Living Stone Design + Build
Living Stone Design + Build is an Asheville, North Carolina design-build firm delivering high-performance green custom homes, renovations, and commercial projects across Western North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee for affluent homeowners seeking energy-efficient, wellness-focused residences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersAsheville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Living Stone Design + Build does
Living Stone Design + Build is a privately held design-build construction firm headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, operating under the legal entity Living Stone Construction, Inc. Founded in 1993 by Sean Sullivan, the company delivers custom residential homes, whole-home renovations, and select commercial construction projects across Western North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and the Charlotte metro. Its integrated team of architects, designers, builders, and realtors manages projects from lot selection through final build under a single contract, eliminating the fragmentation typical of separate architect-contractor engagements. The firm employs 11–50 people and supports an ecosystem of related brands including Atelier Maison & Co (high-end furnishings), ID.ology Interiors & Design, Living Stone Restorations (disaster recovery), and the Collaborative Living Magazine.
The company's core technical differentiator is a building-science-driven approach to high-performance green construction. Approximately 80% of Living Stone homes incorporate geothermal heating and cooling systems; foundations typically use Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF) or Superior Walls precast panels, with spray foam insulation throughout. Every home is HERS-certified by partner VandeMusser Design, Energy Star certified, and built to EPA Indoor Air Plus and NC Green Built standards, with low-VOC finishes, formaldehyde-free materials, and passive radon mitigation. The "Eight Levels of Service" process formalizes delivery from lot selection through furnishings and warranties, and tiered investment levels (Thoughtfully Crafted, Mountain Signature, Legacy Residences) segment the offering by finish quality, custom millwork, and material grade.
Revenue is generated on a project-based, one-time license model across four streams: custom home construction, whole-home renovations, commercial projects, and furnishings via Atelier Maison & Co. Go-to-market is consultative and referral-driven, supported by regional SEO pages, Houzz/Instagram/Pinterest portfolios, YouTube client testimonials, an annual magazine, and community events including First Fridays and the Asheville Parade of Homes. Customers are primarily affluent individual homeowners seeking mountain, lakefront, or in-town custom residences, with secondary exposure to commercial clients in healthcare and other professional services. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by lot, design complexity, and finish level; multi-year project contracts are standard.
Living Stone Design + Build firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Living Stone Design + Build
- Legal name
- Living Stone Construction, Inc.
- Website
- https://livingstoneconstruction.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Living Stone Design + Build is an Asheville, North Carolina design-build firm delivering high-performance green custom homes, renovations, and commercial projects across Western North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee for affluent homeowners seeking energy-efficient, wellness-focused residences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Living Stone Design + Build industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Custom Residential Construction
- NAICS
- New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236115), Residential Building Construction (2361)
- SIC
- General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Custom Home Building (IMAFABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH), Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE), Luxury Whole-Home Renovation (High-End Finishes & Custom Build) (HSAPAEAI)
Keywords
Where Living Stone Design + Build is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Asheville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Living Stone Design + Build business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom Home Construction: Design and construction of high-performance custom homes in Western NC, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Revenue generated through project-based fees for new custom home builds with integrated design and construction services.
- Whole-Home Renovations: Renovation services transforming existing homes into energy-efficient, high-performing spaces. Includes design services and construction management.
- Commercial Projects: Commercial construction services for business clients including office and retail spaces.
- Furnishings (via Atelier Maison & Co): Curated high-end furnishings through affiliated company Atelier Maison & Co, providing furniture, organic bedding, and interior selections for completed homes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom Home Projects - Price varies by scope |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels12 records
Living Stone Design + Build product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Living Stone Design + Build is an integrated design-build firm that designs, builds, and delivers high-performance custom homes for affluent homeowners across Western North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Core services span custom residential construction, semi-custom pre-designed plans, whole-home renovations, and commercial construction, with building-science-driven specifications such as geothermal HVAC, ICF foundations, HERS certification, and low-VOC healthy-home materials. Related offerings include disaster restoration (Living Stone Restorations), preventative maintenance, and affiliated furnishings and interior design services (Atelier Maison & Co, ID.ology Interiors & Design).
Product overview
Living Stone Design + Build is a design-build firm offering a unified portfolio of residential construction services centered on custom home building, renovation, and complementary design services. The core offering is Custom Homes (design-build custom home construction), supplemented by Pre-Designed Plans (semi-custom options from partner MossCreek), Renovations, and Commercial services. The company operates several sub-brands including Living Stone Restorations (disaster recovery), Atelier Maison & Co (furnishings), ID.ology Interiors & Design (interior design), and Collaborative Living Magazine (design inspiration publication). These sub-brands function as an integrated ecosystem—the core design-build team works in conjunction with the interior design and furnishings partners to deliver a 'Design Well | Build Well | Furnish Well' experience. Additional offerings include preventative maintenance plans and a proprietary Eight Levels of Service process guiding clients from lot selection through warranty.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Custom Homes Award-winning design-build custom home construction service guiding clients from architectural design through final build with an integrated team of architects, designers, builders, and realtors under one cohesive process. Targeted at affluent homeowners in Western North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee mountain/resort communities.
- Pre-Designed Plans (Semi-Custom)
Quantifiable outcome
- ~20% savings on annual utility bills with ENERGY STAR certification
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Living Stone Design + Build
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Living Stone Design + Build technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Living Stone Design + Build partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Atelier Maison & CocoreCurated high-end furnishings studio in Asheville and Cashiers helping clients furnish their homes with pieces supporting beauty, performance, and wellbeing. Part of Living Stone's 'Whole Living' philosophy covering design, build, and furnish.
- ID.ology Interiors & DesigncoreInterior design partner providing design services for custom homes. Co-branded projects featured on Living Stone website. Founder Laura Sullivan is married to CEO Sean Sullivan.
- VandeMusser Design, PLLC (Amy Musser)coreAmy Musser serves as HERS rater who certifies all Living Stone new homes and performs energy certifications and evaluations. Partnered for HERS Index Score assessments.
- Energy StarmajorEvery Living Stone home is Energy Star certified, meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines. Provides ~20% savings on annual utility bills and nationally recognized certification for home buyers.
- NAHB GreenmajorNAHB Green certification for sustainable building practices. Living Stone is recognized as NAHB Green Builder of the Year.
- Green Built of North CarolinamajorNC-specific green building certification program for energy efficiency and sustainable construction.
- Home Energy PartnersmajorePlus Certified Homes program for energy performance certification.
- NC Healthy Built HomesmajorNorth Carolina Healthy Built Homes certification program for healthy indoor environments.
- MossCreekminorArchitectural design firm providing pre-designed home plans (The Archer, The Hampton) that Living Stone builds for clients seeking semi-custom options.
- Collaborative Living MagazineminorAnnual design magazine showcasing Living Stone's award-winning homes, published by the company and distributed to prospective clients.
- Black Mountain Chamber of CommerceminorLocal chamber membership supporting community presence and business networking.
- Asheville Home Builder's AssociationminorIndustry association membership. CEO Sean Sullivan is past president and current Region X VP of NCHBA.
- Western North Carolina Green Building CouncilminorWNC Green Building Council membership supporting sustainable building practices and networking.
- AIA AshevilleminorAmerican Institute of Architects chapter membership supporting design professional community.
- Builders Association of the Blue Ridge MountainsminorOrganizer of Asheville Parade of Homes where Living Stone showcases featured homes annually.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Living Stone Design + Build competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Morgan-Keefe Builders: Luxury custom home builder based in the Western North Carolina mountains. Directly comparable to Living Stone because both target affluent mountain-region buyers with design-build custom construction and a comparable project-scale footprint.
- JAG Construction: Asheville/WNC custom home builder serving high-end residential clients across Western North Carolina. Comparable to Living Stone on geography, customer profile, and design-build custom delivery model.
- Homescapes Builders: Asheville-area luxury custom home builder focused on mountain-region residences. Comparable to Living Stone in target buyer, terrain-responsive design, and premium custom construction services.
- Wright Building Company: Western NC custom home builder serving the Asheville and surrounding mountain markets. Comparable to Living Stone as a similarly sized regional design-build competitor targeting the same affluent buyer base.
- Whitmire Custom Homes: Custom home builder operating in the greater Asheville/Western North Carolina market. Comparable to Living Stone in product type (design-build custom homes), buyer segment, and regional footprint.
Broad incumbents
- Toll Brothers: National luxury homebuilder with significant operations across the Southeast, including in the Carolinas and Tennessee. Comparable as a much larger incumbent pursuing the affluent move-up and luxury custom segments in markets where Living Stone operates.
- Arthur Rutenberg Homes: National franchise-style luxury custom homebuilder with franchisees across the Southeast. Comparable to Living Stone as a broader incumbent competing for the same design-led luxury custom buyer, though operating at much greater scale via its franchise model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Living Stone Design + Build social profiles
Digital presenceLiving Stone Design + Build compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance14 records
Living Stone Design + Build financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Living Stone Design + Build leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Living Stone Design + Build subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Living Stone Design + Build funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Living Stone Design + Build M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Living Stone Design + Build
What does Living Stone Design + Build do?
Living Stone Design + Build is an integrated design-build firm that designs, builds, and delivers high-performance custom homes for affluent homeowners across Western North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Core services span custom residential construction, semi-custom pre-designed plans, whole-home renovations, and commercial construction, with building-science-driven specifications such as geothermal HVAC, ICF foundations, HERS certification, and low-VOC healthy-home materials. Related offerings include disaster restoration (Living Stone Restorations), preventative maintenance, and affiliated furnishings and interior design services (Atelier Maison & Co, ID.ology Interiors & Design).
Is Living Stone Design + Build a public or private company?
Living Stone Design + Build is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Living Stone Design + Build founded?
Living Stone Design + Build was founded in 1993. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Living Stone Design + Build based?
Living Stone Design + Build is headquartered in Asheville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Living Stone Design + Build make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Custom Home Construction is the primary driver. The others are whole-Home Renovations, commercial Projects and furnishings (via Atelier Maison & Co).
Who are Living Stone Design + Build's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Morgan-Keefe Builders, JAG Construction, Homescapes Builders, Wright Building Company and Whitmire Custom Homes. Broad incumbents are Toll Brothers and Arthur Rutenberg Homes.
Does Living Stone Design + Build have an API?
No public API is recorded for Living Stone Design + Build.
What industry is Living Stone Design + Build in?
Living Stone Design + Build's product category is Custom Residential Construction. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAC, Custom Home Building, with a secondary code of IMAFABAH, Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House). Its NAICS code is 236115 and its SIC code is 1520.