Contrast charred black timber battens with heritage brick and concealed roof deck!
Design ideas for an industrial two-storey brick red house exterior in Melbourne with a metal roof.

This 8.3 star energy rated home is a beacon when it comes to paired back, simple and functional elegance. With great attention to detail in the design phase as well as carefully considered selections in materials, openings and layout this home performs like a Ferrari. The in-slab hydronic system that is run off a sizeable PV system assists with minimising temperature fluctuations. This home is entered into 2023 Design Matters Award as well as a winner of the 2023 HIA Greensmart Awards. Karli Rise is featured in Sanctuary Magazine in 2023.

Brick and Cast Stone Exterior
Inspiration for a large traditional two-storey brick exterior in Dallas with a gable roof.

Photo of an expansive contemporary two-storey brick house exterior in Houston with a gable roof and a tile roof.

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values.

Inspiration for a large traditional two-storey brick white exterior in Other with a gable roof.

Summer Beauty onion surround the stone entry columns while the Hydrangea begin to glow from the landscape lighting. Landscape design by John Algozzini. Photo courtesy of Mike Crews Photography.

Nancy Nolan
Photo of a traditional two-storey brick exterior in Little Rock with a gable roof.

This is an example of a traditional brick exterior in Atlanta.

Design ideas for a traditional one-storey brick exterior in Chicago.

Mid-sized traditional three-storey brick beige house exterior in Milwaukee with a gable roof, a shingle roof, a brown roof and shingle siding.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary two-storey brick multi-coloured house exterior in Other with a metal roof and a grey roof.

Back of the home that has German smear in a rustic style. Rustic style focuses on grout lines and some clustered areas of brick, creating a one of a kind pattern. Great for covering areas of mix matched brick

Photo of a large contemporary one-storey brick white house exterior with a shingle roof and a black roof.

Design ideas for a mid-sized country two-storey brick white house exterior in Detroit with a gable roof and a brown roof.

NATURAL and HEALTHY--STEEPED in HISTORY Whitewashed brick, stone and stucco exteriors are gorgeous with a charming Old-World look and feel. The natural appearance of authentic slaked lime has no equal and is particularly well suited to brick, stone masonry and stucco exterior and interior surfaces. The beauty of lime is in the aging process, as witnessed over countless centuries among the castles and important structures of the Mediterranean regions of Europe. There, countless layers of lime wash provide patina and texture that we can replicate, literally in a single application. Lime occurs naturally and this lime has been aged for 3 years. Slaked lime is unlike any modern acrylic paint finish. It absorbs and calcifies onto the brick making it a mineral-like part of the surface. It naturally breathes and will never peel, blister or flake and requires very little maintenance. Limewash can be applied in a variety of applications giving a one of-a-kind look to your walls and exteriors. And Limewash delivers a unique color and patina that gracefully ages over time developing variations in color and tone. This variable aging process adds to the Old-World drama, becoming more beautiful with time.

This Lincoln Park renovation transformed a conventionally built Chicago two-flat into a custom single-family residence with a modern, open floor plan. The white masonry exterior paired with new black windows brings a contemporary edge to this city home.

This is an example of a brick white exterior in Salt Lake City.

Modern Take on English Country for this Stunning Exterior.
Photo of an expansive country two-storey brick house exterior in Nashville.