Manufactured stone veneer is often top of mind for exterior facades—but the same benefits (and more) make it an ideal option for commercial interiors. From ease of installation to eye-catching aesthetics, manufactured stone can create a look designers love while infusing warmth, authenticity, and style into the space.
Why Is Manufactured Stone Suitable for Commercial Interiors?
Many of the traits that make manufactured stone veneer a go-to product for building exteriors carry over to the interior—and then some. Among the benefits for commercial spaces:
• Design versatility: Commercial interiors, particularly those used by the public, rely on beautiful aesthetics to portray an image and make customers feel welcome. Manufactured stone veneer’s sheer abundance of profiles, styles, and colors means specifiers can meet nearly any design need. Seeking a contemporary, linear look? You got it. Want something rustic and textured? It’s available. You can even find MSV that replicates the look of barn siding or other woods—splinters not included. Plus, there are looks and colors available that simply cannot be found in nature.
• Consistent appearance: Natural stone can vary greatly from piece to piece, over time and across locations; and it is not an unlimited resource. Because it is manmade, manufactured stones can replicate the varied look of natural stone, but with looks and colors can then be replicated over and over. This allows franchises to create consistency from location to location. It also allows individual stones to be replaced if they somehow get damaged.
• Biophilia: Biophilic design, which help building occupants connect with nature, is an ongoing trend. Manufactured stone veneer allows designers to marry indoors and out while creating calmer spaces—and do so without the higher cost of real stone.
• Lighter weight: Manufactured stone veneer’s lighter weight typically doesn’t need special structural support, and it’s suitable for some areas where natural stone is too heavy, such as barrel ceilings.
• Ease of installation: The lighter weight also makes MSV easier to maneuver into interior spaces for installation. Plus, the manufacturing process creates shapes that fit together nicely, so there’s typically less cutting and repositioning required versus the unpredictability of natural stone.
What Commercial Interiors Applications Make Sense for MSV?
Manufactured stone veneer offers design versatility for a range of applications in commercial lobbies, waiting areas, and much more. Try it for accent walls, fireplaces, and columns, and even for wayfinding and signage.
A few examples include:
• Hospitality: Cozy lobbies are welcoming to guests. Use MSV for a feature wall behind the check-in desk or wrapping the front of it, add style to interior columns, or infuse warmth around the fireplace. Franchises can easily replicate looks for familiarity and consistency, helping to create a sense of belonging.
• Healthcare: More and more hospitals are recognizing how warm interiors, versus cold, blank walls, can help in patient healing and well-being. In areas of the building where a sterile environment isn’t needed, such as lobbies and waiting rooms, MSV can easily add a comforting feeling or be a bit reminiscent of home. Stone signage can help draw attention to adjacent wings.
• Schools and libraries: Similarly, the warmth of stone and the biophilia it provides can ease stress in schools and add a calm, quiet appeal to libraries.
• Office lobbies and waiting areas: Manufactured stone’s versatility can strike nearly any vibe—whether you’re outfitting an ultra-modern urban accounting firm or the rustic headquarters of an outdoor store. The possibilities are endless to meet each company’s unique aesthetic for the perfect first impression.
• Restaurants: Add MSV as durable, eye-catching décor behind the bar, in lobbies, and more. This is another application where franchises can benefits from manufactured stone’s consistency.
No matter the location, application, or design vibe, manufactured stone veneer offers a host of benefits for commercial interiors. Browse our manufacturer members to get started creating the ideal design for your next project.