The Wicked Yard

Narragansett, Rhode Island was first surging in popularity as a summer resort town in 1887 when a Queen Anne Victorian home was built at the corner of Narragansett Avenue and Robinson Street. With stained-glass windows, ornate bargeboards, and a charming assortment of shingle styles, it was a turn-of-the-century dream home. Flash forward 130+ years and the once stately Victorian still stands in the Pier neighborhood of the quaint seaside town, but the exterior was weathered, the interior structurally deficient, and the home sat on its corner lot, vacant and abandoned. 

Virginia-based interiors stylist Sarah Raak of SKG Designs had been planning a project to redo her backyard patio for a while. But if ever there was an impetus to finally get it going it was this thing called 2020. Although this year brought challenges, it taught us to learn to appreciate the nature, air and space around us. It also allowed us to think outside the box and to innovate — challenges that have always informed Raak’s approach to design.

Simply put, damp proofing works as a long term prevention method to ward off moisture decay in walls and foundations. The process prevents moisture and water from passing into interior spaces by creating a durable barrier. This process can also act as a barrier between the Earth’s elements and the surface of limestone.

There are many sustainable practices that manufacturers of building materials can adopt, but there is only one building material that is inherently good for the earth and good for your health — natural stone.

“The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Swenson? Family. The Swenson name has a history attached to it. 133 years as a family business and I’ve seen all sides of it,” said Walbridge.

John Doherty may not have been there when the Swenson Granite Works Newtown store (located just outside Danbury, Connecticut) opened in 2000, but he and his team have basically been there ever since. Deep roots and long standing connections are what you will find at the store—and this scenic small town—as a whole.

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.