Modern Coastal Exterior Transformation in Washington
By: Hannah Warne
When Katie L. and her family first purchased their 1939 home in 2015, they knew they eventually wanted to modernize the exterior. She was eager to update the color, add new siding, and add larger windows on both the main and second floors to take advantage of the home’s stunning views of Washington’s Olympic Mountains and infuse the exterior with a modern coastal feel.
Though Katie knew what updates she needed to make, she had trouble visualizing how it would all come together. When she found brick&batten’s virtual exterior design services, she knew it was exactly what she needed to transform her home.
Read on to discover how our team of designers helped bring Katie’s modern exterior to fruition.
At brick&batten, our team of designers will partner with you to bring any exterior style to life. If you love the modern coastal aesthetic, we will work with you to choose your exterior color palette, finishes, and other design details to transform your home. Once the design is finalized, you’ll also receive a shoppable resource list to make your project simple from start to finish. 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
Before working with brick&batten, Katie’s home blended into the background. The muted gray exterior, white trim, and portico didn’t represent her aesthetic. However, she wasn’t sure how to translate the exterior design details she loved into a cohesive plan — which continuously delayed the exterior renovation process.
We had a loosely held idea of what we wanted our exterior remodel to look like, but we needed help visualizing how our ideas would come together. We were struggling with decision paralysis for years until we found brick&batten! It was exactly the service we were looking for.
The design
After Katie identified her preferred design style and shared her exterior goals with our team, they created a comprehensive plan for her home. We recommended a mix of James Hardie vertical and horizontal siding in Temptation by Benjamin Moore accented by trim in Tricorn Black by Sherwin Williams.
A new, second-floor balcony created space off the primary bedroom, allowing Katie to enjoy the views at all hours. We also recommended adding a large window on the second floor, opening the space up and capitalizing on the view. Black accents, like railings, garage doors, roof, and window frames added a sleek modern feel, and rich wood details, like the balcony beams and portico added warmth. Finally, faux copper gutters and downspouts were incorporated to complete the modern coastal look.
Using her free revision, Katie worked with our team to see another color option on her exterior. Though she originally thought she wanted a dark, moody shade like Temptation, she instead opted for a brighter, airy hue. Our team recommended one of our favorite exterior white shades: Seapearl by Benjamin Moore. This off-white hue with gray undertones is the ideal creamy white. With an LRV of 77, it’s not too stark but not too warm — it strikes the perfect balance.
To offset the white siding, we recommended a black finish for the window frames, garage door, railing, and roof. Like in the first design, warm wood accents completed the look. We kept all other design details — including the warm wood and faux copper accents — the same for an eye-catching, high-contrast exterior design.
Instead of the bold, black-and-white contrast, however, Katie preferred an all-white look. We updated the windows to match the siding and trim, revealing a sleek and stylish coastal modern exterior.
The high-quality render images we received were critical in helping us decide which paint color we liked best and informed our decisions for the portico remodel. Our brick&batten designer provided siding recommendations that we had never considered, which ultimately became our favorite part of the entire project.
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
Katie worked with a local contractor to bring her brick&batten design deliverable to life. The rendering provided by our team proved invaluable as the contractor and all other vendors made updates to Katie’s home, serving as a source of truth for the renovations.
We provided our contractor with the brick&batten renders and recommendations, and we all agreed that those plans were crucial to help us communicate with our contractor exactly how we wanted the house to look. These reference materials expedited the process and really set us on a path to success. We found that we kept referring to the materials and sharing the renders with all the vendors involved which really helped get everyone on board with the vision.
The actual after
Once her exterior project was complete, Katie was excited to see her vision become a reality. The change was so dramatic, it almost looked like a completely new home.
People who have been visiting our home for years have gotten lost trying to find it because they don’t recognize it!
Katie and her team followed the design deliverable almost to the letter, making slight tweaks as the project progressed. Instead of Seapearl by Benjamin Moore, they opted instead for James Hardie Arctic White siding. Though a slightly different shade, this new color stayed true to the original design deliverable and infused Katie’s exterior with life. Katie and her team also opted for a light wood garage door and front door — instead of the dark walnut and black options provided by our team — to add extra dimension and warmth.
Our favorite part of the transformation is the curb appeal. For a while after the remodel, we were those people who stood outside on the sidewalk and stared at our house! We really love the horizontal Hardie Aspyre siding, and the deck off our master bedroom gives us more liveable space. We love how the dark stained wood carries through to the front portico as well. We have a ton more light in our master bedroom from the large custom window.
Begin your modern coastal transformation
The bright and airy look of Katie’s home not only enhances the curb appeal but also takes advantage of her home’s best features. Adding windows and a second-floor deck blends the best of form and function, allowing her to take in the home’s striking surroundings at all hours.
If you’re looking to upgrade your exterior like Katie, the process doesn’t have to be daunting. By working with the brick&batten design team, everything is simple and stress-free from start to finish. Whether you want to achieve a similar modern coastal exterior or prefer a different aesthetic, we can help bring your vision to life.
Why wait to transform your residential or commercial exterior? brick&batten’s virtual design services make getting started simple. Our team will help you select the siding style, color palette, and every other design detail to make your home feel brand new. Begin your project today!
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