Renovating a 50s house: Laurence and Frédéric’s testimonial

Non classifié(e) 20 Feb 2026

Photo credits: Thomas Béhuret

When undertaking the complete renovation of an old house, the choice of façade materials is a crucial step. Laurence and Frédéric, a couple from Hauts-de-Seine, chose to transform their 50s house while preserving its authenticity. Discover how they enhanced their project with ORSOL wall cladding.

Renovating old buildings

After living in a VEFA apartment for many years, Laurence and Frédéric felt the need for independence and space. After seven years of searching, they settled on a typical 1950s house.

To respect the constraints of the Local Urban Plan (PLU) and optimize living space, the couple made a strategic decision: retain the original exterior walls rather than demolish.

Thermal performance and aesthetics: a winning combination

To meet the requirements of the RE2020 standard, Laurence and Frédéric installed external thermal insulation (ITE). The question of façade cladding then arose: how to combine modernity, aesthetics and technical constraints?

They chose the Rocky Mountain collection by ORSOL. Here’s why this cladding was the ideal solution:

Lightweight version (under-molded): To comply with the weight constraints on the insulation (less than 40kg/m²), the couple opted for the lightweight version of the cladding, perfectly suited to ITE.
A bold duo of shades: they combined a “natural” tone for the upstairs and an “anthracite” tone for the garage, creating a modern, elegant contrast.
A “coup de coeur” confirmed: Influenced by the recommendations of their friends and family, they validated their choice after consulting the ORSOL collections, without ever regretting their initial decision.

ORSOL support: an asset for the worksite

The success of a renovation project also depends on the quality of the support provided. Laurence and Frédéric emphasize the ease with which they were able to guide their installers thanks to ORSOL tutorials and technical data sheets. They also benefited from direct support from the ORSOL teams to answer all their technical questions.

“ORSOL offers quality products. Today, we are very satisfied with the result, and we have no regrets!” – Laurence and Frédéric.

Rocky Mountain Anthracite by ORSOL sublimated on a Passive House

Special stories 31 Oct 2025

Parement Rocky mountain ton anthracite ORSOL sur un bardage ossature boise

Photo credit: Nathalie POU

A Passive House, a lifestyle choice

Valérie and Patrice left Grenoble to realize an ambitious retirement project in Ollioules: the construction of a passive house passive house. Scheduled for completion in 2022, the house is a model of energy sobriety, thanks to its ultra-efficient insulation (30 cm of expanded polystyrene).

We have a colossal amount of insulation, which means we hardly heat at all in winter, and only use a little air-conditioning in summer.

The aim is to consume as little external energy as possible, while heating with the energy released indoors (household appliances, residents, etc.).

Le Parement ORSOL : La Touche de Caractère

Faced with a modern facade, mainly made of Viroc (wood-cement panels), the former Grenoble couple wanted a material that would bring texture and contrast. Their natural choice was stone, but in a lightweight material compatible with the structure.

Recommended by their Côté Carrelage dealer, they opted for ORSOL Rocky Mountain Anthracite-tone neomineral facing.

Rocky Mountain Anthracite cladding was chosen for :

Its dry-stone look in linear bars offers a natural yet contemporary style.
Its light weight, essential for application on wood-frame facades.
Its Anthracite color is perfect for creating a striking contrast with the house’s gray siding.

Used on 78m² of facades, notably on the terrace of the garden-floor rental apartment, the result lives up to expectations.

We’re very pleased with the look of the ORSOL cladding, which blends perfectly with the grey cladding, bringing contrast to the façade.

The Ollioules project proves that it is possible to combine the performance of a passive house with the timeless elegance of stone, thanks to ORSOL’s lightweight, designer solutions.

Interested in the Rocky Mountain collection for your own contemporary façade?

Find a dealer near you

A house in harmony with nature: Sylvie and Stéphane’s testimonial

Special stories 17 Sep 2025

maison dans le calvados avec un parement en pierre ton naturel

Sylvie and Stéphane Hecq, master builders in Calvados, have been working in the construction industry for almost 20 years. When they decided to build their own home, their objective was clear:

We wanted to build a house that met the latest RE2020 standards, combining traditional know-how with innovation.

To achieve this, they chose a house made of wood, stone cladding and zinc, which blends in perfectly with its natural surroundings. They opted for ORSOL’s Causse collection, a natural-toned cladding stone that clad 90 m² of exterior walls, covering the driveway, entrance facade and terrace. The stone is reminiscent of the typical regional stones found on the Bessin plain.

house in calvados with natural-tone stone cladding

For Sylvie and Stéphane, it was important that their home reflected their attachment to their region:

We wanted to live in a home that resembled our region, using quality materials.

Having known the ORSOL brand for several years, they made the choice for quality and lasting beauty.

We learned about ORSOL from an advertisement we found in a materials store four or five years ago. The product is beautiful, and lasts over time. All the houses we’ve decorated with ORSOL siding have always satisfied our customers. The rendering is very realistic,” they explain.

Authentic transformation with the Manoir ORSOL collection: Hervé’s successful bet for his home

Inspiration 29 Jul 2025

To give his home a unique soul, Hervé, an enthusiast of DIY, masonry and carpentry, set himself a major challenge: to build his house himself, from floor to ceiling. After letting his house “work” for a few years, Hervé decided in 2018 to sublimate its facades with ORSOL siding. His goal: to give his home a warm, authentic aesthetic. The challenge was met, with no less than 370m² of Manoir ORSOL stone to wrap the exterior walls and transform the house into a veritable architectural gem.

Hervé’s first visit to a specialist retailer was an instant success:

I was immediately hooked, the ORSOL stone is beautiful, I’ve had a lot of compliments and it’s very easy to install.

His natural choice was the Manoir collectioncollection, a reference reminiscent of the historic Burgundy stone so dear to the region. The result is stunning: many visitors are convinced they’re looking at an old building!
On the advice of the sales assistant, Hervé mixes natural and sienna colors to create subtle nuances:

It’s a real eye-catcher.

For an authentic, top-of-the-range result, Hervé has taken care of every detail:

-Satisfied with his experience, Hervé chose to continue the ORSOL adventure and will soon be cladding his 60m² low wall with Manoir cladding and wall caps for a perfect finish:

–Manoir corner elements for a harmonious, seamless finish,

–Manoir door/window lintels and arches add character and elegance to every opening,

The stone is truly exceptional, and everything was perfect in every way.

The Manoir ORSOL Manoir collection reveals its full potential: authenticity, rich architectural detail, subtle play of color and simple installation. An ideal inspiration for anyone who wants to transform their home by enhancing every façade, window and low wall with the elegance of a stone that has stood the test of time.

A haven of freshness at Sophie’s

Non classifié(e) 05 May 2025

Pool house baignée de lumière spacieuse avec un mur en pierre

Photo credits: François-Xavier Driant

A natural, Mediterranean-style pool house thanks to ORSOL siding

Sophie has been living on the outskirts of Lyon for the past ten years, and has chosen to swap the hustle and bustle of Paris for the verdant tranquillity of the Rhône-Alpes region. In 2023, she launched a vast landscaping project with a clear objective: to rethink her 2,000 m² garden to make it a harmonious, functional and refreshing place.

A pool house for summer living

With an existing pool and increasingly hot summers, creating an attractive, shaded pool house quickly became a priority.

We needed a space where we could escape the heat, read quietly, entertain friends… and still enjoy this side of the garden.

Sophie is also keen to incorporate sustainable architectural choices, notably with a light-colored roof to reflect heat and maintain natural coolness around the pool.

TERTUS stone cladding for a rough, southern feel

To bring warmth and authenticity to the project, Sophie wanted to marry textures: wood, raw concrete and mineral cladding. After much research, she discovered ORSOL’sTERTUS collection , a wall cladding that perfectly imitates the look of natural dry stone, without the constraints of installation or the high cost.

I was looking for a seamless cladding with a raw, Mediterranean feel. The natural shade of TERTUS harmonized perfectly with the light concrete and wood already present.

Careful installation for a natural look

An experienced tiler carried out the installation, with a few adjustments to preserve the seamless effect while guaranteeing stability.

In the end, a light, almost invisible, recessed grouting was applied to fill in some of the gaps. The final result is superb!

Today, this ORSOL Neomineral stone pool house captivates visitors with its natural, contemporary and welcoming style. The recently installed wooden terrace further enhances the warm, elegant ambience around the pool.

ORSOL’s TERTUS collectionreally was an ideal alternative to natural stone, which was far too expensive. The result has exceeded our expectations.

Read also

The Tertus collection sublimates a pottery school in Corsica

Read the article

Pierrette and Youval’s school of happiness

Non classifié(e) 14 Mar 2025

Maison en pierres beige clair avec bardage bois, entourée de végétation méditerranéenne, en Corse.

Located in the heart of Solacaro, a small village of 400 inhabitants just a few kilometers as the crow flies from the sea, Mr. and Mrs. Capelle have created Corsica’s first pottery school at the heart of the town’s Centre Culturel et Social des Arts de la Terre.

The facility is designed to harmonize with the rural environment, integrating wood and stone, and offering a warm energy that appeals to visitors. Construction of the center was completed in 2023. Mr. and Mrs. Capelle discovered ORSOL cladding and were immediately seduced by the aesthetics and quality of the products.

“The installer, a local craftsman, was a great pleasure to work with. High-quality products!

The couple wanted cladding that was as close as possible to the look of the traditional “casetta”, a small isolated dwelling in rural Corsica made of assembled dry stone. Together, they naturally turned to the shaded beige Tertus Collection, which was closest to the light ochre telluric background of Corsican earth.

The Tertus collection is completely rural and traditional. With wood, it’s wonderful and timeless.

All visitors think the Center has been there for decades…

At Nathalie and Eric’s : Pure lines facing the sea

Inspiration 09 Sep 2024

At Nathalie and Eric’s: Pure lines facing the sea

Nathalie and her family hail from Brittany, near Brest. Having always been sailors, it was on their boat, during a trip to the Balearic Islands and Greece, that she imagined their home, and the materials, including stone, that would make it up.

Photo credit: Pascal LEOPOLD

In 2015, she called on architect Jean-Luc HÉRY to design this large 330 m² house. The specifications were clear:

We needed a minimum of four bedrooms, large living areas, and not forgetting… a sea view!

Recommended by Mr Justino COSTA (COSTA MACONNERIE), who did all the structural work, we chose the Rocky Mountain collection from ORSOL collection that Nathalie selected.

Mr COSTA and Mr HÉRY had nothing but praise for ORSOL products, and the Rocky Mountain cladding matched our project perfectly.

It’s clearly a success; thanks to the large bay windows, you can see the stone cladding in all the rooms, and it’s very beautiful!

In addition to the geometric look, Nathalie wanted to add rhythm and warmth by opting for a mix of materials: rendering, wood and ORSOL facing stone.

The cladding is also enhanced at night by floor lights, to bring out its texture and relief during long evenings on the terrace.

Share your achievements on our social networks

You too can share your creations on our social networks and benefit from the inspiration of other members of the community. ORSOL. Whether for large-scale projects or small decorative touches, we look forward to discovering your creations and showcasing them.

The Meulière collection enhances homes in Chalette-sur-Loing

Find out how LogemLoiret transformed a former school into sixty modern homes in Chalette-sur-Loing. ORSOL cladding has added a unique charm, perfectly integrated into the urban environment, offering tenants outdoor spaces and enhanced quality of life.

Collection Meulière at Chalette-sur-Loing

At Sarah and Sébastien’s : A terrace like a cocoon

Non classifié(e) 20 Jun 2024

At Sarah and Sébastien’s: A terrace like a cocoon

Sarah and Sébastien, married for 7 years, are passionate about architecture, decoration and interior design. Unable to find the rare pearl in the typical houses in their area near Calais, they opted for a construction project that began in 2021.

Photo credit: Loïc RIDOU

Instagram : @dream.home.family

A crush born on Instagram, through the projects of Angélique and Jean-Baptiste, and Audrey and Patric, in which it was easy for Sarah to project herself.

“We had hesitated with the Cubikcollection, but the photos of these projects tipped the balance in favor of Portland. We really don’t regret ordering our siding from ORSOL. “

They wanted a cozy outdoor space, and imagined an in-ground terrace where the Portland ORSOL collection found its place.

We preferred to start with a blank page and write our story.
explains Sébastien.

“We wanted a warm, cocooning corner where we could gather as a family, with our two daughters, or enjoy convivial moments with friends,” says Sarah. A crush born on Instagram, through the projects of Angélique and Jean-Baptiste, and Audrey and Patric, in which it was easy for Sarah to project herself.

To highlight the beauty of the cladding, Sarah added LED strips, which bring out the reliefs at dusk and make for cosy, warm evenings. Exterior landscaping has been meticulously designed. Potted trees, as seen here, and tastefully selected wooden furniture bring out the natural look of the cladding.

A terrace that attracts guests

As with most of the work on their self-built home, Sarah and Sébastien installed the ORSOL Portland siding themselves. ” Sébastien was in charge of the installation; it took him a good day, not counting the slab wall caps. It was very quick and easy! The rather large format of the sheet cladding makes it easy for even a small DIY enthusiast to install ,” says Sarah.

She adds: “We couldn’t be happier with our choice of Portland ORSOL cladding: it’s the rendering we wanted in terms of shade, nuances, relief… We’re really enjoying this underground living room, because we’re there so often. Guests even move more naturally towards the buried living room than towards the terrace!”

Share your achievements on our social networks

You too can share your achievements on our social networks and benefit from the inspiration of other members of the ORSOL community. Whether for large-scale projects or small decorative touches, we look forward to discovering your creations and showcasing them.

The Meulière collection enhances homes in Chalette-sur-Loing

Find out how LogemLoiret transformed a former school into sixty modern homes in Chalette-sur-Loing. ORSOL cladding has added a unique charm, perfectly integrated into the urban environment, offering tenants outdoor spaces and enhanced quality of life.

Collection Meulière at Chalette-sur-Loing