Decorating isn’t just for the interior of your home. The décor of the exterior of your home is just as important, if not more important, as the interior. The exterior is the first thing visitors see. And as the old adage says, “it’s all in the details.” In this case, those details are the architectural details.
Architectural details added to your home’s exterior will create a defined look for your home and significantly boost its curb appeal, in many cases in even more than adding landscape features. The options for adding personal style to your home’s exterior extend far beyond just repainting. The following are just a few of the many architectural details you can add to your home to give it personality and distinction:
- Window trim
- Door trim
- Arbors
- Pergolas
- Trim boards
- Exterior moulding
- Shutters
- Louvers
- Pediments
- Crossheads
- Columns
- Balustrade systems
Before you begin giving your exterior a makeover, walk around the outside of your home at various times of day and look at the structure of your home, how it sits on your lot, the style of other homes in your neighborhood, architectural features already on your home, and your existing landscaping. You should focus on what architectural features to add before you add any additional landscaping features. This will ensure that you can still see the new architectural features after the landscaping is added.
Look to your home’s architectural roots for inspiration. Select a theme that complements the architectural style of your home. Don’t try to change your home into something it is not meant to be. Regardless of what features you add, you can’t make a Cape Cod-style home into a Tudor-style home.
When deciding on what architectural features to add to your home’s exterior, answer the following questions:
- What function do the features serve?
- How are the features designed to work, in terms of form and architectural style?
- How will they work together with the other exterior features on your home?
Architectural details should be used with a fair amount of restraint. Going overboard with embellishments can overwhelm your house. Add just enough architectural details to give your home character and define its style.