When it comes to exterior designing, it can be a lot more difficult and time-consuming. This is because the exterior of your house has to be durable against different weather conditions as well as maintain its aesthetic appeal. To help you through the process, we have come up with several tips and tricks that can be useful for people who are new to exterior designing.
Budgeting
One of the most important things when it comes to exterior design is to consider the budget. It is quite easy to exceed the cost you initially set up and going for a home renovation without a budget can turn out to be very costly. It is therefore important that you set up a budget for each part of your exterior design plan. The best way to do this is by dividing the entire exterior design plan into various parts. Assigning a set budget to each part of this plan will help you not only understand your project more in-depth but also save money. Always include an extra section in your budget, so that if your cost exceeds any other part, you have extra money sorted out. This ensures everything goes smoothly.
An example of this approach will be to divide your budget according to the different requirements: Materials, Contractors, Architect and miscellaneous.
Materials
When it comes to materials, there are a lot of things you need to consider in your exterior design plan. You will need different kinds of materials for the exterior of your house, the roof, the doors, and the windows. If you are making your house from scratch, you will also need materials for the foundation of the house. Ensure that the material you are getting is available locally, or you might need to pay extra for transportation. By using sustainable and ethically obtained materials, you do your part for the environment and climate change. Do not forget to get material for your gutter system as well. You can do this by clicking here.
The various kinds of materials available are:
PVCu Cladding: It is one of the most inexpensive options. If you go for wood effect PVCu, it is almost comparable in price to timber boarding
Composite Cladding: These include materials such as Corian and HI-MACS. It is usually made of stone powder and high-quality acrylic resins, which often contain colour in the form of pigments.
Other materials include Timber boarding, Fiber cement weatherboarding, brick slips, stone tiles, metal, and masonry paint. Make sure you do your research before choosing one of these options.
Paint
Your paint colour is extremely important when it comes to making the exterior design plan look cohesive and coherent. This is because different paints look different in changing lighting and when it comes to the exteriors, the light is changing dramatically throughout. An easy way to determine the colour for your exteriors is by doing sample paints. Paint them over the exterior wall and observe them during the different times of the day. It is also important to consider other elements- when choosing your colour. This includes the roof, garages, side extensions if any, and door colour. The extra details, like the trim and the garden pavement colours, should be added to compliment the main colour of the house.
Texture
Exterior design usually relies on texture when it comes to making a statement. The texture of your house and its elements reflects how you want your house to be seen. Therefore, it becomes important to consider it when choosing different elements for your house’s exteriors. Texture can usually be seen in the way you do your exterior trims, your porch, garden, and smaller details like your door handle and design. The material used for exteriors also adds to the texture- a brick finish will look much different than a wood finish. Similarly, a red brick will look quite different from white brick. The size of your windows will also add to this- bigger windows make the house look classic, elegant, and chic, whereas smaller windows can often make the house look cheap and tacky.
Landscaping
An important part of exterior design is landscaping. This includes the plants and trees you plant in and around your house. When landscaping, it is important that you go for native species so that you do not accidentally bring invasive flora that might affect your local ecosystem. Moreover, non-native plants and trees may not survive in the weather conditions of your area. Your landscape should be a mix of evergreen and seasonal plants. You should also make sure you are adding enough seating arrangements around your landscapes- consider the furniture according to the use. If you usually have a lot of guests over, it is a good idea to invest in a bigger outdoor couch. On the other hand, if you have kids and pets, consider smaller seating arrangements that are not hazardous to both.