Coastal Farmhouse Style Exterior Redesign in Rhode Island

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If you’ve ever struggled to make decisions regarding the design of your home’s exterior, you’re not alone. In fact, many homeowners enlist our help to visualize multiple paint colors or various design elements on their house to ensure they’re making the right choices. 

That was the case for Meghan M., who discovered brick&batten on Instagram and hired us to help her update her home with a coastal farmhouse style in mind. 

I have decision fatigue when it comes to these things, and I wanted a personalized design for my Rhode Island house.

Keep reading to learn how we helped Meghan get the coastal farmhouse she wanted and see the transformation from start to finish.

Updating your home’s exterior doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’ll recommend the right paint colors, design elements, and more so you aren’t stuck making stressful decisions. Learn more about our virtual exterior design services. 

The before

Meghan’s exterior felt dark and dated, and she wanted a more modern coastal farmhouse look to match the beauty of her home’s interior. 

The exterior of the house has really never been something that I was proud of, and [it] didn’t match the interior, which was really beautiful and kind of ornate… So I was looking for something that would update it and also make it really appealing.

A virtual rendering of a coastal farmhouse

The design

The right color palette can truly transform a home’s exterior. With that in mind, we recommended Meghan paint her new siding with Benjamin Moore’s Seapearl, an off-white color with subtle gray undertones. We love how this clean palette brightens up the home’s façade. Plus, it allows the other design elements to shine. 

Speaking of other design elements, we suggested squaring off the home’s porch overhang with a new metal awning and wood columns for support and texture. The new front door we selected adds to the welcoming vibe of the updated entry. 

Our design also features faux copper gutters rendered in a dark bronze hue for added character and richness. Additionally, we painted the original windows black and added grids to the glass. Finishing touches include new light fixtures, planters, and a cozy seating area.

The new paint color palette, along with our other design updates, creates the coastal farmhouse look Meghan desired. 

An actual after photo of a coastal farmhouse with design updates

The process

Like many of our clients, Meghan had HOA guidelines to follow when updating her home. She used her brick&batten design deliverable to show her HOA what changes she planned to make. 

They all agreed it was going to be an improvement to the exterior. When they wanted specific details about shingles and paint colors and stuff like that, I told them I was going to use the rendering, and it was going to look as close as possible to that.

After her plans were approved, Meghan said she did most of the management of contractors herself. She hired various local professionals, such as a roofer, carpenter, and painter, to bring the design to life. The entire process took about a year, with some delays due to COVID and Rhode Island’s harsh winters.

An actual after photo of a coastal farmhouse with design updates

The actual after

Meghan implemented many of our design recommendations, including the metal roof over the entry and new paint color on the siding. The columns she selected are similar to those in our design, as is the dark window trim. The new front door features less glass than the one in our design, and the windows have a different grid pattern. Overall, though, Meghan followed her deliverable quite closely.

Changing the roofline and going with the metal accent roof was very cool. The change in paint color was super dramatic.

An aerial photo of a white home with design updates

A coastal farmhouse redesign with a great ROI

Meghan was thrilled with how her coastal farmhouse renovation turned out, and she spent about a year in the home before ultimately selling it. She wasn’t sure whether or not she’d sell the home when she first started the renovations, but Meghan said it’s something she kept in mind throughout the process. 

The potential sale was in the back of [my] mind as I was updating this. I wanted it to catch people’s attention. I didn’t want to lose money because it didn’t look good. I think I got all of my money back and probably exceeded what I spent on the renovations with the increase in the sales price.

Meghan’s friends, family, and neighbors also enjoyed the fresh look.

Everybody was impressed with it. I did post my listing on Facebook, and some of the comments were ‘Beautiful’ and ‘It should have gone for $1M more’ than I listed it for.

No matter your situation — whether you’re building your dream house or making updates to a property in preparation to sell it — our team of expert designers can help you visualize your home’s potential. Start your virtual exterior design today.

Author

Britteny has worked as a professional writer and editor for more than a decade. She launched her career as a features writer in New York City, covering fashion, food & beverage, and hospitality. She has contributed to a wide range of publications, including International Business Times, Glam, Thirsty Mag, and Cardinal & Pine and has worked with famous faces such as Kate Upton and Nigel Barker throughout her career. Britteny has been covering the exterior home design industry as a writer for brick&batten for almost two years. Britteny splits her time between New York City, her home state of Michigan, and Caye Caulker, a small island off the coast of Belize in Central America. When she’s not writing or editing, Britteny can be found at the beach or in the kitchen testing out vegan recipes.