New Farmhouse Porch Columns in North Carolina
By: Britteny
Cindy C. and her husband had been wanting to update their North Carolina home’s exterior for years but struggled to picture what they wanted and take the steps necessary to bring a new look to life.
I [was] so nervous to make changes because I cannot visualize things. I cannot visualize colors. So my husband would say, ‘Oh, I think [this] would really look good’ because he’s in construction, but I couldn’t visualize it, so I wouldn’t do it.
Fortunately, Cindy discovered brick&batten on Instagram and enlisted our help.
When I saw [your] service and that it would take our actual house and show me what it would look like, that was a game changer. I could know before we started spending a lot of money.
Keep reading to learn about the changes we suggested — like new farmhouse porch columns and paint colors — and see how Cindy and her husband implemented our recommendations.
From farmhouse porch columns to rooftop decks, we’re here to help you visualize all aspects of your home’s exterior before you start renovating. Learn more about our virtual exterior design services.
Our designers only use and recommend products that we know, love, or would use on our own properties. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission, at no cost to you.
The before
Cindy and her husband built their home themselves in 1995, and while they’re proud of their work, they also felt it was time for an update.
We had the designs drawn, and we loved our home, and we still do, but we knew it was dated.
Cindy noted that she didn’t want to change the home’s brick or the roof but was interested in updating other aspects, including the front door, shutters, farmhouse porch columns, downspouts, and lighting.
The design
When she placed her order, Cindy emphasized that her home is located in the country, and she and her family live a pretty simple lifestyle. She wanted a design that reflected their country living.
Per Cindy’s request, we kept her home’s brick natural, but we incorporated fresh paint colors elsewhere. The farmhouse porch columns, soffit, eaves, and trim are all rendered in Sherwin Williams’ Dorian Gray. Next, we recommended wood shutters and a double door, also made from wood.
Our revised design features a slightly different color palette. We used Dorian Gray on the columns, shutters, and door with Benjamin Moore’s Simply White on the soffit, eaves, and trim.
Both designs include faux copper gutters, a black railing for the front porch steps, new light fixtures and landscaping visualization, and a stone walkway leading to the entrance.
We always recommend sampling and testing paint colors before committing. Factors such as natural lighting, undertones, and your property’s fixed elements will have a significant impact on how a color will appear on your exterior. Our friends at Samplize offer extra-large 9 x 14.75 inch peel-and-stick paint samples of the colors we love for exteriors. Order your ‘Real Paint, No Mess’ samples from Samplize here.
The process
Cindy’s husband is a brick mason by trade, so he was able to complete a lot of the work himself. He made the farmhouse porch columns and the shutters with wood from their property.
When it came to other aspects of the home update, Cindy said they relied on their brick&batten design to show contractors what they wanted done.
We took that picture when we went to order our new front door and said, ‘Show us a door that looks like this.’ My husband bought the paint to do the shutters, and he took the picture with him. We did new downspouts and showed the picture to the man that did our downspouts. That was great because there wasn’t any, ‘Let me tell you what I think it needs to look like.’ It was, ‘This is what I want it to look like.’
Overall, Cindy said the renovation process took about two months.
The actual after
Cindy implemented a lot of our design recommendations, including the new farmhouse porch columns and matching shutters and front door. Her landscaping is inspired by our design, though the walkway is different.
In addition to increased curb appeal, her home now has a much more inviting and functional front porch.
I love it. The front door is the best thing. Before we did this, we didn’t use our front porch. I hated it. I never sat out there. I wouldn’t have taken guests out there. Now we use it a lot more.
A successful brick exterior update
Cindy and her husband are so thrilled with how the front of their home turned out that they recently partnered with brick&batten to help them visualize how to update the side of their home.
It’s really helped us enjoy our home more and want to do some other things. We’re wanting to do something on the side now!
Want to love your home as much as Cindy and her husband? Our team of expert exterior designers can help! Get started on your exterior design project today.
Subscribe for more content like this!