Details are important.

“The beauty”, some say, “is in the details”. Yet, others claim, details themselves are what’s beautiful.

Either way one believes, we know we don’t want to overlook the details. We want to appreciate them because they are important.

This is house plan SC-02012. The homeowner loved having it built. However, a few years after having it built, they realized there was a problem. They weren’t sure what the problem was but felt that the curb appeal needed improved. They wondered, does the house need shutters, or a dormer added to the roof? Not certain what they should do, they called to see how I could help.

The Problem

The house sits far enough from the road that the details that we had designed into the house from day one are hard to see. Brick details, like quoin corners and rowlock around the windows, were done well. Their proportions, and the overall house, were good. Unfortunately, it was just too hard to see the details from the road.

The Solution

It’s not difficult to make the details easier to see. Simply create contrast between them and what is around them.

I knew from experience, adding shutters and a dormer would add unnecessary clutter to the house, giving it a busy appearance.

To make this point, we modified the photo shown above and presented it to the homeowner, and suggested they paint the brick because the contrast will make the details pop.

Paint brick? No!!

Yes, I know… some people cringe at the thought of painting brick, but in this case, it worked wonders. Not only was it was more economical than buying shutters or building a dormer on the roof, but the owner loved the idea so much, he went to the paint store and starting painting the very next day.

All we really did was accent the brick details that were already there.

A little paint is a wonderful solution that’s both simple and affordable. And now, the house is more classy than ever.