Blogs by Tessa

10 Ways to Get Free or Affordable Blueprints for Your New Home

With the right mindset and budgeting skills, planning a new home can be exciting. Contrary to what others may tell you, it doesn’t need to be costly or stressful. Thanks to online resources, you can even get cost-effective blueprints for a home, which could save you thousands of dollars. We’ve curated this list of 10 ...

Transitional-Style Home Exteriors Inspired by Studio McGee

We have a serious design crush on Studio McGee. Judging by the fact that the company now has its very own Target line and a Netflix series, it’s evident that a cult following is forming around the business. Maybe it’s their perfect blend of old-meets-new or straight lines and organic curved lines. Perhaps it’s how ...

The Definitive Guide to Painting Your Home’s Exterior

Depending on the size of your home, an exterior paint project can be an ambitious, yet manageable project. Whether you are wanting help with choosing the right paint colors so you can delegate the task to a contractor, or you need guidance on the entire painting process from swatches to brush, we’ve created this definitive ...

What to Know Before Painting Your Home in the Fall

We’ve been long time proponents of starting exterior paint projects in the fall. Of course, you can successfully paint a house during many times of the year, but fall weather and exterior paint go together really well. If you’re ready to make a big change and pick up a brush, here’s what to know before ...

10 Ideas to Liven Up Your Landscaping This Fall

Contrary to popular belief, early fall is actually a great time to dig into some landscaping work. The summer sun finally starts to back off, but it’s still warm enough for perennials to establish a root system before the first winter frost. In fact, some landscapers argue that flowers, shrubs, and trees planted in the ...

12 Delightful Window Box Ideas for Every Season

Once you add window boxes to your home, it’s common for it to look like something is missing if you decide to tuck them away for the traditional off-seasons. However, every season has something to offer when it comes to window boxes. Luckily, the internet and even neighborhoods around town are rich with delightful window ...

7 Shutter Styles That Work on (Almost) Any Home

Shutters are a pretty hot topic around here at brick&batten. Just to sum it up, we are big fans of shutters when they are done right. But in all honesty, some homes look better without shutters, and a poor shutter choice can make a home look like an eye sore. While getting personalized design advice ...

21 Predictions for 2021 in Exterior Home Design

As professional exterior designers, at brick&batten spend countless hours skimming home design magazines, researching, talking, traveling, and learning about what is heading our way in 2021 exterior home design. It has given us the ability to make pretty accurate predictions for 2021 in exterior home design trends. Here are some looks we expect to see ...

10 Must-Know Exterior Home Design Trends for 2021

If you’re putting time and money into an exterior redesign, you want it to look updated. While many homeowners desire a trendy curb appearance, they often don’t want the details to fall out of style within the next few years. This takes a delicate balance, but as expert virtual exterior designers who’ve designed thousands of ...