Neil Hipwell on dated brick home transformations

When it comes to giving old brick homes a new lease on life, Neil Hipwell, founding director of Futureflip, knows how to strike the right balance between modern style and market appeal. His most recent project shows exactly how the right design choices and products can elevate a dated brick home into something timeless and desirable.

“The client came to us with a dated brick house just outside of Brisbane, with the vision of it being an investment property, and they really wanted to increase the value of it to potentially sell it,” Hipwell says.

For this project (which is still mid-transformation), that meant completely rethinking the facade while working with the existing structure. The finished product will be a residence that looks like a brand-new home achieved with a cost-effective renovation, making offering inspiration for other renovators.

From brick to bold

Central to this Modern Coastal transformation is the choice of Hardie™ cladding products. Hardie™ fibre cement products from the Hardie™ Architectural Collection will make it possible to reimagine the home’s exterior without the need for heavy, expensive structural changes.

“Cladding over the brick can help improve the home’s thermal performance, and provide a full skin of insulation around it,” Hipwell says. “Adding an extra shield around the whole house helps stop the heat from penetrating.”

Hipwell’s team will use a number of products for the renovation, including Axon™ Cladding and Linea™ Weatherboard. Hardie™ Fine Texture Cladding will also be used throughout the home to ensure the final design achieves the clean, contemporary Modern Coastal style that the client wants.

Designing for modern living

For Hipwell, every renovation is about creating a home that feels current but will also stand the test of time. He didn’t want to do anything that was going to look dated in a couple of years. Rather, his design intention was about delivering a style that would still feel relevant for decades to come.

That philosophy is in keeping with the Modern Homes Forecast 2025, which focuses on the demand for architectural styles that deliver both personality and longevity. For this project, subtle lines and a calm colour palette have been combined with thoughtful landscaping to give the home strong kerb appeal without being trend-driven.

“The goal was to retain as many structural elements as we could and only add on where it was absolutely necessary to make the facade more modern,” Hipwell says. “Adding windows to the front facade and the new gable roof line will basically make it look like a new house – for very little cost.”

Before

After

The right cladding and feature elements

Choosing James Hardie’s array of exterior and trim product lines isn’t just about aesthetics. The durability and speed of installation are major factors as well. Then there are the ‘feature’ pieces that Hipwell says might help his clients increase their return on investment.

“The main beam across the front of the garage will cost a bit structurally as we cannot cantilever like we normally would if it was a new build. However, it’s necessary to make it have that really modern form and frame that will create definition for the design. It’s a good solution to frame the entry.”

Hipwell’s advice for renovators

For homeowners thinking about upgrading their own dated brick properties, Hipwell’s advice is to start with a very clear design vision and invest in the right exterior solutions – especially if you have a brick home.

“It’s a very simple process to clad over brick,” he says. “You can introduce shrouds to all the existing windows, and then batten straight onto the brick. From there, you clad directly onto those battens. It means you don’t necessarily have to change the windows, and you’re just adding an extra ‘skin’ of cladding.”

Hipwell also says it’s very important to work with trusted tradies and suppliers. After all, having a team that understands James Hardie’s portfolio of fibre cement exterior solutions and how to use them properly makes a huge difference to the end result.

Inspiring renovators nationwide

While not yet fully completed, Hipwell is incredibly proud of this project: “As soon as you look at the front of the home, it will look like a brand-new house with new windows, new roof and new cladding – all freshly painted.”

He says everyday homeowners may be able to achieve similar results themselves without demolishing or having to start from scratch. It just takes a bit of thoughtful design and the right selection of cladding products like those in the Hardie™ Architectural Collection.

The result? You can transform a tired brick home into a modern property and still have it be both beautiful and practical.