Adding Exterior Interest

Types of Architectural Interest

So far we have talked a lot about the need for adding architectural interest.  Now, every time you drive down a neighborhood your eyes will be keenly aware of whose homes are lacking interest.  Homes that remain in the rectangular era with little or no architectural interest.  But if a home lacks interest, what are some of the details that can be added to add depth and interest to a house.  Interest that will take the house from a standard issue stock house into the realm of praise and admiration.  In general, adding architectural interest can be divided into two distinct categories. 

The first, and most costly, are the structural items that can be added to a home.  Structural items include dormers, porches, room extensions, roof lines and the like.  The second, less costly, but equally important item is that of trim.  Trim comes in all shapes and sizes, and if used appropriately, adds tremendously to the appearance of a home. 

Now, let's go back to that special neighborhood where you found all those great houses.  What is it that makes them special.  Undoubtedly, it is a combination of varying roof lines, dormers, special windows, detailed trim work, and landscaping.  While modular housing cannot address the landscaping issues, the modular housing system can deliver on all of the other architectural interest details. 

• window trim
• door trim
• window placement
• door placement
• porches
• decks
• dormers
• gable peaks
• varying roof lines
• landscaping

Like any other method of home construction, architectural interest can be added to any modular home. Let's take a look at some of the types of details available to a new or existing home. 

Exterior

The exterior of your home provides the first impression of your home. A home exterior with detailed multiple roof lines, window trims, moldings and numerous gable peaks creates excitement for the viewer. On the other hand, a plain house missing any substantial details quickly boors the viewer, leaving them with a dull sensation. To aid in your quest for adding excitement to your new home, whether it is build using the modular building system, or any other process here is a brief list of the major areas to be considered. 

Roof Lines

For the most part, there are just a few types of basic roof styles. By far the most common roof style is the shed roof. The major difference between different shed roofs is the slope or pitch found on each of the roof styles. Cape Cods have a steep slope while ranches have a very shallow to moderate slope or pitch. For most homes, the shed roof comes to an end in the form of a gable. To add diversity to the basic shed roof, home owners and builders have eliminated the gable ends and added other arrangements. A popular ending for the shed roof is what is known as a hip roof. The gable has been completely eliminated and replaced by another shed style roof. The hip represents the point (or actually the lines) there the four shed roofs meet. And of course, a hip roof can have a high pitch, or a low pitch, or anywhere in between. If you like the idea of a hip roof, but equally enjoy the peaks offered by an end gable you can request a notched-hip roof. This type of roof style has also been referred to as the "Boston Hip" roof. Another hybrid shed roof is the Gambrel. The Gambrel is a combination shed with the top half taking on a moderate slope while the second half consisting of a very steep, near vertical slope. Other roof styles that include flat roofs, and the Mansard which was often used on the more creepy Victorian homes reminiscent of the Addams Family television show. 

Gables and Dormers

A straightforward shed roof can be rather basic, so adding some additional detailing can build depth into the roof line. Out of necessity, Capes added dormers to provide light to an otherwise dark attic. But dormers don't just belong to Capes. House styles vary, but a rough rule of thumb is that if the unfinished attic is sufficiently high enough to convert to living space, more than likely a dormer could be considered. Instead of a small dormer, you may want to consider adding an additional gable to the roof line. Most of us have heard of the "House of Seven Gables" in Salem, Massachusetts. Most houses only have two, so seven would be unusual. It worked for Salem, Massachusetts. A gable can be used over a porch, a vestibule, or as part of the roof without any additional extensions. When it comes to style, the basic goal is to add depth and character to the exterior roof lines of your home. 

Exterior molding

From a distance roof lines add the most character. But as the viewer comes closer, the smaller detailing increases in importance. Beginning with under the roof, detailing around and under the eaves adds depth. Installing molding to where the siding meets the under roof adds a subtle, but noticeable character to the siding. On many of the older homes, a popular detail was the installation of wide corner post details. Today's corner post used for siding is at best four to five inches. Older homes had a full foot or more of corner post. Other types of molding and trim that adds considerably to the depth and character of a home's exterior are pediments, crosshead/mantels, pilasters, window panels and headers, gable louvers, brackets and corbels, dentil blocks and brackets. Most of these install around doors and windows. 

Window Types and Trim

As simple as they are, deciding on windows can be as difficult as making a decision on the eventual floor plan. Decision must be made on the quality, style, size and placement of every window. Then the somewhat easier task of deciding on the interior and exterior trim must be made.  

Window Placement

Window placement sometimes poses one of the more difficult tasks of designing a new home. The problem occurs when you attempt to match a window placement plan with both the interior floor plan and the outside appearance of your new home. The front side, or elevation is the only side that requires special attention. For most of us, the front of the house needs balance. Virtually every other side of the house looks perfectly fine with an unbalanced number of windows. It sounds like a simple problem to fix, and for most of us, it rarely becomes an issue. But as new home buyers begin to consider moving walls and changing rooms, eventually the interior or exterior window placement becomes awkward. If the exterior window placement is left unaltered, examples include a double hung window in the shower of the master bathroom, a window exactly in the corner, or in a closet. If the windows are changed to match the interior of the house, the front exterior becomes off-balance. Windows come in a large variety of styles and sizes. In the northeast, double hung windows make up the largest percentage of both new and existing window styles. More contemporary styles often use casements, sliders (both windows and doors) or fixed.

• Placement of windows
• Trim around windows, size, type, modern, colonial
• Gingerbread trim around roof line and other areas
• Half-round transoms
• Narrow double-hung - colonial style
• Wide double-hung - modern style
• Divided light and fake-divided light
• Bay & picture
• Placement

 

Exterior door styles and types

While the majority of window designs are highly functional, doors are often used as an ornament to the house. Since most doors function the same way, the design of the door can be used to enhance the look and appearance to the front of the house. Exterior doors, like windows, come in a variety of styles, levels of quality and forms of construction. Today, most exterior doors are either insulated steel or solid wood. 

The front door as ornament

A frequent addition especially to the front door is the addition of one or two sidelights on the sides of the door. The sidelights can either be the full height of the door, or perhaps just the top half. A nice complement to dual sidelights is dual exterior lights on each side of the front door. Another common practice is to paint the front door in a bright, sometimes wild color. Sometimes the shutters are painted to match the front door.   

Screen doors

Despite all the advances made in the areas of vinyl clad windows, vinyl siding and long wearing roof shingles, a good old fashion wood screen door stands out. Aluminum screen doors may stand the test of time from a weather stand point, but they have virtually no curb appeal. Yes, wood screen doors are a little harder to install, and they do require some occasional maintenance, but if looks are important to you get a wooden screen door. And besides, if you plan to buy an expensive exterior door, the last thing you want to do is cover it up with an unattractive aluminum screen door.