As a homeowner you probably spend most of your time and energy focusing on your home’s interior. But the exterior components of your home — your roof, windows and exterior façade – play a vital role in keeping your home looking its best. Not only does a well-designed home exterior create a welcoming aesthetic, but it sets the tone for the entire property, and it can boost your home’s market value.
So, what should you consider when determining the colors and finishes you want to incorporate in your home’s exterior? Quite simply, the chosen exterior elements should be attractive, durable and easy to maintain. Brea Bartelt, interior designer at Classic Custom Homes of Waunakee, recognizes that whether an individual is building a new home or remodeling an existing gem, careful planning of the home’s architectural style, materials, colors and landscaping play a key role in establishing the perfect aesthetic.
“We are still seeing a lot of really dark homes trending, with black and dark greens being a popular look,” Bartelt says. “More monotone color schemes are popular versus mixing a lot of colors in a home’s exterior.”
The ideal type of exterior colors and finishes depends on the architectural style of the home. Does your home resonate with the Craftsman style? Then you may want to feature natural colors and materials, including wood, stone and brick and a wide front porch. Is your home more minimalist and contemporary? Then a palette of soft hues, including creams and whites may be appropriate. In addition, it is important to explore the types of finishes that may accent certain architectural elements of a home’s exterior.
“Texture on exteriors are great, but it’s important to find the right balance of texture — too much will feel too busy,” Bartelt says. “Work with your draftsmen to find the right balance, make sure an element isn’t only in one spot or too heavy on one side. Wood accents are really popular now as it brings in a great natural element. If you have stained columns on one side of the house, make sure the garage doors or gable brackets also pull the same color across.”
When it comes to selecting the number of different exterior elements, including paint colors, as well as wood, stucco, brick or siding, Bartelt suggests limiting it to three or four.
“Any more than that gets really busy,” she says.
When working with homeowners, the Classic Custom Homes of Waunakee team goes through each client’s inspiration pictures.
“We focus on the common elements that truly shape the design of the inspiration homes,” Bartelt explains. “Our draftsmen incorporate those elements into the elevations, and we refine them until we achieve the right balance.”
Classic Custom Homes of Waunakee
608.850.4450 | 401 N. Century Ave., Waunakee | cchofwaunakee.com
