During the dog days of summer, it’s easy to see why many architects and homeowners are beginning to favor a buff or tan version of flagstone over the traditional blue/gray color. The reason is HEAT. On a 90 degree day, I can go into our stone yard and put my hands on our Buff Sandstone or Golden Sunset flagstone for an indefinite period of time. I can’t do that with the dark blue/gray, green or dark red flagging. My hands begin to burn after 10-15 seconds. If you and your family are prone to be bare foot while on the patio or (obviously) the pool deck, then the lighter material may be the way to go.
I’ve attached a really nice photograph that I ran across recently in a stone journal. To me, this patio and outdoor kitchen have a really fresh feel. It’s because of the light colored flagstone (Buff Sandstone), matching counters and wall cap, and light colored building stone. I believe this to be the future trend of stonework on the east coast.