Unique exterior design elements homeowners are investing in

Homeowners have shifted how they think about exteriors. It’s not just about weatherproofing your home and fulfilling HOA requirements. According to the National Association of Realtors, landscaping and exterior upgrades consistently return more than 100% of the cost at resale, making them among the highest ROI home investments on the market.

They’re an attractive design investment driven by rising property values and increased payoff.

This article covers five exterior design trends that homeowners are spending on right now

1: Home Exterior Trends Layered Siding Materials

One lead for siding material in homes from the 1980s to the 2000s was vinyl. The current design preference involves layering two or three materials. The layering principle goes as follows

• Foundation zone: made from the heaviest, most durable material, like brick and stone.
• Midwall zone: which uses fiber cement panels or stucco
• Upper Accent zone: which has things like gables, dormers, and peaks, utilizing contrasting textures and decorative trims

2: Modern Exterior Design: The Entry Door

A new steel entry door can easily recoup over 100% of its cost at resale, and materials like fiberglass perform similarly. Homeowners are investing in styles like:

• Modern farmhouse colonial
• Traditional contemporary
• Modern
• Craftsman

A door surround is a decorative framework around a door opening, including:

• Trim molding
• Transom windows
• Sidelights

Stylistically, the door color should coordinate with an existing exterior element that’s already present, such as:

• Roof color
• Shutter color
• Garage door color

Matching styles creates a sense of cohesion instead of a door that just looks tacked on.

3: Landscaping Ideas, Window Box Planters, and Facade Greenery

Facade greenery is one of the fastest-growing exterior design trends, adding color, life, and dimension to the wall surface. Homeowners typically install window boxes mounted directly below a window on the exterior facade using widths like 24, 30, and 36 inches.

These window planter boxes tend to be 8 to 10 inches deep for adequate root volume and are made of materials like:

• Wood
• Powder-coated metal
• Fiberglass

Custom planter boxes can be ordered to fit the exact dimensions of your windows.

4: Curb Appeal Tips: Exterior Lighting

Exterior lighting has evolved. In the past, most households probably just had a single porch fixture. Now, exterior design involves using layers of lighting to create atmosphere and impact.

The three lighting layers are as follows:

• Ambient and architectural fixtures on the facade itself
• Accents from directional spotlights or up-lights aimed at specific features,
• Path and grade lights along walkways and garden beds to improve visibility and safety

5: Curb Appeal Tips: Driveway and Hardscape Upgrades

In most suburban homes, the driveway occupies the majority of the front yard area, and a cracked or stained driveway can make a bad impression. Instead of using standard asphalt, homeowners are returning to options like:

• Exposed aggregate concrete
• Permeable pavers
• Stamped concrete

When you match driveway edging to the front walkway, it creates a pleasing ground plan aesthetic where all elements combine into an attractive style

Exterior Design Trends

Each of these exterior design elements works because they improve aesthetics in line with modern standards and also boost return on investment. When doing exterior renovations, make sure you consider both aesthetics and 

If you’re interested in learning more about similar topics, check out the rest of our blog posts.