We always hear that when decorating the interior of your home you should consider the outdoors, bringing the outdoors in. Well, the opposite can be true as well. With summer here now, our thoughts turn to getting outside, planting gardens, new landscaping plans are developed and exterior painting begins. When introducing colour, there are many areas that we have opportunity to enhance the overall curb appeal of our homes.
Landscape architects will provide the plans for beautiful gardens, trees and walk ways. As they lead to your front door it is important that the path not only is beautiful, but on arrival, the entrance to your home finishes their grand plan. When looking to choose the exterior colours, consider not only the brick, siding and shingles, but when you open the front door, what do you see? Does the red you choose for the outside of the front door clash with the terracotta wall inside. A smooth transition from the interior to the exterior is not just lovely to look at, but is comfortable and inviting to all who grace your doorstep.
Let us look at how to accomplish this. First consider the door you have. Will painting it be sufficient to make a significant change or does it need replacing all together. Do you want to enlarge the entrance, change from a solid single door to one with side lites or a double door entry? Changing a solid door to allow light into the entry with a glass panel, etched or stained glass can be a transformation for the entire front of your home. Think of the plan for the step area gardens. You could have a custom stain glass made specifically with your flowers, either etched patterns or full colours. Not only do you get to enjoy your flowers in the warmer months, but will brighten the dull winter days and provide a warm invitation into your home.
Painting the exterior should blend the finishes of the house together. Consideration to the brick, siding, soffit , facia and roof colours all play a role in choosing the best colour. What shade to compliment the trim is important too. Are you looking to make a bold statement or blend everything together? So many people are looking for that dramatic colour for the front door, different from the remainder of the house to say, “welcome to my home.” Red and black are popular when making a statement, while taupe, green and white blend elements together. The garage door also needs to be included in the choices for colours. Ideally it blends with the house and not the focal point. Some like to have the front door and garage doors the same colour, while others wish it to fade away. If you want your front door in a dramatic colour like black or red, the garage doors should fade into the trim colour or the brick tone.
Of course finishing the door with beautiful hardware can be a statement unto itself. The style and colour can define an entrance as well as dictate colour usage for the door. Aesthetics aside, the chief purpose of any door hardware is to keep the door securely closed. Since many decorative knobs and handles don’t have good lock systems a dead- bolt is always a required addition to all exterior doors. The hardware, lockset and handle can work into the light fixtures and mailbox choices too. A kick plate adds elegance to the bottom of the door as well. Brass, polished or antiqued, brushed nickel, wrought iron, copper or bronze tones all provide a unique look that gives character to the entry of your home. Again, the choices of accessories are dictated by the style of the home. When you open your front door, what do you have there? A wrought iron bench might dictate that the door hardware would be black iron or an elegant wood table with a brass lamp would say stately and polished brass hardware is in order. Using a unique architectural detail will enhance the exterior as well. A round stained glass window can introduce the colour to the porch chairs and fabric or window boxes with flowers to compliment. If you are lucky to have a covered porch this is a wonderful transitional space from your outdoors to the indoors. Turn it into an inviting outdoor room with seating, attractive lighting and hanging plants.
Lighting is probably one of the most often forgotten elements of both interior and exterior décor. If you take a look down your street it will probably not come as a surprise that the majority of all homes still have the original basic builder’s choice for the lawn lamps and lanterns. Start a new trend. Change yours. Introduce lighting along the walkway, between the shrubs or in trees. Mount coach lanterns on either side of your front door with matching fixtures for the garage. Remember proportion and scale are important so be sure to select sizes that compliment the space they are going in. Again the finishes should reflect the selection of the door hardware.
Design your interior lighting to convey warmth when viewed from outside. Hanging a lantern in an open hall that can be seen from the street or a table lamp that offers a soft glow through a draped window all add warmth and invitation to enter.
If you live in a townhouse or semidetached home consult with your neighbours before making major colour changes or introducing new lighting, you could create quite a unified look if you get together and do things at the same time. Don’t forget your house numbers, not only are they important they be large and distinct enough to be seen by those coming to your home. The colour and style also need to tie in with all the other selections.
Summer, a wonderful time to rejuvenate, refresh and bring the indoors out!
