Updated Brick House with Stone Accents in Ontario

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Annette R. in Ontario, Canada, contacted us in the spring of 2020 to help her update her brick house with stone accents. 

I found this service online and felt that it would help me through not only providing advice but also by allowing me to visualize changes so I could make some decisions about the exterior.

Annette’s renovation took a bit longer than expected due to pandemic-related delays, but now that the project is finally complete, we’re excited to share the transformation. Keep reading to learn how we helped Annette refresh her brick house with stone accents and see the process from start to finish. 

We’re the leaders in exterior design, and we’re here to help you get the curb appeal of your dreams. From simple changes to more involved design overhauls, our design team can help you visualize a fresh new look for your home. Plus, we provide a resource list with all the products you need to bring the design to life. 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.

A photo of a red brick home exterior

The before

Annette’s home was charming but dated. She enlisted our help to breathe new life into the building without compromising its character. 

A rendering of an updated brick house with stone accents

The design

To update Annette’s home, we started with a fresh color palette. The design above features Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter on the brick with accents rendered in Iron Ore, also by Benjamin Moore.

Next, we recommended removing the shutters and the gingerbread trim over the bay window. (Never heard of gingerbread trim before? Learn more about this unique design term — and many others — here).

We also suggested Annette swap her porch columns with a more modern style and replace her windows, front door, and garage door. Plus, our design includes new stone for the walkway, steps, and porch.  

A rendering of an updated brick house with stone accents

We provided Annette with a second design option in which we kept her brick unpainted. In this version, we suggested using dark shutters around some of the second-story windows.

Annette told us our designs gave her confidence to move forward with her exterior renovation. 

An actual after photo of an updated brick house with stone accents

The process

Annette said she worked with a few different contractors to bring her brick&batten rendering to life. She hired professionals to paint the home’s soffit, put in the new windows, and install the wood porch columns. The design deliverable helped keep everyone on the same page, Annette told us.

I used the photos to let my contractors know what I was looking for and [to] keep me focused throughout the process.

Overall, Annette’s home renovation took more than a year to complete. She noted the lengthy timeline was due in part to a window delivery delay, adding “securing time with contractors [was] challenging as they [were] very busy in our area during and post-pandemic.”

An actual after photo of an updated brick house with stone accents

The actual after

Annette decided to keep her red brick and used our second design as a guide. She painted her shutters, bought a darker front door, and replaced her old porch columns with thicker wood ones. She kept the brick accents gray rather than painting them darker as we suggested. Finally, she painted the entire bay window area the same dark color. 

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.
An actual after photo of an updated brick house with stone accents

For accessories like the front porch chairs, rug, planters, and light fixtures, Annette didn’t purchase the exact versions featured in our deliverable but said she found items that were similar. 

We implemented many of your ideas, and the final part [was] the wooden porch accents, which went on this past fall.

An actual after photo of an updated brick house with stone accents

A beautiful brick house transformation

Annette’s brick home transformation is proof that good things come to those who wait. While it might have taken longer than expected to complete her renovation, Annette said it was worth it. 

We love the change and have had many compliments from our neighbors, friends, and family!

Whether you want to make your home stand out with a bold siding color or give it a more contemporary feel while still honoring its roots, we can help. Get started on 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.