The brick&batten Team’s Favorite Exterior Designs of 2022
By: Sarah
To show our gratitude for the work we get to do day-in and day-out here at brick&batten, and in honor of Thanksgiving, we are sharing some of our team’s favorite exterior designs of 2022. We had a great time putting last year’s list together, and seeing the variety of projects below makes us once again grateful to our clients for trusting us with this small piece of their lives. The before & afters below represent some of the homes and business designs we’re most proud of thus far this year.
The goal of every team member who provided a favorite design for this article is to help our clients envision the curb appeal they’ve always wanted. And each of the designs below come with a resource list to help bring these renderings to life. Learn what it’s like to partner with us on a virtual exterior design.
Alice H., Designer
“I selected this design as my favorite of the year because it showcases brick&batten’s ability to reimagine and completely transform a home’s exterior.”
Laura R., Designer
“This is one of the most drastic brick&batten transformations I have seen. It truly brought the client’s vision to life!”
Ami G., Writer
“I had followed brick&batten’s work for years before writing for them and have seen many amazing transformations. I love so many things about these homes! However, my favorite part of each one is how our designers bring them to their true potential. I love a good fixer-upper, and this design shows the benefit of being able to visualize what the home could be.
The carport is the first difference I noticed. It’s a large structure and can easily be a design element that isn’t considered worth the effort or time. I remember zooming in multiple times on the carport when this design was shared on Instagram! Next, I love the ceiling and the lighting at the top of each column. The lights are such a small detail, but they make the house feel cozy. It’s hard to see, but two gutter downspouts were replaced with rain chains, which is so cool! They blend in with the home’s darker slate color, which I also love. These are the details that add up to create the perfect look.
The deck changes are my favorite and very smart. Expanding it to the corner and edge of the home makes more sense functionally and design-wise, plus it provides an outdoor living space that makes the home more inviting. We spend a lot of time outside where I live, so outdoor living is a priority. I love that deck railings have evolved to more modern styles like this. It’s the design element we all knew we needed. Finally, I like that the windows were kept because they can be pricey and not every homeowner can afford that update. It’s encouraging for people to know not everything needs to be torn out and replaced in order to achieve a fresh look.
I almost chose a design with all the amenities: a pool, firepit, yard, and swings, because I do love a great backyard; it’s the first thing I look at when browsing homes for fun. I ultimately chose this one because it feels more attainable and the drab-to-fab transformation is more drastic.”
Amy V., Designer & Rendering Artist
“I love how this one turned out, and the client did, too. The changes make such a huge difference while still honoring the original style of the home.”
Ana J., Rendering Artist
“This is my favorite design of the year because the transformation is beyond amazing. Our team made this unattractive home so beautiful and modern.”
Bridget T., Director of Client Experience
“I love when our team is able to translate the requests of our clients with limited budgets to achieve big results. This client especially appreciated the way we enhanced the entrance of his building. Our designers simply widened the available space and added double doors, then used contrasting paint colors to make the entrance pop. We were able to creatively accomplish the client’s design goals without over-the-top expense.”
Britteny D., Content
“I’m obsessed with coastal homes — I live on an island — and this rendering features all the design elements of this style I love most. From the dock and the pool to the outdoor kitchen and shaded lounge area, this home’s backyard is perfect for entertaining or relaxing. Plus, it’s right on the water and painted with a beautiful beachy blue — Benjamin Moore’s Palladian Blue.”
Cassie M., Co-founder
“This design caught my eye because of the porch, windows, and intentional placement of wood accents. Warm stone and wood are inviting and larger windows give the house life! Your house doesn’t have to be big and fancy to have porch vibes. The welcoming feeling of this porch drew me in immediately!”
Holly S., Designer & Rendering Artist
“What I love about this transformation is, at the time the house was originally built, the overall design was considered modern and contemporary. Over the decades, those design elements became dated, but the house had the bones to be reborn with a brand new modern design and minimal renovation. Our design choices elevated the appearance as if it were a brand new house, perhaps even a new build.”
Jason M., Designer & Rendering Artist
“I particularly enjoyed working on this project. I felt my vision for the updated house and walkway worked to add interest and to connect the new design with the landscaping.”
Jen L., Client Experience Manager
“I just love this 1830s farmhouse and barn transformation. The thoughtful design incorporated modern improvements, while keeping with traditional farmhouse style, resulting in a more current yet timeless look. The large inviting front porch, decorative window grids, and beautiful Black Canyon clad barns are some of my favorite features.”
Laura W., Designer & Rendering Artist
“This was my favorite home to work on this year! It’s always fun to work on a home where we have multiple sides to show the real vision we have for the home. I also love when we have the opportunity to really transform a structure like her old barn into a beautiful usable space. This was fun too because I got to incorporate some little Easter eggs into my design! Like there’s an Ohio State flag in the barn and of course, any time I can add chickens to a design I’m happy!”
Katie K., Client Experience Manager
“I love the personality of this design and color scheme. The contrast of the colors and textures and the warmth from the wood elements are so inviting! The design strikes a great balance of having a lot of visual interest, but with an overall cohesive feeling. The whole property feels special.”
Kelly D., Designer
“I love that the owner wanted to remove the formal look but bring in a timeless design that they could enjoy for years to come. Keeping the original arches, changing the home’s cladding, and bringing in the Bevolo lighting were all key design choices.”
Kristen M., Operations Associate
“This client is building their home on a large plot of land and wanted to stay away from making it look too ‘farm-y,’ wanting instead a more Modern Tudor design. The Cottonwood Ledgestone with November Rain and Gray Matters as paint colors is *chef’s kiss*. I also love that this client’s husband and father-in-law plan to build the front door for their house! Finally, the Bevolo lights and copper accents bring this one home for me. Love it!”
Lindsay L., Director of Strategic Partnerships
“Lovingly referred to as the ‘Corona bottle fireplace house.’ This client was so fun to work with, and the end result was the coolest mix of materials and texture.”
Lisa W., CEO
“It’s impossible for me to choose a favorite, so I picked a design that was for a repeat client because I am always proud to have those. I love how we opened up the entry on this home and otherwise kept the integrity of the structure but gave it a warm and inviting appeal!”
Lori G., Client Experience Associate
“For me, what stands out about this design is the color choice for the stucco. The application of Regent Green by Benjamin Moore is successful twice: it is lovely, bold, and daring compared to other hues we often recommend, and it also pulls a great amount of depth from the original stone on this historic home. When we think about exterior design, it can be easy to think we need to start from scratch to get a brand new look — but this Washington, D.C., before & after shows that we can change the entire tone of a home with the right color and landscaping!”
Mackenzie S., Writer
“I gravitate toward rustic designs, especially since I live in a log home and dreamed of owning one long before my family and I moved here a few years ago. Lately, I’ve been particularly fond of black exteriors, and the Wrought Iron paint looks incredible on the cladding of this home. Plus, the balance between the black and wood elements is perfect so neither element is too overwhelming!”
Marc N., Designer & Rendering Artist
“Designing and rendering this blueprint introduced me to a style that was well off of my radar. It is so beautiful in its simplicity and comfortable in how it blends with its surroundings. It would never have been a design aesthetic that I would’ve sought for myself, but working on this house with its very specific elements and its low impact/zero-footprint feel, changed my perception of how a home can really meld with the nature that surrounds it. Much applause to the client.”
Sarah A. Content
“My family and I moved to a new home this year — it’s a Cape Cod in a lovely sage green color, and most of my favorite exterior designs of 2022 showcase earthy, green color palettes, like the one above. I live in Michigan, so the double Dutch front door doesn’t make a ton of sense in my climate and is therefore something I covet. And the gorgeous wood garage doors are a smart solution for a façade in which the three-stalls take up so much visual real estate.”
Sarah B., Business Development Manager
“This was a client looking to update her home, which also is her place of business and was in need of a fresh new look. We worked quickly as this was an expedited order, and turned around a true transformation. The simplicity paired with special touches brings this home into the modern day. Now it is an inviting place to welcome customers as well as call home!”
That’s a wrap on our favorite exterior designs of 2022
The exterior design of your home or business is the first impression you and your guests have when walking up to your front door. It’s the view you drive home to every day, or the façade you walk up to when you get to work in the morning. As we hope you can tell from our team’s thoughts on their favorite exterior designs of 2022, we’re honored to help you make your curb appeal something that delights you.
Not getting the warm fuzzies when you take in the view of your home from the street? Worried about the first impression your brick-and-mortar business is making? Improving your exterior design is all about making simple updates for a big impact. Our expert designers know what’s going to give your façade the refresh it needs. Get started today — and maybe yours will be one of our favorite designs of 2023.
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