8 Homes with Quoins We Love
By: Kate Santos
Quoins are often structural, providing additional strength for the walls of a building. But they can also be decorative and make a home’s exterior more aesthetically pleasing. If your home has quoins or you’re considering incorporating them into your exterior design, keep reading to see some of our favorite homes with quoins.
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What are quoins?
Quoins are masonry blocks that are situated on the corner of a building. They’re often made from a different material or painted a different color than the rest of the exterior to create visual interest. But, as you can see in the rendering above, that’s not always the case.
Want to learn more about unique design words and phrases, such as Japandi style, cupola, and catio? We explain these terms and many more here.
#1 // Limewashed quoins
While we love the look of natural and painted brick, we’re also big fans of limewash. We suggested limewashing all the brick on this home’s exterior — including the quoins. We also recommended a black front door and matching windows for a classic, elegant look.
#2 // Contemporary quoins
Quoins are often found on traditional homes, but the above rendering is a great example of how they can work with a contemporary-style house too. Here, they’re painted the same color as the rest of the brick (Sherwin Williams’ Urbane Bronze). The dark greige hue pairs perfectly with the home’s warm wood and light stone accents. We especially love how the quoins frame the tall windows in the center of the home, drawing attention to its height.
#3 // Emphasize the entry
Its ornate surround and the fact that it’s rendered in a much darker hue than the rest of the home make this front door stand out. Planters and light fixtures on each side of the door further establish it as a focal point. Finally, the quoins to the left and right of the planters frame the entire entry area.
#4 // Contrasting color palette
Rather than creating contrast by painting the quoins on this home a different color than the brick, our designers suggested a white stone accent on the lower level. The light ledgestone really pops against the dark brick, rendered in Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal, and the quoins add some dimension without being distracting.
#5 // Existing quoins, painted stucco
We kept this home’s existing quoins but suggested painting the stucco with Sherwin Williams’ Anonymous, a sophisticated, earthy hue. We rendered the home’s accents in Sherwin Williams’ Shoji White, a cozy, creamy white that matches the quoins.
#6 // Simple and symmetrical
A warm greige color — Sherwin Williams’ Alpaca — on the brick and fascia, black windows, and wood accents come together to create a simple but elegant home exterior. The four sets of quoins add a bit of visual interest to the façade and contribute to its symmetrical design.
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.
#7 // Mixed materials
While certain design elements only work with a few home styles, quoins are quite versatile and can be found on Spanish-style houses like the one above, traditional brick dwellings, and more. The quoins on this building play nicely with all the other elements and materials, such as the stone siding, wood entry and garage door, and rain chains.
#8 // Modern farmhouse vibes
With its vertical siding, large front porch, lantern-style lights, and wood columns, this home has a modern farmhouse feel to it. The red brick quoins are easy to overlook at first glance, but their subtlety allows the other design elements to shine.
Quoins on home exteriors we love
Quoins can be used in a variety of ways to add visual interest to your home’s exterior. They can be painted to create contrast or blend into your façade. You can also use them to emphasize part of your home or complement other design elements.
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