition to durability, natural stone offers a broad range of unique patterns, textures and colors. Is it any wonder so many manufactured pavers are designed to mimic natural stone.

Homeowners are investing more in their outdoor living areas today constructing elaborate outdoor kitchen, dining and living rooms that act as an extension of the interior living spaces.

Landscape Architect Scott Redmon says, “When I started my company in 1992 very few of my clients were putting the same level of finishes on the outside as they were on the inside of the house. Now, they are at pretty much the same level.”

As Scott’s wealthy clients have upgraded their exterior spaces, they’ve also shifted toward natural stone. He says, “For pedestrian areas, walkways and terraces, I’d guess 80% is natural stone now. 15 years ago, it would have been 30% or 40%.”

In the design process, Scott asks clients to look at the exterior from the inside of the house so that they can see the inside and outside at the same time. “If the inside has a beautiful stone floor and granite countertop but outside is a big step down, you're kind of just diluting the imagery.”


The homeowners wanted the look of the hardscape to complement that of the house built in 1937. Caron says, “So, we tried to go with products that were rather vintage. The pavers gave a really beautiful, classic look. It looks like it could have been there for many, many years. Yet it was just a little bit fresher and more updated.”

Scott applied this approach to greatly upgrade the outdoor spaces of The New American Remodel Home 2018 at the NAHB International Builders' Show. The show attracts about 90,000 builders, architects, and designers and features 2 homes: a new home and a remodel. Buses run non-stop for 3 days bringing in thousands to tour the homes.

Scott’s client, Farina & Sons, Inc., was totally on board for an extensive landscape upgrade for The New American Remodel Home. As both the builder and the homeowner, Victor and Caron Farina of Farina & Sons, Inc. had a lot invested into the project. They had no intention of “flipping” the house.

Caron says landscaping was sorely lacking when they bought the property. “It lacked a sense of majesty, a sense of weight, and oomph. The house sat up beautifully on the property, elevated above the street level. And, it was so big compared to most lots in town. A really nice size lot would be 100’ wide and this property is 225’ wide.”

Natural stone pavers (Promenade Classicstone from Natural Paving USA) dominate the project and provide the presence Caron was looking for. The natural texture and extra-large footprint of the pavers create a sense of grandeur.

“It really draws your eye and makes the existing house a little bit more impressive than it actually was. It’s really complementary to the style of the house – it looks and feels historical and timeless.”

Natural stone is an ideal candidate to create spectacular outdoor living spaces that will not only stand up to the elements and the test of time but create a seamless transition from interior to exterior spaces with modern yet natural aesthetics.

With the right products, such as those featured by Natural Paving USA, installation can be accomplished just as easy for both stonemasons as well as paver installers, without any special tools. The value of natural stone far exceeds the initial investment through its durability, ease of maintenance and permanence.


Natural Paving USA, Inc. offers a broad range of beautiful natural stone pavers. All have been gauged and calibrated to a consistent thickness and size making jobs easier to plan and layout. Visit NaturalPavingUSA.com


The pool was set off by a border of Promenade Pool Coping to match the Promenade Classicstone from Natural Paving USA.


Digital Edition
April/May 2024