Cassie McDowell

Cassie co-founded brick&batten in 2017 with her sister, Alli, but her love of home design was born years earlier. Cassie’s passion for design can be traced back to her childhood, when she’d accompany her parents on road trips through small towns in search of inspiration for properties they would buy, fix up, and sell. 

Prior to launching brick&batten, Cassie worked as a fourth grade teacher, but her love of design, architecture, home renovation, and open houses inspired her to pursue a new career. When writing for brick&batten, Cassie aims to empower homeowners to make the best informed decisions for their property. She knows from experience how challenging home renovation can be, and when she writes, she puts herself in the shoes of every homeowner with similar frustrations.

Cassie currently lives in Florida with her four children, an old dog, and her loving husband. When she’s not working, Cassie is most likely checking out a nearby open house or traveling to learn about the latest house trends.

Blogs by Cassie McDowell

Black Homes Gone Mainstream

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Black homes have come into fashion at a fast rate! Pinterest claims that saves for black houses have grown 774 percent since 2014. There are a few things you should know before committing to painting your house exterior black. Black is beautiful! It is trendy and will absolutely draw attention. The dark house trend has ...

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6 Exterior Improvements to Crush Curb Appeal

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6 Exterior Home Improvements to Crush Curb Appeal When dreaming about your home’s curb appeal, you can never go wrong planning improvements for your home’s exterior.  Yes, exterior home improvements yield the greatest return on investment.  Yes, passerby’s spend 3 seconds determining if your home is worthy of a second glance.  Yes, perusing Pinterest and ...

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Earthy… The Buzz Word for 2019 Paint Colors

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Earthy… The Buzz Word for 2019 Paint Colors There, I said it!  It may not be the “pop of color” or the “grey trend” we have seen recently, but the buzz word for 2019 in exterior paint color is EARTHY.   Sit on your porch swing and take inventory of the colors you see in ...

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Prepare for 2019: 5 Exterior Design Trends on the Way OUT

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NOW is an excellent time to do some home exterior improvements; however, be sure you’re doing improvements that add value to your greatest investment.  Don’t fall victim to these home exterior design trends that are on the way OUT! 1. WIMPY COLUMNS: Small wimpy columns are way OUT! They don’t look as though they hold ...

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Our Favorite 5 Landscape Tips for Fall

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Fall back another hour… that means summer has officially come to a close and the fall season is underway.  Beautiful leaves, cool temperatures, and the smell of bonfires fill your days!  What can you do to prepare your outdoor landscape for FALL?  We have 5 easy landscape tips to enhance your outdoor curb appeal. Tip ...

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Want Curb Appeal? Start with your Fall Porch!

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The bottom line… it doesn’t matter the time of year, first impressions matter!  Your front door and porch are a reflection of you.  Your taste and your style.  From a container with beautiful fall plants, to decorative pumpkins, door ideas, and stunning stairs, check out these fall front porch ideas for instant curb appeal. SIGNS: ...

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The Big 3: This is Us…Our 3 Home Trends Going Into Fall

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The Big 3 trends in home design may come and go…especially when it comes to color.  About every ten years, we will see certain styles and design elements emerge and then fade away.  These elements and paint colors are what enable people to date a house when they are just driving around.  In some ways, ...

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You Asked. We Answered: Trending brick&batten Questions.

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Everyday we are asked questions about how to maximize curb appeal to help annoying house issues.  What you thought you liked 10 years ago or driving around a new neighborhood is suddenly becoming overused or dated.  You asked.  We answered.  #1.  Clients are asking, “What will my home look like if I make my porch ...

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