Cultured Stone, a manufactured stone product, was installed in various portions of the home's exterior. The front porch of the house features European castle stone in "chardonnay," while the rear is clad with Watertable molded rock in taupe. TNAH builder, Michelle Horstemeyer, was excited about the installation of the product. "It doesn't have the weight of natural stone," which makes installation faster and easier, she says.

Another major advantage of Cultured Stone manufactured products compared to real stone, which is often mined from multiple quarries, is its color uniformity, Horstemeyer adds. www.culturedstone.com .

Miles of Tiles

Ann Sacks (a division of Kohler) provided a unique set of cast concrete tiles for the kitchen, the secondary entrance, and the laundry room. "The tiles look like wood pickets with limestone inserts," explains builder Michelle Horstemeyer. In this particular application, the 28-inch-long pickets are patterned with 8-inch square tiles. Each tile is dyed and sealed and can be stained. www.annsacks.com .

Burns Bright

Heat-N-Glo's Crescent direct-vent fireplace is featured in the keeping room and master suite. "The Crescent model is actually designed for kitchens," says Rob Stoy of Hearth Technologies, parent company of Heat-N-Glo, "but it makes a great statement in the bedroom, too."

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