Exteriors in house construction

First impressions always carry the best impressions.  Months of painstaking planning and construction should entail that your residence is a stand-out for all the right reasons. Looks do matter and it is the exteriors of a house that captures the eye first, more than anything else. Though ‘beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’, some important pointers to help you in deciding the exteriors in house construction:

Exteriors in house construction

Façade

A pleasing façade or the front face, without being obtrusive, is an obvious eye-catcher. It would be ideal to capture the local influence or native style in the building façade.  Strictly avoid copying, particularly from neighbouring buildings as this would result in monotony and comparisons.

Today, many options in granite, woodwork, marble and other mediums are available, depending on your choice of aesthetics and budget. Nothing carries pedigree and permanence like stone. Stonework cladding is a great option for dressing up exterior features such as concrete foundations, column footings, and other masonry details.

A decorative tiled roof or gable end adds a certain old world charm to your residence. Pay heed to providing a well styled and impressive front door, as this is an attention grabber in any residence. Front-door accents create welcoming entryways to the residence and boost, what is called ‘curb appeal’.

Often, materials from demolished buildings like woodwork or natural stone-art provide your building an extra flair at little additional expense. A suitably placed gazebo could be a crowning glory to an attractive garden.

The options for exteriors in house construction are numerous. It therefore pays to have continuous interaction with your architect and work on multiple options before you finalise the façade.

Paints

Choose your paints wisely – ensure that your contractor chooses superior quality, weather proof paints of proven lineage for the exteriors. While selection of colours is a matter of personal choice, dark and garish combinations are best avoided. A combination of two or more complementary colours in the façade is an accepted practice.

Greenery

Undoubtedly, a garden in front of your residence is a balm for sore eyes. It helps blend nature into your lifestyle and is a proven de-stresser. Communing with nature and eco-friendliness are prominent watch-words today. Choose a combination of flowering and non- flowering plants which could brighten up your exteriors wonderfully. If you want your garden to look more enticing, add some garden furniture also. Ensure these are seasoned and suitably treated, to take care of the vagaries of the seasons.  

A flat or undulated lawn adds to the ambience of the building. Wide choices of lawn grass like Buffalo/ Shade/Bermuda/ Paspalum grass etc are available in the market. It is advisable to take professional help to decide on the grass suited to the local weather and soil conditions. You also have an option to plant the grass or install it as a turf.

A water body in the garden is definitely an attention riveting feature while planning for exteriors in house construction. Providing a water fountain or fish pond with aquatic plants like lilies, lotus or pickerel weed would be a brilliant idea. Birdbaths, metal cutouts, sculptures, and wind chimes are good choices for outdoor art. Water sculptures not only function as garden art, but the burbling sounds soothe and make hot days feel cooler.

Providing trees on the periphery of the garden for decorative purposes would enhance its charm. However, choose trees carefully, whose roots will not damage any foundation work in the long run and locate them suitably. A bamboo cluster with a suitable rockery is also a much vaunted option.

Lighting

Usage of soft LED lighting highlighting the features of the garden adds an inexplicable charm to the ambience during nights. Place them strategically across the garden to avoid dark spots and over illuminated areas. Providing electrical points is a boon when you host garden parties, without having to run wires across at that time.

Paving

No garden is complete without a paved walkway. Well-defined paved pathways with standout pebble or cobblestones fillings accentuate the beauty of any garden. Remember however, that very large pebbles or cobblestones could cause discomfort while walking, especially to the elderly.

Granite or skid proof tiles outlined with the lawn grass could be an alternate option. Options of garden tiles like Kadappa stones, Kota Stones and Laterite Stones are readily available in the market and can be easily laid and maintained. Do remember to ensure a natural slope when laying the walkway to prevent water stagnation, especially during monsoon times.

Well-designed walkways do make your home feel warm and inviting.

The don’ts

Often, the overall looks of residences are spoilt by ungainly pipelines and other utilities sticking out like sore thumbs. Some of the common offenders are TV antennae, solar panels, water tanks etc. Take care to locate these equipment out of sight so that they do not spoil the appearance of your residence.

So also, plan to locate your pump rooms, manhole covers and rain water equipment away from the façade. If these fall in regularly accessed areas, take care to cover these obtrusive elements with suitable greenery or similar means.

Preferably keep your car park away from the front of the house and covered if possible. It would be a shame to have a beautiful façade marred by obstinate oil spills and tyre marks!

Finalizing the exteriors in house construction therefore is as important as the building itself. A little extra care and thought in the planning the exteriors during house construction will ensure that you are a proud owner of an attractive building.

For any assistance in designing and executing an eye catching exterior, contact Viya.