Hey hey friends! Claire here and I handle content strategy (and a few other things!) for team TPL. In the midst of a pandemic and juggling two small kids, my husband and I started house hunting to see what options were available in an area a little closer to the school we wanted our oldest to attend for kindergarten.

I’ve always been drawn to older homes that have a story to tell; the kind that need a little help being brought back to life. When we bought our house, I knew there was limitless potential buried under the overgrown shrubs and oversized furniture but it took me a few weeks before my head stopped spinning and I was able to actually look at what the house needed and what vision I had for a transformation.

RELATED: See more of this house with “IT’S PRACTICALLY AN HGTV SHOW!”

The only thing I was 100% certain about was that I had a vision for painting the red brick so that the house had a cohesive vibe. When I first told Fawn that I wanted her to create a design for my house, I’m pretty sure that was my only instruction: I want to see the brick painted ivory to match the top half of the house. As soon as I saw the digital design, I knew that this was something that I’d figure out how to move forward with.

Here are 4 things you need to know before you paint your exterior:

1. Get a virtual design first. Here’s the thing about paint — once it’s on there, you can’t undo it. So if you hate it, there’s no going back. Paint is one of my favorite ways to transform a space but it is a permanent solution. Since I work closely with Fawn, I’ve had the advantage of seeing dozens (or maybe hundreds?) of homes transformed by Fawn Renae Designs so I knew the value of it for my own home. It was so worth it to see the digital design and it allowed me and the hubs to be on the same page with what things we wanted to update on our house and what our priorities were. Let me just tell you how excited I was when she emailed over a folder full of images + a video! #bestdayever
2. DIY or hire it? I did some research on both options and although we tend to be DIYers by nature, this one seemed a bit out of reach for us. We didn’t have the necessary tools on hand and between work, the kids, weekend trips, all the things… it would have been tough to find a time on our calendar to fit it in. I was surprised by how affordable it was to have a professional crew come in and paint. In our situation, the painter didn’t paint any of the top half of the house since that was in good shape. My advice: research, get estimates, and make the decision that makes the most sense for your wallet and your calendar.
3. Ask questions + understand the process. SprayMasters got our entire transformation complete in just three days. Isaac and his crew went through everything in this order and it took them about two and a half days:
   >> pressure-wash
   >> mask off the areas that don’t need to be painted
   >> prime
   >> paint
   >> finished up with trim work
   It was fun to watch professional painters and see Fawn’s digital design come to life.
4. Be flexible. As with any work that takes place outside, the weather can change things up. We had some rain in the forecast but the clouds never gave way and we weren’t derailed. It’s definitely a good idea to build some flexibility into this project, though. If you’re on a strict timeline, make sure you communicate with your painter so that you know what the backup plans are if things get pushed back.

I’m no stranger to throwing a coat of paint on a fireplace, some furniture, or the interior walls so I knew that painting the brick would make a big difference… but there’s just nothing like experiencing the change it brought to our house in real life. It now feels like the English Tudor-style house that it’s wanted to be for decades. It feels clean, fresh, and updated. If you’re thinking about painting your exterior, my advice is to go ahead and make it happen. You won’t regret it!