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Instant Castle

By Power, Matthew
Publication: Builder
Date: Sunday, February 1 2004
HEADNOTE

COST CUTTER

HEADNOTE

This affordable stone wall covering allows clients to indulge their gothic fantasies.

MAYBE THE FRENCH

ARE STILL TRYING TO get even for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's snide comments about Old Europe's irrelevance. They know that we upstart colonists in the States are fascinated with 300-year-old, stone-clad homes found everywhere in industrialized Europe.

A 30-year-old company called Modulo, based in France, is making a play in the United States, hoping to introduce affordable interior stone finishes. The product, made from reconstituted minerals, is designed to emulate the look of medieval manor walls in various regions of France. Of course, several other U.S. companies, such as Cultured Stone in Napa, Calif., already have a firm grip on the interior stone veneer niche, but Modulo hopes to use its medieval authenticity to turn heads.

Einar Hafstad, spokesperson for Module's U.S. presence in Hanover, Minn., says the company has just begun gearing up to supply builders and homeowners with its 60 product lines.

IMAGE PHOTOGRAPH 1

MANOR MANIA: Priced at $5 per square foot and up (not including installation), Modulo medieval stone walls may appeal to your Eurocentric clients.

"The interior product is not used much here yet," says Hafstad, "but we sell 20 million square feet a year in Europe."

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MODULO AND ITS AFFORDABLE INTERIOR STONE FINISHES, VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.BUILDERONLINE.COM, CLICK ON "THE MAGAZINES" TAB AND THEN CLICK ON "BUILDER ARTICLE LINKS."

In addition, make sure to read these articles:

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