Sandstone Veneer Retaining Walls and Outdoor Fireplace in Bentonville

This Bentonville property is a great example of what happens when modern architecture gets paired with natural stone masonry. The home itself has a clean, contemporary feel - metal panels, wood siding, big glass windows. On its own, it reads a little cold. Add natural sandstone, and the whole thing comes to life.

We used a full bed veneer of tan and blue sandstone throughout - both on the retaining walls that step down from the patio and on the outdoor fireplace tower. Full bed veneer means you're working with the actual thickness of the stone, not a thin slice glued to a surface. It's heavier, more labor-intensive, and it looks completely different. The depth and texture you get is hard to fake.

The fireplace is the centerpiece of the whole outdoor space. It rises well above roofline height, which makes it a serious architectural feature - not just a backyard add-on. We laid each course carefully to keep a consistent horizontal pattern while still letting the natural color variation in the stone do its thing. That mix of warm tan, deep rust, and cool blue-gray is what makes sandstone so interesting to work with.

The retaining walls tie everything together. They create a defined patio level that separates the outdoor living space from the open lawn below - and they do it in a way that feels natural to the land rather than forced. Stone masonry and hardscapes like this are one of our core specialties, and this kind of project is exactly why we love what we do.

When natural materials are used well, they don't compete with a modern home - they ground it. This space went from a bare slope and flat wall to a full outdoor living area with structure, warmth, and a fireplace you'll actually want to use.