The next time you drive
through an upscale neighborhood in
your community, take the time to admire
a few particular homes that seem to
stand out from the crowd.Though you
may not recognize it at the time, there's
often a common reason why these
properties catch your eye. More than
likely, the homes incorporate exterior
materials and designs that embrace the
natural environment, creating a look that
is a harmonious blend of architecture
and nature.
Most realtors call this eye-catching
aspect "curb appeal"- and it easily
influences the home's value. So what is
the best way to improve your home's
curb appeal? According to the latest
annual survey by Remodeling Magazine,
renovating the home's exterior with
upscale features provides the best
financial return on investment. On
average, homeowners can expect to
recoup 103 percent of the siding
construction cost when it comes time to
sell - higher than most other home
projects.
So when moving forward with
renovations surrounding your home's
exterior to blend architecture and nature,
taking the time to do some thoughtful
planning and creative thinking will pay
off in a big way:
Upgrade Your Siding
The exterior body of a home is the
face it presents to the world, defines the
mood and character of the home and
reflects the image desired by its owners.
Choosing the proper siding material is a
crucial step when updating the exterior.
While a number of alternative wood
products have hit the market in recent
years, all-natural Western Red Cedar is a
popular choice as an upscale exterior
siding due to its exceptional beauty,
versatility and durability. Cedar brings an
all-natural warmth and character to
exteriors that will last for years to come.
Composite or plastic materials just can't
compete when compared to the beauty
and feel of all-natural cedar.
In addition, advancements in cedar
manufacturing mean you can spend time
relaxing and enjoying your home's
exterior, rather then maintaining it.Today,
many manufacturers offer Western Red
Cedar siding pre-finished on all sides.This
finishing technology is important as it
ensures the highest level of qualityfinished
products, thus greatly increasing
consistent coating, longevity, and overall
resistance to moisture; allowing you to
choose the preferred finishing color and
simply install. Properly finished,Western
Red Cedar siding will offer decades of
low-maintenance protection.
Even better,Western Red Cedar siding
is an ideal choice for its all-natural beauty,
durability against harsh environments and
excellent thermal conductivity that helps
keep the home cool in summer while
reducing heating costs in winter. In
addition to low thermal conductivity, its
low density makes Western Red Cedar a
great acoustical barrier as well.
Incorporating Nature
Real Cedar siding is available in a wide
variety of standard and custom profiles,
and by mixing these styles with other
natural materials such as stone or river
rock, your home will blend naturally with
the surrounding environment.
Also, incorporating cedar landscape
structures like pergolas and trellises can
really add to the home's character and
further integrates nature with the overall
look and feel. For instance, a decorative
overhead cedar trellis beam blends nicely
with exterior dentil accents of similar
shape, thus melding style with nature.
This type of cohesiveness really creates a
harmonious blend towards increased
curb appeal.
Decorative Accents Add Value
Exterior accent details are the
finishing touches on a home of
distinction; they really set the home apart
and are actually quite affordable. Give
your home that elegant appeal of
handcrafted beauty with decorative
accents like: shutters, gables, cedar soffits
or dentil mouldings.These upgrades all
provide an affordable, yet beautiful
complement to your home's design and
give it some individuality. Even better,
ornamental accents at the peaks of
dormers or gables give traditional charm
- especially when these decorative
accents are finished differently from the
siding.This two-tone palette helps
emphasize the visual details and gives the
base of the house a pedestal-like quality.
"Exterior decorative accents offer
homeowners a choice in their home's
appearance so they feel like their home is
not only unique to them on the inside,
but on the outside as well," says Peter
Lang, general manager of the Western Red
Cedar Lumber Association."They
customize the home so when you drive
thorough the community the house
doesn't look like everyone else's on the
block."
Ready to improve your curb appeal?
With the right planning and all-natural
materials like Western Red Cedar, you'll
be able to create a home that stands out
from the crowd.