White-Washed Brick House with Dark Siding in Tennessee

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Some homeowners love the look of natural brick. But we also get tons of client requests for designs featuring painted or white-washed brick. (In case you’re wondering, white-washed is simply another way to say limewashed. Learn all about the process of limewashing your home, how it differs from painting, and more.)

After seeing some of our before and after photos on Pinterest, Marjorie H. enlisted our help visualizing a white-washed exterior for her brick home in Tennessee. Keep reading to discover how we helped Marjorie transform her home into the white-washed brick house of her dreams. 

If you’re struggling to decide whether to white-wash your brick home, paint it, or keep it natural, we can help. We exist to guide homeowners through design decisions like these and ensure they end up with the exterior of their dreams. 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 before photo of a brick home with light siding and trim

The before

Marjorie purchased her home almost 20 years ago. While she loved the location and interior of the home, she’s never been satisfied with the appearance of its exterior. In addition to the brick, Marjorie’s home also featured light siding and trim. Overall, the exterior looked dated but had lots of potential. 

A rendering of a home exterior with painted brick and dark siding

The design

Some of our clients come to us with no idea what they want their house to look like. Others, like Marjorie, have ideas they need help visualizing to ensure they’re on the right track. 

As a designer myself, I knew what was possible and exactly what I wanted, but seeing the visual image was total confirmation!

Marjorie knew she wanted new siding, a new front door, a redesigned entry area, wood accents, and white brick. With her ideas in mind, we got to work creating two renderings for her.

In our first version (above), we recommended painting the brick with Sherwin Williams’ Westhighland White and the siding with Iron Ore. Accents, such as the trim, eaves, windows, gutters, and downspouts, are rendered in Tricorn Black, also by Sherwin Williams. 

A rendering of a white-washed brick house

In our second design option, we recommended whitewashing the brick instead of painting it. We also suggested Sherwin Williams’ Urbane Bronze on the siding and kept the accents rendered in Tricorn Black. 

Both designs feature small sections of wood siding, wood columns, and a wood front door, all of which add some warmth to the exterior. We also recommended removing the home’s too-small shutters and adding a walkway leading up to the entry area. New lighting, planters, and a seating area make the front porch space feel welcoming.  

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.

A close-up photo of a white-washed brick house

The process

Marjorie hired a contractor to do her home renovations. She told us one of the main reasons she wanted a brick&batten design was so that she could share it with her contractor to ensure all the work was done properly.

With a picture in hand, there was no room for miscommunication or for details to get lost in translation. I knew I would not be home during a lot of the work and wanted to make sure the contractor understood the vision and exactly what I wanted.

Marjorie said the renovation process took only a few weeks, and “the finished home is practically identical to the digital rendering by brick&batten.”

An actual after photo of a white-washed brick house with dark siding and wood accents

The actual after

From the white-washed brick and dark siding and trim to the windows and front door, Marjorie incorporated many of our design recommendations. Her new exterior also features the wood accents from our design, including the front porch columns and small section of siding. 

All of the changes have garnered plenty of attention from Marjorie’s neighbors, who are impressed with the new look. 

Countless neighbors have commented, texted, called, and I’ve even had a few people stop to ask about the process and get more information.

An actual after photo of a white-washed brick house with dark siding and wood accents

A wow-worthy white-washed brick house

From dated and underwhelming to the talk of the neighborhood, Marjorie’s home underwent a successful exterior transformation. Now she loves her home’s exterior as much as its interior and location. 

To say we are pleased is an understatement! We have a completely new home and love it!

Impressed by Marjorie’s home transformation? Your house could be next! Discover the perfect pallete for your home with our paint visualizer or 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.