Brick Match Basics
Adding on to your home can pose a myriad of otherwise forgotten challenges in creating a cohesive look between the old and new spaces. Depending on how these challenges are handled, the result can either diminish the look of your new room addition or, if done properly, can make the new addition look like it’s been there from the beginning. One of the more commonly overlooked details that homeowners may not consider, is the matter of matching the existing brick or stone to the rest of the house.
“If your home is more than a few years old, there’s a chance that the brick that was originally used may not be readily available for your home addition,” says Normandy Design Manager Troy Pavelka. Fortunately there are a few 
industry secrets that can help you navigate this fairly common challenge, none of which involve creating a dramatically different look for the home addition.
The first and most obvious option is to thoroughly search for an existing brick match among readily available stock materials. This may involve some research at local brick and stone yards, but it will be the most economical and simplest solution.
If you can’t find an exact match, start by identifying something similar. “If the color is close, but not perfect, there is also the option of staining either the existing brick or new brick, in order to create a more successful 
match.” This can be time consuming and may be costly, but for some scenarios may be the best solution for the overall look of the house.
If you are able to salvage a substantial amount of existing brick at the point where the new room breaks through the existing walls, it is best to incorporate it randomly into the new materials so that it blends well and looks cohesive. “By off-setting the design, it is much easier for the brick to look as if it is a match, because it is not located on the same plane,” advises Troy. “Interior corners create shadow lines and work with the light to help the brick appear more similar, even though it is not identical.”
Additions to a brick home can be accomplished very successfully, if you are prepared for some of the challenges of finding an appropriate brick match. “The overall goal is to make the addition appear to be absolutely seamless with the rest of the home,” notes Troy. “We know that we’ve been successful, when the average person will not be able to identify where the existing home ends, and the new room addition begins.”
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