The Ages-Old Design Feature That May Boost Your Home's Value

Older homes often have architectural flourishes and character that make them far more beautiful and interesting than their more modern counterparts. This includes quoins, those L-shaped pieces that often stand out at the corners of older brick or stone buildings. Not only are these pieces probably more plentiful than you've noticed, but they have a long history of serving both structural and cosmetic needs on homes and other buildings. On newer structures, these architectural bits may seem a small way to give a nod to vintage construction, but they can also be a great way to up your home's resale value and curb appeal by giving the corners of your home visual interest, architectural character, and a classic feel.

While most homes with original quoins have stone or brick facades, they are popping up more and more these days to accent other materials like wood and stucco. While some quoins in materials stand out as high contrast due to color, material, or texture, others are much more subtle and blend in with the surrounding elements. They are an excellent way to create a more storied and aged feel in a newer structure, as well as a way to get in the return of outdated home styles like Georgian homes, which used quoins quite liberally on brick structures. 

Quoins, taken from the French for "coin," have their roots in the Roman and Greek eras, when they were used for more structural reasons to hold buildings together at the joints as additional support, especially for multistory structures with heavy stone roofs. The popularity of the look continued through the Renaissance and Baroque eras in Europe, even after the need for structural support lessened due to engineering advancements. They still could be used to protect the corners of buildings on the first couple of stories from cracks or damage, as well as to create visual interest and a more finished look. Eventually, they also became popular to employ around doors and windows as additional visual framing.

Quoins were typically made of stone or brick that was different from the wall's primary material, like gray stone over red brick or darker stone over lighter. One of the most commonly sighted quoins were rusticated, with a worn and more craggy finish than surrounding materials. Another popular option, known as vermiculated quoins, were riddled with worm-like patterns to stand out and add more texture. 

As time went on, quoins were often made of concrete, though buildings now also have a wealth of other options like wood, stucco, and vinyl to create purely decorative quoins. Today, they are often added during the exterior finishing project with created grooves in an applied material instead of individual stones or bricks. Modern homes often have more subtle quoins that blend in color-wise but have definition because of their larger size and variations in texture. 

While some architectural sticklers may say that only masonry buildings should have decorative quoins, many homeowners use them liberally on their homes, opening up exciting possibilities for creating interest and texture. If you love the look but are not in the process of a full exterior house remodel, you can add faux quoins made of lightweight foam with a construction adhesive that can be painted the shade you desire. They cost around $50 each, depending on size, and are a fast and creative way to boost your home's curb appeal.