Welcome to Gardenia & Brick

There’s a moment every morning at the lake house — before the day starts, before anything is loud — when the water is completely still and everything smells like something blooming.

That’s what Gardenia & Brick is about.

This is a home renovation and décor journal rooted in lake house living, old brick, climbing vines, and the kind of whimsy that makes a space feel like it actually grew there. Real projects. Real budgets. Real before-and-afters — including the mistakes.

What you’ll find here

• Renovation guides with real budgets — from brick fireplaces to lakeside porches, with actual costs and honest lessons learned
• Curated product finds — the best lake house and farmhouse finds across Amazon, Wayfair, Etsy and beyond
• Paint color deep dives — which whites, greens and neutrals actually work on brick, shiplap and older walls
• Garden & outdoor living — porch plantings, lakeside landscaping, and everything we’ve learned about growing gardenias in the South
• DIY projects — approachable weekend projects with big, lasting impact

We renovate with the bones in mind. We decorate with the landscape. We believe a home should feel like the best version of outside, brought in.

“Old brick, new blooms, and a house that keeps becoming itself.”

The philosophy

Honest over perfect. Real renovations are messy. We show the before, the during, and the after — including the mistakes. Because that’s where the real advice lives.

Budget-conscious beauty. Beautiful homes don’t require a designer budget. We find the Wayfair steal, the Etsy gem, and the Amazon find that looks like it costs five times more.

A little whimsy, always. A home should have a personality. We believe in the unexpected bloom, the blue glazed pot, the Canada geese on the lake at golden hour. Life is in the details.

Respect the bones. Old brick, original floors, and vintage milk cans have stories. We renovate with the existing character in mind — working with the house, not against it.

You’re in the right place if…

• You’re renovating an older home and want to keep the character
• You love the lake house aesthetic but don’t know where to start
• You’re hunting for the perfect white paint (aren’t we all)
• You want real budget breakdowns, not aspirational nonsense
• You believe a home should smell like gardenias and lake air in the morning

Whether you’re gutting a bathroom, hunting the perfect shiplap alternative, or just trying to figure out why your gardenias keep dying — you’re in the right place.

Welcome to the garden. 🌿
— Gardenia & Brick

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