What is a "Beautiful Exterior Design"? Tips from Case Studies
When building a new house, people tend to focus only on the exterior and interior design of the house, and tend to put the exterior design on the back burner. However, the exterior of a house is an important element that influences the atmosphere of the house. If you keep the points introduced in this article in mind, you can upgrade your entire house in style.
Let's start with the conclusion of this article.
- Depending on the design of the exterior, the way it looks from the outside and inside can be changed dramatically. Creating a beautiful exterior will greatly change the level of satisfaction.
- Providing a blindfold or privacy is a very important element in garden design.
- In addition to design, practical aspects such as parking and maintenance need to be considered.
- To create a beautiful house, it is important to design the entire building and exterior with a unified concept as a whole. We recommend that you choose a company that designs your house in total.
1. Exterior elevates the prestige of the house
The exterior of a house (including a garden and entrance) is important because it is the place people see first when coming home or welcoming guests.
The same new house will look completely different depending on the exterior is beautifully arranged or not. It is not necessary to blindly spend money on planting trees, etc.; it is important to match the exterior with the concept and design of the house.
In this article, we will focus on the key points, examples of beautiful exteriors, and unintentional failure cases, for those who want to make their exteriors "beautiful". Finally, we will also address concerns such as "Who should I hire?" and other concerns.
Let's look at them in turn.
2. Necessary items and points to be kept in mind for exterior construction
With items necessary for the exterior, we will introduce points to make it look beautiful and attractive by part, as well as case studies.
2-1. Whole garden
The key points for the garden as a whole are "simplicity when seen from a distance" and "connection with the interior space". When considering exterior, you may consider a garden and parking lot as single items, but the value of the exterior will be enhanced if the design is based on a three-dimensional view of "the impression from the outside (street)" and "the impression from the interior".
A façade is the overall appearance of the house and the exterior when viewed from a distance. Because it is the face of the entire house, it should be considered with the exterior of the house.
In addition to the size and direction of interior windows, the "sight reflected in the window," or the effective use of the land, is an important element in the design of interior windows, as it determines the value of the house.
Example: Connection between garden and interior space
This is an example of a house designed to look picturesque when you see the garden outside the window from inside the room. The large window and the frames designed as unobtrusive as possible, creating a "line of sight" utilizing the garden.
2-2. Gate
Other than the role of "entrance to the house", the gate gives the "first impression of the house, including the nameplate. Although few people design a gate with a large structure these days, it is a major element that influences the facade.
As an alternative to a gateway, an open gate (the type that is not closed by a gate) makes it easier to design an open entrance approach (a path from the gate to the entrance). On the other hand, a closed gate (the type that is closed by a gate and fence) is an effective alternative if you give priority to security.
Example: Curve gate
This is an example of an impressive curve gate. The sense of depth visible through the gate and the sense of balance of the arched gate make the best combination, making the gate smart and less oppressive.
2-3. Fences and walls
Fences are exterior items used in exteriors closed to some extent.
Nowadays, tall fences tend to be avoided for security reasons. The reason is that once a thief enters the property, the thief is hardly seen from the outside, and tall fence serves as a blindfold. For this reason, open design fences have been increasing.
On the other hand, designs that emphasize a sense of openness use large windows, causing the problem of privacy. It is advisable to make good use of a fence to block the view from the neighbor's house, but not to worry about the view from the outside without curtains.
case
This is an example of a distinctive roof shape that makes the entire building beautiful when you stand at the gate, with an entry that extends from the gate to the entrance approach.
2-4. Garage and Carport
The form of the garage deeply relates with the design of the house. The exterior of the house will change also depending on whether you want to park your car in a common parking space or in a parking space incorporated into the house as an inner garage or built-in garage.
If you are a car enthusiast, you may be longing for a house with an integrated garage where you can remodel your car or motorcycle regardless of the season or weather. The garage integrated with the house can generate a sense of unity, so there is a great advantage to designing a house without spoiling the exterior appearance of the house. The garage and the cars parked in it become one of the facades of the exterior and the house. If you have a luxury car, you can create a more attractive landscape.
On the other hand, if you give a priority to cost, a carport (a simple garage consisting only of a roof and posts) is a good option for an exterior menu. The garage integrated with the house tends to be expensive in total cost, so you need to consider a balance between unity and convenience. Recent carports have been designed in style, and there is a lineup of carports that look great for those who own multiple cars or motorcycles. Here, too, it is important not to think of the carport alone, but to consider the overall facade and decide on the color and appearance while checking perspective drawings and the like.
Example: Garage connected with wooden deck
This example features a garage and terrace connected to a wooden deck. The key point is that it is designed to match the simple exterior design.
2-5. Planting
Planting is an important and key item in exteriors.
Planting is typically used as "focal points" (points of focus). A focal point is a place where your eye is drawn to, or a point that is intentionally created to direct viewer's eye to a particular object.
In designing a garden, facade, and a garden that can be seen from the interior, a "symbol tree" is used enhance the appearance of the garden. A variety of species can be used as symbol trees. Evergreen trees create the impression of beautiful green all year round, while deciduous trees generate shade in the summer and allow sunlight to pass through in the winter. A technique of lighting up a symbol tree from below is popular to create a sense of luxury.
Example: Courtyard planting
In this example, the planting of trees enhance the view of the courtyard. The impressive example that the symbol tree matches the Japanese modern interior.
3. Common failures
Next, let's take a look at some examples of exteriors that we can learn from common failures. Let's look at points to keep in mind with important elements in designing exteriors to avoid the situation that the exterior is different from what you expect.
3-1. parking space is difficult to use
If you use your car every day for commuting or other purposes, problems such as difficulty in parking in a garage can cause stress every day. Therefore, the following points should be taken into consideration.
- Is the road wide enough to turn around (i.e., back up your car)?
- Does it have sufficient depth to park your car properly?
- Can you park your car without worry? (e.g., positioned along an arterial road and obstructing traffic when parking)
If the parking space is not designed properly, some types of vehicles will not fit in the parking space! (height, width, depth). It is advisable to consider the maximum number of cars your family would need and design the parking space supporting even a larger car. It would be ideal to have a temporary parking space for unexpected visitors.
3-2. No space for bicycles
To find space for bicycles is surprisingly hard if you don't think about it. Bicycles can get damaged and become dusty when exposed to rain for long time, so you want to store them in a covered area. It would also be important to consider a bicycle space in the corner of the garage. A shed for bicycles will ruin the appearance of the house.
3-3. No privacy
This is an example of a failure that occurs when the exterior plan is made without considering the visibility from the close road (front road). A south-facing lot faces a road in front of the house. In the case of busy road, you need to devise a privacy plan for the exterior. Quite a few people have large windows for openness but they have to close the curtains all the time because of privacy.
Create a blindfold and check to see if the exterior fence blocks the view from the neighbor's house or the front street even when you open curtains. A too-high fence can be a major disadvantage in terms of security, so we recommend that you plan your exterior with a good combination of openness and line-of-sight blockage.
3-4. Troublesome maintenance
Maintenance is important to keep exteriors beautiful. Particularly in plantings, deciduous trees will fall in the fall, so you need to take care of fallen leaves. Also, if the wood deck is a natural wooded terrace, it will gradually become a hassle unless you can enjoy DIY activities to repaint it on a regular basis. The secret to keeping it beautiful easily is to choose easy-to-maintain plantings or artificial grass.
4. General procedure for exterior design
In many cases, although house makers save the budget for the exterior design, they use the remaining budget for the exterior design. The priority tends to be placed on the building itself and its equipment, but this may not be enough to satisfy the client's needs, including the exterior. There are many cases where the budget is running out at the end of the project without considering the overall balance, such that only the parking space is made in the end.
An exterior contractor, not a house maker who built the building itself, can handle the project. However, if you do not carefully consider the sense of unity with the building, you may lose the balance of the entire project. Therefore, it is recommended that you plan the exterior of the building while also balancing the budget before signing the contract.
The architect will plan the entire custom-built house, including the exterior design. For more details, please refer to the "Advantages of Hiring an architect".
5. Advantages of hiring an architect
The advantage of hiring an architect is that he/she knows "unity and balance with the entire house".
In designing a house, the architect considers the appearance of the building and also exterior and the view of the exterior and landscape from the inside, while also taking the total budget into consideration. Therefore, the greatest benefit is the unity created by thinking of the building and the exterior as a set, rather than thinking of the building first and then using the extra budget to design the exterior.
For architects, the exterior of a house is not just an optional extra, but a complete set with the house. Only an architect can propose a beautiful exterior that matches the concept of the house.
If you are interested in asking an architect to design your exterior, we invite you to take advantage of japanesse-architects.com's free consultation.
6. Examples of beautiful exteriors
Here are some examples of beautiful exteriors.
6-1. The Japanese style
I this example, the garden is not so large, but "wabi-sabi" of Japanese style is expressed with the exterior. The box garden, which can be seen from the living room, is designed to create a Japanese atmosphere on the premise that it is securely surrounded by a fence of a neighbor's house to ensure privacy. The traditional garden, which is not too assertive, is impressive and fits perfectly with the concept of an old private house to a Japanese modern house.
In this example, the courtyard is enhanced by the planting of trees to enhance the view of the courtyard.
Designed like a ryotei (Japanese-style restaurant), the exterior of the house brings out a sense of luxury even with its Japanese concept.
The design is unified with black as the base color. The design is traditional, but also takes into account the bright atmosphere with the lawn to prevent it from becoming too dark.
6-2. Open western-style garden
In this case, in addition to the angle of the house from the entrance approach, the lawn is the most important feature of the beautiful exterior that makes the house stand out. The lawn is beautifully cut all around, and plantings serve as a point on the entrance approach without being too conspicuous. This is an example of a Western-style exterior that is both beautiful and simple.
This is an example of designing a simple, private courtyard with a minimal amount of plantings.
The house is designed with glass walls and open to the exterior, creating an even more open feeling.
The lawn, which makes maximum use of the large area of yard, is a very impressive and beautiful exterior.
The design matches the overall concept of the house, with a timber-finished approach that matches the log house-like concept of the house.
6-3. Closed Western-style garden
The garden is lushly landscaped with many plantings, and the white wall ensures privacy as a private space.
To match the neighboring house, a wooden fence makes the Western-style exterior more beautiful.
The garden is designed in a western style to match the American style house. The fence and gate designed to match the white color of the house create the sense of unity.
6-4. Modern and beautiful
The interior plan is also open in design, but privacy is ensured at key points by concrete walls. The garden is designed to be still open with full of greenery. The abundance of various types of plantings in the garden will change its appearance depending on the season.
The approach and parking space are designed with tiles, creating a modern exterior that you won't get tired of.
Despite the minimal garden in an urban area, the beautiful design of the entrance approach greatly improves the appearance of the house.
6-5. Simple exterior
Plantings are placed in front of the entrance as a symbolic tree to avoid oversimplification.
Because of the simplicity of the house design, more plantings are incorporated to create an exterior that is also interwoven with natural tastes.
The functional gateposts illuminated by indirect lighting give an impressive exterior design. This exterior structure combines functionality and design in a simple way.
6-6. Exterior combined with a parking lot and entrance approach
The parking lot serves as the entrance approach and is beautifully finished with hiding the entrance from the front.
This exterior plan makes good use of the difference in elevation of the land to design a parking lot and terrace.
Plantings on the corners of the two-way street enhance the exterior design of the house in a minimal area.
The pilot parking space is impressive. The gate was also chosen to match the monotone house.
[ YouTube Video ]
3 Beautiful Houses Designed by Architects (in Japanese)
7. Summary
What we have been seen so far;
- The exterior of the house changes appearance of the house both from the outside and inside. Creating a beautiful exterior will greatly change the level of satisfaction.
- Privacy is a very important factor in garden design.
- In order to avoid an exterior that is hard to use, you need to consider the design as well as practical aspects such as car parking and maintenance cost.
- Thinking the building and exterior separately will result in a loss of overall unity, so we recommend you choose a company that designs a facade and interior to the sight of the windows in total.
This is a summary of this article.
In order to create an exterior plan that you will not regret and to design a beautiful exterior, you should ask for an expert's opinion once to confirm the key points. Exterior design creates the big difference depending on an architect who proposes the project.
japanesse-architects.com introduces architects who can help you design a beautiful exterior. If you have any questions about building a house or would like an objective opinion, please use japanesse-architects.com's free consultation service.
