Creative Faux Panels

One of my favorite SNL skits was the one done by Scarlett Johansson and Fred Armisen – “You gotta get yourself some marble columns.” It’s kind of a random topic to parody, but both of their performances literally had me rolling on the ground laughing.

Don’t get me wrong, while I thought this skit was hysterical – it was due more to Fred and Scarlett’s comic enthusiasm than anything. I actually think columns can add really nice visual interest to your home – although the ones they were hawking may not be up your alley.

How about some faux columns? They look really realistic, but lightweight enough that you won’t be lugging around heavy stone or brick and spending tons of money on a professional mason.

One of our customers recently put these Drystack Quarry Gray faux columns up at their model house and sent us this photo.

Another nice use of columns is to set off a yard or border fence. It can turn a boring wood or metal fence into something a little more interesting looking. This photo was sent in by a customer using Majesty Augusta stone fence posts:

Watch this clip for a good laugh – then go get yourself some faux columns!

Adding on to your house gives you more storage and living space while improving the value of your home. Anyone who has undertaken this kind of project knows that making the addition’s exterior blend with the rest of the house is super important. Otherwise you’ll end up with a patchwork monstrosity that will have your friends calling Ty Pennington and his crew for an Extreme Makeover rescue. Don’t be a DIY disaster!

Things to consider before you begin your addition:

• The materials on your current home’s exterior may no longer be available or prove too costly, especially on older homes. You may need to get creative on finding a similar-looking alternative.

• Your home’s current siding has most likely taken a beating over the years from various types of weather and climate. Keep this in mind when you’re selecting a color for the addition. Nice and bright probably won’t mesh well.

• There may be sections of the addition that are trickier to side than others. Be certain when choosing your materials that it can be relatively easy to install in ALL areas.

A good example of this conundrum is our customer’s addition to his existing brick building. According to Paul Reeves from Bethel, OH, installing real brick or rock in the space above the roof of the addition would have been logistically difficult. I would agree that schlepping heavy bricks or rock up a ladder and installing them above that sloped roof top would be precarious at best, not to mention costly.

Before

Luckily Paul was able to find a solution with forty-two of our Random Rock Potomac faux panels. Take a look at the final result photos below. We think they look great!

After - Close Up View

After - Full View