Many Americans are in the process of renovating their homes as well as their outdoor living spaces. When choosing materials for these projects, natural stone slabs, ceramic slabs, and engineered stone are all popular. Since architectural stone and tile can be used for a variety of interior and exterior purposes, such as kitchen countertops, flooring, and hardscaping, it’s increased usage as a building material is not surprising.

Kitchen renovations are particularly in demand. In addition to addressing other aspects of their kitchen, such as replacing outdated appliances with energy-efficient ones, 93% of homeowners are updating their countertops. Most of these homeowners are choosing natural stone for these and other kitchen projects. The National Association of Home Builders, for example, reported that when these surfaces are well-maintained, marble countertops and flooring can have an exceptionally long lifetime. Marble flooring alone can last 100 years, and countertops have an even longer life expectancy.

Outdoor living spaces, which includes decks and patios, are also more in demand. While many existing homeowners may hire professionals to hardscape their outdoor areas with natural stone slabs, tile walkways, and raised beds, prospective home buyers are also looking for homes that already have these features in place. While some of the new homes being constructed do have patios and decks, it’s possible that the percentage may not be meeting the demand. In 2014, for instance, only 23% of the new homes being constructed had a deck and 56% had a patio.

Whether you’re renovating your home for sale or plan to remain there for decades to come, there’s an excellent chance that you’re using a professional design team and contractor to assist you. If you’re choosing to have your kitchen renovated, you may be interested to know that the 2016 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study indicated that 87% of the participants used professionals for their kitchen renovation projects. You may also want to consider having your bathrooms renovated. When you renovate these rooms as well as revitalize your outdoor living spaces, these projects can all raise the value of your home and bring you a substantial return on your investment should you decide to sell.