What the Exterior of Your Home Communicates to Visitors

Don’t forget the outside! This post dives into the importance and value of designing your home’s external facade with as much thoughtful intention as the inside.

When starting a new home build, much of your energy and attention will be focused on the internal aspects, naturally. That’s what you, the homeowner, will see the most and where you will spend most of your time. It’s important to nail down all those inside pieces, but we’ve seen countless projects where the interior of the home was given all the attention, leaving the exteriors to pale in comparison.

Don’t sleep on your home’s exterior facade.

The smooth finish of this white stucco home gives it a crisp look The subtle landscaping follows that element with its minimalist approach. White stucco minimal landscaping Liz Powell Logan Utah #minimallandscaping #whitestuccohouse #lizpowell #loga

The sharp pitch of this roof is enhanced by the large windows. The dark window treatment also provides a beautiful contrast to the home’s white exterior. window treatment white stucco sharp roof pitch  #sharppitchroof #windowtreatment #blackand

Using wooden shingles and fencing adds to the overall countryside theme this house aims to project. The exterior of your home should be designed with as much care as the interior.  Home exterior fenced yard wooden shingles #woodenshingles #fren

The exterior aspects of your home is what will first draw the eye for visitors upon arrival. This is your prime chance to capture attention and create curb appeal through the architecture and landscaping, allowing you to set the stage for an impressive visitor experience.

Applying classic, timeless design matters on both the inside of your home and the outside. Creating balance between the interior and exterior of your home is critical to a cohesive home design.

Here are a few specific considerations to keep in mind when planning the exterior of your new home build:

1 | Keep windows and doors proportional.

Pay attention to the layout of your home when designing your floor plan so you can allow a balanced street-facing facade for your home. Having a big, beautiful front doorway that makes a statement and like one or two small windows looks a little unbalanced, especially if your door isn’t directly in the center of your home’s front.

This house shows symmetry through its architecture. The pathway is the dividing line between the two sides. #symmeticalhouse #mirrorimage #dormers #lizpowell #loganutah

This house uses the multicolor of the rock to tie in the cream and dark grey colors also on the exterior. The landscaping provides beauty while still being drought-resistant. Drought-resistant landscaping multicolor rock dark garage doors #darkgarag

2 | The color palette should be simple and sophisticated.

The exterior of your home is not the place to experiment with color. Stick to just two or three colors, making sure the shutters and trim match. Keeping the colors neutral and classic will ensure a timeless feel and set the tone for the rest of your home. Plus, paying attention to color is important when you recognize the effect it can have on your home’s temperature (i.e. dark colors could heat up your home faster, which might post a problem if you live in a hot climate).

3 | Use high-quality materials.

Making sure your home’s exterior is durable and protected against expected weather conditions and the test of time will save you loads of time and money over the coming decades. Quality materials like stone and brick all have a solid place in the strategy when it comes to creating a timeless home that doesn’t look dated a few years down the road, anyway. The desire for high-quality materials extends to your landscaping, too. Design your yard thoughtfully with native plants that look natural and will last a long time.

Apply timeless, classic design to your dream home, both inside and out.

4 | Still add character, but in a subtle way.

We talk a lot about infusing your home with personality and unique, custom enhancements that match your family and your story, which can still be done on the external facade of your home, but it should be done in a more subtle way to avoid looking haphazard or distracting from the overall timeless aeshetic. You can add character by using carved shutters in interesting designs, adding a tasteful stained glass window, or even incorporating brass drainage pipes. You could also include landscaping that brings some color to the front of your home.

We love designing home interiors, but the exterior design is just as important, a concept we hope you remember as you dive into your new home build project. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Liz Powell Design team!