Superior Exteriors

Considerations for design of the outside of the home

As a homeowner plans the appearance of a home – from a room under renovation to a new custom design – intense focus on the interior can take attention away from the exterior.

But the exterior is an important consideration, too. The outside of a home should always reflect the inside, says nationally known architect Duo Dickinson of Connecticut, who spoke at a meeting of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s local chapter this past year.

Residential design is a combination of extreme passion and extreme risk for the homeowner, Dickinson says.

“If (the exterior) looks good and stops working, the owners hate you,” he says.

People have more options than ever, he adds; they just need to know how to approach them.

“In this digital age, people are able to self-select projects, architects, designs, builders,” Dickinson says.

Materials are key considerations.

“You can use great materials poorly, and you can use great designs with poor materials,” says Dickinson.

Popular products for top-notch outdoor appearance, per national design and architecture group the House Designers, include:

-Stone and brick face, especially around the entrance; advances in synthetics make imitation stone highly convincing.

-Vinyl siding, available in a variety of denominations, including clapboard panels, half-round shingles and rectangular cedar shingles.

-Fiber cement siding, which looks like real wood siding but is more durable and practically maintenance-free.

-Red cedar, which is both durable and versatile and comes in bevel siding, tongue and groove, lap siding, and board and batten, among other options.

Other helpful tips for curb appeal include:

-Color: It’s perfectly acceptable to use multiple colors for different features – siding, garage door, window trim, porch or deck – but make sure the paint is compatible with the surface.

-Driveway: Porous paving allows water and other liquids – think oil or other car drippings – to filter through and be naturally absorbed and decomposed, rather than causing unsightly stains and runoff pollution.

-Garage Door: Large windows can spruce up an otherwise drab garage door and, as a bonus, let natural light into the garage, making it a less dreary place to spend time.

-Window Trim: Trends in PVC trim are moving to larger sizes, such as 5.5-inch corner pieces rather than 3.5-inch.

It’s critically important to comb through a completed plan and make sure none of the planned materials or design elements will clash with one another, Dickinson says.

“You’ve got to steer … focus away from things you don’t want to see and (emphasize) the things you do want to see,” he says.

Garth Bishop is managing editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.