It is said that the first impression is the last impression, and this holds true with our homes too. Can an outwardly shabby or drab looking house look welcoming or inviting? In all likelihood, it will not. This is because the first thing to be seen is the home exterior and needless to say, a great deal depends on it. Many homeowners tend to spend great time and money on designing elaborate home interiors, but wittingly or unwittingly overlook or postpone their home exterior design. In fact, they focus so much on doing up the interiors of their homes that they don't even mind paying a little extra to interior designers. Just like the interiors, exteriors are crucial to the overall structure of the building. It's like two sides of the same coin. Hence it is important that the outside of your home is designed and maintained well. A good looking home exterior certainly adds extra style and an aesthetic appeal to your house. However, exteriors have a greater role to play. An impenetrable exterior acts like a protective armor. There are many considerations you must take into account while planning the exteriors of your home. The following information will fill you in with necessary details on how to plan your home exterior. Read on.
Home Exterior Design
Tips on home exterior design and exterior finishing.
Home Exterior
- As garage doors are an important part of home exteriors, due care must be taken while installing them. The garage flooring must be completed and the drywall in the garage fixed before the garage doors are in place. As far as the doors are concerned, remember that they need to be very sturdy. Installing garage doors are a good option as they keep temperatures in the garage fairly stable and reduce the temperature fluctuation in rooms above the garage. For automatic doors, fix the required wiring beforehand.
- Stuccoing and siding are important elements of home exterior aesthetics. If you intend to construct the home exterior with bricks or rocks, ensure that it is done before you get down to applying the stucco and siding. Also, the styles and colors of both bricks and siding should complement each other.
- The siding helps enhance the appeal of the structure and also has a great influence on the value of the property. It is extremely important since it helps in shedding water and offers protection against the weather elements. The siding comes in a variety of materials and styles such as plastic or vinyl, asphalt, wood, insulated, metal and composite siding.
- Stucco is very commonly used as a surface finish owing to the number of benefits that it offers. Its utility, durability, low cost, and low maintenance render essential sustainability benefits in all climates - wet, dry, hot, or cold. External walls with stuccoes can dramatically augment the appearance of your home exterior. However, before the stucco is applied, you need to consider what type of surface you will be covering. The application methods will vary but will depend on if the existing wall is wood, block, brick, concrete or some material.
- After your plot has been backfilled and graded, you can begin work on the driveway, garage floor and sidewalks. Do not place the sidewalk too close to the foundation lest cracks form at the corners. Leave some space between the sidewalk and the foundation wall. You can choose from a variety of surfaces for your sidewalk like plain, concrete or stamped.
- Start with the outdoor decking of your home once the siding is prepared. Deck finishing comes in different types like painted, stained or vinyl. It is best to choose something that is durable and needs little or no maintenance.
- Remember to fix a railing if the deck is about twenty four inches or more above the ground. Some types of railings need to be maintained on a daily basis while others are relatively maintenance free. Based on your need and purpose you can choose from many varieties such as wooden, aluminum, plastic or glass.