The landscape of northern Indiana is characterized by stones. There is often a problem with stones for farmers. It is possible to create unique garden borders with them for landscapers. A large stone often serves as a land marker in parks, or as a sturdy jungle gym for children. Stones provide the foundation of the Bremen business that Marlin and Rose Miller founded more than a decade ago.
Artistic Stone, a masonry business specializing in stone veneers, was founded by the Millers in 2009.
The reason we investigated the stone veneer was that [Marlin] wanted to leave the factory.
Seeing the business as an opportunity to spend more time with their family was important to them.
Working together is nice, Rose says.
As a work-from-home family, the Millers enjoy the opportunity for their children to learn skills and gain knowledge that would otherwise be impossible.
A lightweight clay called haydite is mixed with concrete to form the stones. There is an individual mold for every stone.
Rose explains, “There aren’t panels that we pour then put up on the wall.”.
To make them look real, the molded stones are dyed.
Rose says she mixes the dyes and comes up with new colors when people want a new color. My favorite part of that is to come up with as many color combinations as I can.”
It is possible for the stones to be almost any color the customer desires because of the variety of options available.
Any design can be made in any color, and the Millers have five different stone types they can mold in-house. The Millers have outsourced veneer styles that cannot be made in the Artistic Stone workshop on rare occasions.
Whenever a new project begins, Marlin visits the site before offering the customer a free quote. The stones are colored and crafted by hand in the Artistic Stone workshop once the customer has chosen the style and color. As a next step, tar paper, wire mesh, and mortar are used to prepare the project area on the jobsite. Stonework is installed by the Artistic Stone team after the preparation has been set. Most projects are completed in a few days.
Sometimes, Marlin can complete a job from start to finish by the end of the week, depending on its size.
Despite its service area extending into Illinois, Michigan, and northern Indiana, Artistic Stone does most of its business here.
According to Rose, Marlin’s clients travel as far as two to three hours for the installation to take place.
Artistic Stone projects are only limited by the imagination. As an added bonus, veneer lasts for a very long time when properly maintained. Sealing it occasionally is part of this process.
In Marlin’s opinion, it doesn’t require much effort.
There have been dozens of projects completed by the Millers in the past, including accent walls, fireplaces, raised flower beds, retaining walls, mailboxes, chimney caps, and outdoor kitchens. Millers intend to keep their work extremely specialized.
Rose explains, “We don’t have a bunch of people out on the job, which keeps our quality consistent.” The Millers are hoping to expand into the area, she adds. No job is too small or too big.
If you are interested in giving your property a unique look, then Artistic Stone’s veneer is for you.
Rose says that Marlin has worked on a number of lake houses as well as for local families wanting to add a creative touch to their homes. Our clients are mostly homeowners who want to enhance their homes with an elegant look.
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