Magnolia Bay with Ivory
Cypress Point with Ivory
One of the toughest decisions most builders and homeowners must make is the brick selection. Brick is not only permanent, but sets the tone for the entire exterior style of your home.
Several things should be considered when selecting brick – location you’re building in, your style preferences, and various other factors to come up with a vision that matches your goals.
Style: Determine what style you like – Mediterranean, old world, Tuscan, French Colonial, French Country, traditional, farmhouse, contemporary, transitional, rustic, etc. There are countless different exterior styles and will help you determine style & color.
Color: Once your style has been decided, determining what colors would work better with your style is easier. Brick colors range from light neutral tones to deep dark shades. Some ideas include:
- Tudor – typically red and lightly red variegated bricks
- Old World – Earth tones, more browns grays
- Country French – Warm tones of orange, peach, neutrals, some white and gray flurries
- Hill Country – Lighter neutrals with warm accents and flurries
Texture: Brick is made with several textures, the most popular currently including smooth, velour, rolled, tumbled, split face. The texture of the brick greatly affects the overall appearance of the project – a smooth texture gives a precise, refined, modern look while a tumbled texture creates an old, weathered, rustic or even used brick appearance.
Drive through your future neighborhood & take photos of existing houses you like. Make notes of those addresses so your brick sales representative can go to the houses you like if the photo doesn’t provide enough information. Create an inventory of your brick preferences using your smart phone camera or perhaps with a Pinterest board or Houzz idea book. These are excellent tools & provide a reliable visual reference for you and your builder. Be sure to note the mortar color when you are viewing and evaluating brick samples from your builder.
Choosing a brick without seeing how the mortar affects the finished look could leave you with an outcome you aren’t prepared for & don’t like. Planning ahead means you won’t make an uninformed decision that might affect either your final design or your budget.
To ensure the design process is as productive as possible, bring the following to your brick selection appointment:
- Location of the project – physical address or lot number
- Plans for your home or project, if applicable
- Look & feel of neighborhood
- Your personal design preferences, including any photos or addresses of homes you like
