How to Improve the Design & Appearance of Your Building
Architectural design trends can turn on a sixpence, so it’s easy to find yourself feeling uninspired with your home or project property once some time has passed post construction. Luckily, a building needn’t be restarted from the ground up in order to gain a new lease of life. With just a few minor changes, a building can feel totally rejuvenated.
In this blog from NORclad, we offer some of our favourite tips on how to improve the design and appearance of a building. Before starting any remodelling or redevelopment project, however, it is important to note that some exterior building changes may require planning permission, so it’s always worth checking this with your Local Planning Authority first.
Windows
Widows are one of the first things we notice when looking at a building, making a real difference to how the exterior of a property looks. Both in terms of size and aesthetics, carefully considering which windows you select for your building can totally transform the overall finish.
Over the years, planning rules have relaxed to allow for a wide range of window styles and colours to be used within property design. Windows don’t just have to be functional; many architects enjoy using feature windows within their designs, such as popular multi-purpose doors like bi-folding doors. Bi-folds offer the perfect finish to any indoor-outdoor living design, a trend that’s continuing to acquire popularity in 2022.
Lighting
For architectural experts, one of the primary ways of elevating the exterior appearance of a building is lighting.
Adding warm lighting to the areas that immediately surround the property can help create a warm and welcoming feel. Well-designed lighting can also be the perfect finishing touch to modern designs. For many years, well designed lighting was a feature largely restricted to high budget architecture projects, yet in recent years this feature is becoming far more commonplace. Popular options include using lights either side of a front door, along pathways or even nestled within garden shrubbery.
Outdoor lighting can also be extremely functional. Lights can be used to guide visitors to an entrance or even alert occupants of outdoor activity if a light is fitted with a motion sensor.
Timber Cladding
Timber cladding has become a highly popular design feature over recent decades, favoured in both indoor/outdoor and eco building designs, largely due to its sustainable properties and stunning appearance. Timber cladding is a versatile building material ideal for use when creating a modern, sleek aesthetic but also when creating more bespoke designs or statement shapes. It can also be painted and stained to meet specific design requirements.
See more: How to Use Timber Cladding
Roof Tiles
Roof tiles can make a huge difference to the way a property looks. Available in a variety of finishes, materials and colours, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to tiles. Not only can well selected roof tiling offer a fresh, new look to your property, tiling can also be used to create a statement exterior design.
If your budget doesn’t allow for all new tiles, giving existing tiles some TLC by removing moss and debris can make all the difference.
Landscaping
When it comes to creating an attractive building, it’s important to pay mind to the space that surrounds a building in addition to the building itself. So, if you’re looking to really pack a punch with an architectural design project, it’s important to work on the surrounding landscaping too. The umbrella of landscaping covers a wide variety of potential elements – flowers and shrubs, grasses, decking, paving and even water features – all of which can be added to a building’s outdoor space as a finishing touch or stand alone feature. Landscaping can make a huge difference when attempting to create a space that seems welcoming.
Create a Luxurious Entry Way
When we approach a building, we almost immediately look for the entrance, so why not make the most of your entry space? The run up to your entry way can be emphasised using well designed landscaping – for example, the creation of pathways with concrete slabs, decking or other materials.
Another simple way of drawing attention to an entry way is with a new door. Well selected doors can make a huge difference to the aesthetic of a home or other building. Glass or pale wood doors can really add to modern designs, doors with metallic finishes can add a perfect finish to an industrial design and a simple coat of paint can add life to any residential property.
In addition, many designers make use of unique signage and address numbers to add a personalised finishing touch to a building.
Timber Cladding with NORclad
If you’d like to learn more about the possibilities of using timber cladding to improve the design of your building, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with NORclad. We are a specialist manufacturer of wood cladding with over 40 years of experience in helping properties transform their appearance.
Contact our team of timber cladding experts today to find out how we can help bring your architectural vision to life. Our helpful staff are on hand to offer the highest quality guidance that is tailored to your development vision.
See more: What are the Best Timber Cladding Species?
See more: Understanding the Colour & Appearance of Different Timber Species
