The Wicked Yard

When most people think of granite veneer, they commonly associate it with heavy full bed veneer, but thin veneer is an excellent versatile alternative that can be used a number of ways for both the interior and exterior of your home.

On September 22, 2020, Swenson Granite Works debuted WOODBURY GRAY™ granite thin veneer at its South Hadley, Massachusetts store in partnership with the Homebuilders Association of Western Massachusetts Association. The Swenson Granite Works team is thrilled to add this thin veneer to the Woodbury Gray granite family of products and is excited to share the details with customers!

A black and white palette is a classic, with endless design possibilities from subdued to striking. Some may think that monochrome is boring or plain, but black, white and gray—when used the right way—can bring a space to life. A hardscape project in Laconia, New Hampshire shows what can be done with monochrome design—and with granite from Swenson Granite Works.

As pandemic must-haves go, first there were vegetable gardens to keep us busy outside this spring and then in the summer, pools — from the blow up kiddie pool variety to the in-ground sort — helped us stay out of the house while in the safety of our backyard.

As we move into fall, fire pits are trending for homeowners who want to extend their outdoor living season as long as possible because like it or not: winter is coming.

The fall season — with its cooler air and summer-warmed soil — is the perfect time for planting a garden in New England. If you are busy in the planning stages, consider adding elements to increase it’s sustainability by making it a little more earth friendly.

We’ve put together a few ideas for creating a sustainable garden that not only helps support the local ecosystem, but also avoids using toxic chemicals.

From helping a homeowner with a first-time project to overseeing a monument honoring veterans constructed in their hometown, the teams at Swenson Granite Works’ two New Hampshire retail locations in Concord and Amherst are deeply connected to their surrounding communities. It makes sense, seeing as they work with a material so closely connected to the Granite State and quarried just steps away in Concord.

Long before sheltering-in-place went into effect — before masks, social distancing and hand sanitizer were de rigueur — outdoor living was a thing. Over the last 10 years, homeowners have embraced the concept and created refuges that feature outdoor kitchens, patios, fire pits and fireplace features.

As most New Englanders are spending more time right at home these days, those projects that seemed to loom off in the future are getting checked off the list this summer. Adding a new walkway, patio or front steps are among some of the top requested curb appeal projects.

For the complete renovation of her mid-19th Century home in Westport, Connecticut, actress, entrepreneur and lifestyle blogger Eva Amurri wanted to stay true to its simple New England roots — both inside and out. So, just as the mom of three retained most of the original doors and hardware inside the home to blend old and new elements, the hardscape design incorporated natural stone details using granite that was quarried nearby, which seamlessly blends into the historic neighborhood’s landscape.

It’s a rivalry that goes back to colonial days pitting Pilgrims vs. Puritans, but hundreds of years later, denizens of Boston’s North and South shores remain two distinctly separate areas. Residents rarely cross borders to travel to the opposite Massachusetts shore, although some dispute just what towns make up each territory.