Building With Feeling: Emotional Design in Masonry and Construction

Words: Sarah Lograsso
Photos: Westlake

Cultured Stone’s Cobblefield in Gray

Today’s homes, workplaces and outdoor spaces aren’t just made to look good or work well; they’re built to evoke a feeling. Whether it’s the welcoming curve of a brick archway, the grounded feel of a stone façade or the inviting layout of a hardscaped patio, every material and design choice can influence how people connect with their surroundings. That’s the impact of emotional design.

Masons, builders and contractors are already experts at bringing visions to life. But when they think about how a space feels, not just how it looks or performs, they can unlock something more for their clients. Emotional design can lead to spaces that reflect the way people want to live, work or play, whether that’s calming, energizing or something in between.

What Is Emotional Design?
Ever notice how a bright, sun-filled room can instantly make you happier? Or how sitting by a crackling stone fireplace makes you feel more relaxed? Emotional design is the idea that the way spaces are styled can have a significant effect on mood and behavior. And, we’ve likely all experienced it without ever realizing it.

Through the use of natural materials, colors, textures and layouts, builders can do more than just create beautiful, functional spaces; they can create environments that spark emotion and make people feel truly connected to the place they’re in.

How to Incorporate Emotional Design Into Projects
1. Start with Emotional Goals
Emotional design is all about evoking specific emotions to create a positive experience. To start, it’s important to determine emotional goals early on so that a space can truly resonate. How do you want people to feel in the space? Should it feel warm and inviting? Bold and inspiring? Soothing and restorative? These answers can shape everything from material choice to overall layout.

2. Choose Natural Materials for a Biophilic Connection
One way to achieve emotional design is through the use of natural materials, such as stone, brick or wood. Because of our innate connection with nature, these materials can help deepen our bond with a space. Such biophilic connections have been shown to improve well-being by reducing stress, lowering heart rates and even decreasing blood pressure.

While full-bed natural stone can be costly and difficult to install, lightweight manufactured stone veneer offers the same beauty with added durability and versatility. Irregular profiles like Pro-Fit Alpine Ledgestone in Black Mountain from Cultured Stone are an accessible, stylish way to bring the outdoors inside, perfect for accent walls, fireplaces or kitchen backsplashes.

3. Use Color to Influence Mood
From paint and décor to furniture and finishes, intentional color choices can express personal style while influencing mood on a deep, psychological level.

Warm hues like reds, oranges and yellows tend to energize and revitalize. Meanwhile, cooler tones like blues and greens promote calm and relaxation. That’s why soft pastels are often used in bedrooms to encourage rest, while bold, vibrant colors are popular in creative spaces to spark inspiration.

When selecting materials, consider those that come in a variety of colors to support emotional design. For example, manufactured stone veneer offers a wide range of colorways, offering design flexibility to achieve specific moods. Soft grays and light neutrals can bring a soothing, spa-like feel, while warm, earthy browns can add comfort to social spaces.

Highly versatile, manufactured stone veneer is available in a wide range of textures and colors designed to complement any style and evoke specific emotional responses. For example, Eldorado Stone’s Cliffstone in Nordic Peak, featuring soft blends of chalky whites and light grays, creates a calming, relaxed atmosphere that’s great for living room spaces.

4. Set the Tone with Texture
Color isn’t the only design element that influences emotions; texture plays a key role too. For example, the smooth, rounded surfaces of a spa can help create a calming, serene atmosphere. Conversely, a living room filled with plush rugs and soft blankets can feel warm and inviting.

Certain materials can enhance this tactile-emotional connection. Stone can evoke feelings of authenticity and timelessness, making a space feel grounded. Meanwhile, wood can introduce warmth, creating a cozy, welcoming environment. When used together, stone and wood can create a harmonious balance of these emotions. For example, a stone fireplace paired with wooden beams can evoke both stability and comfort.

The varied surfaces and textures of stone introduce depth and dimension, especially when combined with tactile elements like textiles, wood grains or other natural finishes. Eldorado Stone’s RoughCut profile pairs beautifully with exposed wooden beams to create a balanced feeling of strength and warmth.

5. Create a Spatial Flow
In emotional design, spatial flow refers to how the layout and movement within a space can shape how we feel. One of the most popular approaches is creating an indoor-outdoor flow, using cohesive design elements to blur the line between interior and exterior. This seamless flow invites a sense of openness and relaxation, encouraging social gathering and connection. The use of complementary materials, colors and design motifs cuts through the chaos of busy households, creating a calming environment that’s grounded in consistent design details. For instance, using the same stone profile on an indoor fireplace and an outdoor patio wall or extending a kitchen backsplash to a covered grilling area can make spaces feel larger and interconnected.

Ideal for both interior and exterior applications, an option like Stack Ledge in Sienna from Dutch Quality Stone is a simple yet impactful way to create an indoor-outdoor flow.

The Emotional Edge
Masons, builders and contractors are expected to deliver on both aesthetics and performance. Emotional design doesn’t mean sacrificing either; it’s a way to exceed those expectations. By considering how materials, colors, textures and layout influence how people feel in a space, they can create projects that resonate on a deeper level. It’s not just about building structures; it’s about building lasting connections that stay with people long after the project is finished.

Building With Feeling: Emotional Design in Masonry and Construction

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