Watercolor House Portrait: Colonial Charm in Beverly Hills, Michigan

Houses come with so many memories, and this colonial in Beverly Hills, Michigan, had enough little details to keep my paintbrush busy for days.

My client recently moved out, and she wanted every little detail her family loved about the home captured in watercolor: the purplish front tree, the blooming white floral tree by the porch, and even the tiny mailbox that made it feel like home. She sent me a bunch of photos, and it was my job to piece them all together into one cozy, memory-filled portrait.

This 8x10 painting was a treat to layer with detail. From the teeny stained glass pattern in the front door to the careful rendering of the flower beds, every little feature mattered. I used layers of watercolor and ink to create depth, making the trees closest to the viewer rich with detail and saturation, while the layers in the background softened to suggest distance. And of course, every tiny brick had to be just so.

As my client said about the finished painting:

"We will cherish it forever."

And I have to agree -- it’s one of those houses you want to step right into, even if only on paper.

Learn how to commission a hand-painted watercolor house portrait ➜