SPONSORED CONTENT -- (StatePoint) With warm weather here, it’s time to make the most of your home’s outdoor living spaces.

“Whether you want to beautify your landscaping or add elements to your patio that will help you entertain, using manufactured stone veneer is a smart, on-trend choice,” says James Alpeter, stone marketing manager at ProVia. “A versatile and charming alternative to brick, high-quality manufactured stone looks natural, but can be installed much more quickly and affordably than the real thing.”

Project Ideas

As you mull over your plans, consider these three manufactured stone project ideas, all of which will boost the beauty and functionality of your outdoor living spaces:

1. Outdoor kitchens. Manufactured stone allows you to think well beyond a simple grill by building a complete outdoor kitchen. Depending on your budget and goals you may include a prep space, a sink, refrigeration and storage, and go for more niche features like a pizza oven. No matter how you choose to build this space out one thing is certain, you will be creating an instant room-like area to gather for conversation and laughter, or to relax after a long day of work.

2. Outdoor hearths. Enjoy the warmth and ambiance of flames on cool summer nights with an outdoor hearth, which can provide a stunning, one-of-a-kind focal point, whether it’s connected to the home or part of your backyard patio. Imagine having friends over for hot mulled cider and s’mores or snuggling up in front of the fire under a star-lit sky. For maximum comfort, treat this space as you would your family room, adding outdoor-grade couches, cushions and rugs.

3. Landscaping. Have you ever dreamed of having a water feature in your backyard that would provide a habitat for koi fish or local wildlife? Is it time to take your garden to the next level? Manufactured stone is ideal for a range of elegant landscaping applications, from surrounds for a small backyard fish pond to raised planting beds to retaining walls.

Selecting Materials

Manufactured stone is as versatile and authentic-looking as natural stone, offering endless options to tailor your project to your unique aesthetic. Stone profiles range from the classic shape and texture of limestone to the irregular and imperfect look of ledgestone to the layered and precise fit of dry stack stone. They also come in various hues, so you can go for a warm, cozy feel or a sleek and striking look.

For the true depth and character of natural stone, just be sure to select materials inspired by nature itself. The process at ProVia, for example, starts with trained stone masons who select stones from nature to create the casts used to build their molds, and who pay careful attention to the contours and varying hues of natural stone. With ProVia, you’ll also have the opportunity to select the grout color, which is a factor that should not be overlooked.

“Contrasting grout colors can be used to intensify the overall look while complementary grout colors can soften it. Selecting a grout color that mimics the dominant color of your stone can help blend materials into a near-seamless palette,” says Alpeter.

Look before you leap with the brand’s Stone and Grout Visualizer tool, found at www.provia.com/stone/grout-visualizer/. For additional design inspiration, visit www.provia.com/stone/applications/.

This season, consider outdoor projects that will not only extend your home’s outdoor living spaces, but add elegance and charm while you’re at it.