Residential siding products from Nichiha USA, a manufacturer of fiber cement cladding, were an integral part of the design for the winning house on the recently completed season four of “Rock the Block,” which airs on HGTV. Nichiha worked directly with Michel Smith Boyd, the victorious designer, donating products that would help him realize his vision for the project.
Boyd and partner Anthony Elle of Luxe for Less were one of four designer teams that competed on the fourth season of the show, which took place in Berthoud, Colo. The show challenged the design teams to renovate a 5,000-square-foot home for a budget of $250,000. As winners, the pair not only hold bragging rights, but they also have the block named in their honor.
In partnership with Boyd, Nichiha supplied their VintageWood cladding in Cedar, as well as TuffBlock in Pewter. Both products were installed with matching corner pieces, a unique Nichiha offering.
“We were delighted to see that Michel’s design was victorious,” says Jason Monday, vice president of sales and marketing at Nichiha. “His use of Nichiha’s VintageWood and TuffBlock is cutting edge in its incorporation of wood and concrete looks in a side-by-side layout. His eye for design is certainly worthy of high praise, and it was a delight for Nichiha to collaborate with him in the winning home’s façade.”
“Using sustainable materials in the past, I always felt like I would be compromising my aesthetic,” says Boyd. “With Nichiha, I wasn’t. I always loved a natural look, with the concrete and with stone. I love texture inside and out. So, the idea of having a more minimal exterior, but not compromising on the palette I would have chosen if it was natural wood or natural stone was incredible. I’ve got the look and I’ve got better durability. That’s a win.”
The cladding that Boyd specified for the home isn’t just for show. Like all of Nichiha’s top-tier fiber cement products, the products chosen will perform for years to come. Both VintageWood and TuffBlock are part of the Architectural Wall Panel (AWP) series at Nichiha, thicker cladding options that feature built-in rainscreens and install easily with Nichiha’s Ultimate Clip System.
“These particular products are an ideal blend of elegance and durability,” added Monday. “Like the other options in Nichiha’s roster, VintageWood and TuffBlock are fiber cement interpretations of classic materials. But unlike the wood and cement cladding they mimic, these two products install more easily and require less maintenance.”
The end result is an elegant look that matches the home’s high-end aesthetic and that is strong enough to endure mother nature’s fury.
For more information on Nichiha, visit www.nichiha.com.
