Planning the exterior of your custom home may not be top priority, but curb appeal and exterior aesthetic can make a house feel like home.
When your mind is on building a custom home, you probably spend a lot of time thinking about the interior—the size of the kitchen, the bathroom design, how fabulous and functional your entryway should be, how many bedrooms and offices you need to maintain some semblance of peace, and other things of that nature. This is all really important—after all, form follows function. Understanding the necessary functionality of your custom home can help you when you begin to think about the form, especially when it’s time to start considering what the exterior should look like.
Architecture
One of the first orders of business is to think about the architectural design of your home. There needs to be a connection between the function of the home and your dream design. A large family home with a cottage exterior might not pan out exactly how you envisioned, but steps can be taken to ensure that your home looks how you want it to without sacrificing its all-important functionality. Think carefully about what you want for your home and what it needs to be the best space for your lifestyle. Is it better if you have a lot of windows that let natural light in? Do you need a large attic for extra living space? Are you hoping to build an energy-efficient home? Thinking carefully about the functionality of your exterior can help direct you to solutions that make sense and maintain your vision for its aesthetic.
Don’t forget about things like your environment and weather patterns. For example, in an area where heavy snowfall is a possibility, a modern exterior with flat roofs might not be the best option. For areas that experience extreme heat, dark exterior colors such as black and midnight blue will hold in too much heat, resulting in high air conditioning bills every summer. Your professional home builder will have more insights on what to be mindful of when designing the architecture of your home.
Materials
Once you’ve decided on your architecture, you can begin thinking about the right materials. The reason you should think about architecture first is that it can help direct you to appropriate materials based on the build. When it comes to exterior materials, look for the best possible value. Curb appeal is critical, and how you feel when you approach your home every day is an important part of the custom home experience. However, you always need to be careful about your budget. You don’t want to use flimsy materials that can’t stand up to normal weather patterns and will need constant repairs and replacements, but you also don’t want to burn half of your entire budget on exterior materials. After all, you have a whole house to build!
Design and Build Your Dream Home with Columbia Builders!
Columbia Builders is the home builder of choice in Howard County, offering homes in Ellicott City, Elkridge, Laurel, Columbia, Marriottsville, Fulton, Clarksville, Dayton, and Brookeville. No matter what the size and scope of your project, we have the skills, experience, and resources needed to bring your vision to life. We offer a level of customization that is truly unmatched and are committed to using materials and craftsmen of the highest quality, so you can trust that your new home is built to last. Columbia Builders was voted Best of Howard County 2020 for best home builder.
If you’re ready to invest in a home, built with your needs in mind, trust in us. Give Columbia Builders a call today at 410-730-0215 or use our contact form here. You can also keep up with us on Facebook, Twitter, Houzz, and YouTube, and don’t forget to check back on our blog for more tips and information!