An entrepreneurial family carves out a niche for itself
In northern Indiana, stones are an interesting feature of the landscape. The presence of stones can be a nuisance for farmers. It is possible to make unique garden borders with them for landscapers. Land markers and jungle gyms are often made of large stones in parks. A business founded more than a decade ago by Marlin and Rose Miller of Bremen is based on stones.
Stone veneer is the specialty of the Millers’ masonry business Artistic Stone, which was established in 2009.
In order to get out of the factory, Martin looked into stone veneer, according to Rose.
Taking advantage of the business presented an opportunity for the Millers to spend more time with their families.
Rose says working together is nice.
The Millers’ favorite aspect of working from home is that Artistic Stone gives their six children the opportunity to gain skills and knowledge.
Concrete and lightweight haydite clay are used to make the sturdy mixture of stones. It takes time and effort to mold every stone.
“We don’t pour the panels and then put them up on the wall,” Rose says.
To make the stones look real, they are dyed as well.
Whenever someone wants a new color, I’m the one who mixes the dye. “I enjoy that because it allows me to experiment with different color combinations.”
Almost any color is possible because there are so many options.
Any design can be made with any color by the Millers, and they offer five different stone styles. Millers have been known to outsource veneer styles that aren’t feasible in Artistic Stone’s workshop on rare occasions.
Marlin visits the job site before offering a free quote to customers when a new project begins. In the Artistic Stone workshop, the stones are crafted by hand once the customer has selected the style and color. After tar paper, wire mesh, and mortar are applied to the project area at the worksite, the area is prepared for the project. In order to install the stonework, the Artistic Stone team must wait until the preparation has set. It takes about a week to complete a project.
In some cases, Marlin can have the job done by the end of the week, depending on the size of the job.
Most of Artistic Stone’s business happens in northern and north-central Indiana, but it also serves Illinois and Michigan.
Rose, one of Marlin’s clients, says he’s driven as far as two or three hours to reach the property.
You are only limited by your imagination when it comes to Artistic Stone projects. Furthermore, veneers last a long time if they are properly maintained. On occasion, you will need to seal it with a sealer.
It’s not difficult,” Marlin says.
Aside from accent walls, fireplaces, raised flower beds, retaining walls, mailboxes, chimney caps, and outdoor kitchens, the Millers have built dozens of projects in the past. Millers plan to continue doing extremely specialized work.
Our quality is consistent since we don’t have a lot of people working on the job,” says Rose, noting that the Millers are looking to expand their business. There is no such thing as a small or large job.
If you want to give your property a unique look, Artistic Stone’s veneer is ideal.
In addition to lake houses, Marlin works on several homes for local families who want their homes to have a creative touch. There have been some businesses we’ve done, but the majority have been homeowners who want to enhance their home’s appearance.
