Making changes to siding design and other aspects of the exterior of your home is a perfect opportunity to enhance curb appeal.
Remodeling is always a mix of needs and wants. The motivation for replacing siding on a home often falls into the “needs” category. The material, or the structure below it, has become compromised with moisture, rot, etc. It’s time to replace it – which provides the perfect reason to enhance or upgrade the aesthetics of your home exterior. Here are eleven ways siding can be an integral part of an exterior renovation to increase the curb appeal of your home.
1. Use Siding as Part of Your Exterior Style Update Plan
Siding design is just one aspect of curb appeal, but an important one. If you’ve been thinking about taking the style of your home from where it is now into a direction like craftsman, traditional, coastal, or some other style, what you choose for siding and trim will make a big difference.
There are other decisions to make alongside your siding choices. This is also the perfect opportunity to update fixtures on the front of the home. New light fixtures, a new pole light in front of the home and other artistic elements around the front door emphasize the style direction you have chosen, and improves curb appeal.
2. Match Home Siding Styles and Materials for a Seamless Exterior
Often a renovation means making choices that make sense along existing materials that will remain after the project is finished. Especially if the renovation project includes an addition, matching materials between old and new is important. A seasoned design-build partner will be able to match or compliment the stain or paint color on existing siding and other exterior materials.
3. Mix Materials to Enhance the Style
When your home was built, the exterior was dominated by one material - one color for the vinyl or aluminum siding, another color for the trim. There may have been a stone or brick accent, but 90-plus percent of the exterior consists of one siding material.
An exterior remodel is a great time to play with added materials. Focus changes on decorative accents to create an interesting contrast of textures and colors. For example:
- Create a feature wall with shakes or vertical siding to draw attention to a specific area
- Combine shake shingles with lap siding for a varied, dynamic exterior
- Add or expand a section of stone or brick
4. Use Bold or Subdued Siding Choices to Blend In or Stand Out in Your Neighborhood
Many homeowners want to keep the exterior of their home fitting into the style of the other homes in the neighborhood. This can be a helpful constraint on what can be an overwhelming number of siding choices.
Others want to stand out as the neighborhood “designer home.” This provides you with a wider range of options. The skills of an experienced designer will help you make choices that stand out for bold, beautiful curb appeal.
5. Don’t Forget Maintenance When Seeking High Quality Materials
One of the biggest drivers for exteriors is selecting low maintenance materials.
Materials like wood clapboard and cedar shingles remain popular options, but understand that these materials require higher levels of maintenance compared with enhanced wood products or non-wood materials.
For low maintenance siding, consider conventional vinyl siding as well as composite materials like HardiePlanks. Brick and stone or stone veneer are low maintenance, with the evidence of their longevity all around us here in New England. In terms of more routine maintenance, the mortar will need to be repointed occasionally.
6. Install a Front Porch to Add Depth And Character to Your Home
A big wish list item for many homeowners is to create or expand a front porch. You can completely change the look of the home by, in this example, installing a farmers porch with a balcony on the second floor. Here, brick was retained around the porch while siding was used to the left and right of the porch.
Before
After
7. A Traditional Look Can Be Anything But Drab
Staying with one material might seem like an overly safe choice, but in this example, the results are stunning. We added dimension with a porch that runs the length of the original home, a primary suite above the garage, and a secondary entry and hallway that connects the two spaces.
Before
After
8. Replace Vinyl or Aluminum With Updated Look
As seen in the example above, replacing vinyl or aluminum can have a dramatic impact. Hardie Board was used above(looks like?) but you might also choose a mix of clapboard or cedar shingles. or to clapboard or cedar Shingles. These are the three most popular choices in New England.
9. Add A Portico
For a smaller change that creates a big impact, consider adding a portico to the front of the home to add dimension and functionality.
This example shows the addition of a portico and complete update of the front of the home, including new stairs and stone around the front door.
10. Make Siding Choices That Match the Landscape
The exterior of your home can be a beautiful reflection of the surrounding landscape. Use colors and materials that compliment the natural beauty and enhance the landscape design choices. Don’t forget to factor in how hardscapes like walkways and retaining walls impact the overall curb appeal along with siding choices.
11. Reside the Entire Home
When you look at your options, it might become obvious that all the old siding will need to be replaced to make way for a new look and better protection from the elements.
It might be hard to believe that this beautiful Craftsman exterior was once a typical center hall colonial. We resided the whole house and revamped the front porch with the stone veneer and all new exterior trim. By flaring the siding at the bottom of the home to mimic the flare of the pillars, a unique detail was added.
Which Ideas Are Right for You?
There are so many ways to increase curb appeal through siding design. You may choose to go with bold color contrasts, traditional materials, or the use of decorative trims. By looking at the many creative ways siding can be used as part of an overall exterior redesign, homeowners can make major enhancements to the curb appeal of their home.
To learn more about home maintenance, please download our FREE eBook - Home Maintenance: This is How Professionals Do It. And if you are ready to speak about your next home renovation, please schedule a home renovation discovery session. Looking to replace your front door? Reach out to our Exteriors and Maintenance division for that and other upgrade jobs you have for your home.
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