Timeless Traditional Style House Update in Maryland

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Amanda M. had an idea of the changes she wanted to make to her traditional style house but was having a hard time visualizing her desired updates. After an Internet search she hoped would provide her with some inspiration, Amanda found brick&batten and fell in love with some of our before and after photos. 

Now that she’s completed the work on her Maryland home, we’re excited to share Amanda’s story. Keep reading to learn more about Amanda’s experience and see her traditional style house update from beginning to end.

Do you already have ideas that you need help visualizing? Or perhaps you have no idea where to begin? Whatever your situation, we’re here to partner with you on your exterior design project. From deciding on a paint color to selecting the right stone siding, our virtual exterior design services help you see all your desired changes before you begin renovating. If you’ve worked with brick&batten in the past and have a great “actual after” photo of your home, click here to upload it for a chance to be featured on our blog.

A traditional red brick home

The Before

Amanda’s traditional style red brick house didn’t need a major overhaul, but it was in need of a refresh. We loved the classic style of the home and knew it had major potential to be a stunner with some minor design updates.

Before and virtual after of a traditional style home

The Design

While we love natural brick, it doesn’t work in every situation or for every client. Limewashing brick is a great way to update the look and feel of your home, so our designers recommended Romabio Classico Limewash for the brick on Amanda’s home. (Considering limewash for your home’s exterior? Here’s everything you need to know.)

Continuing with the light and bright color palette, our team suggested Benjamin Moore’s Simply White on the trim and Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter on the gables. We also incorporated shutters into our design and suggested painting them with Benjamin Moore’s Sea Haze, a soothing gray with soft green undertones.

Amanda’s design also featured a new front door and light fixtures and a more functional front porch with two seating areas. Fresh landscaping rounds out the design and gives the home’s curb appeal a major boost. 

You really did exactly what I asked for but also some nice touches that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own, such as color selections and light fixtures.

Design deliverable for a traditional style home

The Process

Amanda worked with a contractor to bring her brick&batten rendering to life and said her design deliverable (pictured above) proved incredibly helpful throughout the entire renovation process. Every client gets their own handy resource list with links to suggested paint colors, fixtures, and more. This helps ensure their renovation process is as easy as possible.

The contractor gave a copy of the brick&batten image to each different team that came through — the people doing the roof and trim, the painters, etc. — and everyone was happy to have it as a reference.

Renovations on a traditional style home

Overall, the project took about nine months from start to finish. Amanda noted a lot of that time was spent waiting for materials that were on backorder during the pandemic.

Actual after photo of a traditional style home

The Actual After

Amanda took all our paint color suggestions and purchased the shutters we recommended.

Close up photo of a front porch

Amanda also purchased the front door from her design deliverable and used our light fixture suggestions as inspiration. 

Close up photo of a limewash brick home

While Amanda followed our design closely, she did make a few changes too. She chose not to add siding to the gables, as shown in the “in-process” photo above. (Get familiar with a slew of exterior design terms like gables, shake siding, and more by checking out our exterior design dictionary.) She also deviated from the stone we recommended for the walkway and porch and opted instead for red brick.

Actual after photo of a traditional style home with limewash brick

A successful traditional style house update

Amanda’s traditional style house got the update it needed, and she couldn’t be happier with the results. Our designers maintained the classic style of Amanda’s home while also updating it and making it feel fresh. The nine-month wait was truly worth it to see this traditional style home’s transformation come full circle. 

We love our home and get so many compliments from neighbors and family members.

Working with brick&batten takes the guesswork out of updating your home’s exterior. We’ve helped thousands of clients turn their dream home into a reality, and you could be next! Start your exterior design project today.

Author

Britteny has worked as a professional writer and editor for more than a decade. She launched her career as a features writer in New York City, covering fashion, food & beverage, and hospitality. She has contributed to a wide range of publications, including International Business Times, Glam, Thirsty Mag, and Cardinal & Pine and has worked with famous faces such as Kate Upton and Nigel Barker throughout her career. Britteny has been covering the exterior home design industry as a writer for brick&batten for almost two years. Britteny splits her time between New York City, her home state of Michigan, and Caye Caulker, a small island off the coast of Belize in Central America. When she’s not writing or editing, Britteny can be found at the beach or in the kitchen testing out vegan recipes.