You’ve decided to build the custom home of your dreams. You’ve selected your architect and Milwaukee and Lake Country’s premier custom home builder, Colby Construction. When you start the design process, there is much to consider, and many architectural details will put the “custom” in your home. These details will add character and style to your space. They are the small elements of design and finish that complete the look and feel you are trying to create.
When deciding what architectural details you would like to enhance, you must first look at the different aspects of a home to consider this.
- Exterior
- Interior Trim
- Staircases
- Kitchens
- Light Fixtures
- Hardware
- Landscape and Outdoor Living Space
This article will feature a few of these areas.
EXTERIOR
The exterior of your custom home is the first impression it gives to the style of the house you have created. Is your home modern, coastal, rustic, traditional, farmhouse, contemporary, or mid-century modern? The details added to your home will accentuate your particular style.
You must consider the following:
Dormers: a roofed structure, often with a window, that projects vertically beyond the plane of a pitched roof. Dormers can be used to create more space and light in the interior.
Roof Shingles: Roof shingles protect a home from the elements but can also add style to the roof. There are different types of shingles, like asphalt, wood, and slate. Some roofing comes in sheets of materials like copper, metal, and rubber for a specific style.
Siding: Like roof shingles, siding adds to the style and character of a house.
Windows: Like dormers, windows play a significant role in the exterior appearance of a home. A few examples:
- Bay window: A bay window is made of multiple individual windows. It extends out from the rest of the home in a polygon or square shape. An added feature may be a copper roof accent. Inside, the space could be a cozy bench or a ledge.
- Porthole window: A round or oval “porthole” window on a home, resembling those on a shipping vessel, adds a nautical touch to the home’s interior and exterior.
Columns: Vertical columns, or upright pillars, on the house may support a roof or beam or be purely decorative, and they’re often found on covered porches.
Chimney: The chimney is a functional part of a home. It can be used as an architectural accent on a roof or exterior wall with stone or brick materials. However, with the gas fireplace trend, a typical surface may be a compound material decoratively clad with a panel.
Shutters: Whether functional or purely aesthetic, shutter styles can range from basic louvered or paneled to traditional board and batten with exposed hinges.
INTERIOR TRIM
Selecting the type of millwork for your custom home is a large part of the decorative style, look, and feel your home will have. This will include the trim for your windows, doors, walls, floor, and ceiling.
Examples of interior trim include the following:
Molding: The decorative cornices used between walls and ceilings or walls and floors. Generally, it’s painted a different color and finish than the wall to create a subtle accent or contrast. Types of molding include crown, baseboard, chair rail, and door casings.
Paneling: Paneling can completely change the look and ambiance of your home. It can create a contrast between spaces. Common types of paneling include:
- Wainscoting
- Beadboard
- Shiplap
Ceiling Beams: Beams in a custom home are another detail that can completely change the style of your home. Looking for a rustic or farmhouse feel? Raw timber or beams refurbished from a barn will add warmth and depth to high ceilings.
Fireplace Mantels: The fireplace is often the showcase or centerpiece of a room. Selecting natural wood beams, marble, slate, or decorative molding will completely coordinate with the design you want to convey in your home.
Built-ins: Built-ins are both functional architectural additions to a home and aesthetically pleasing. Shelves, cabinets, and benches add character to any space. Built-in bunk beds and desks are perfect for children’s rooms.
Staircases: If the fireplace is the main attraction in a living or family room, the staircase is the most prominent feature of the entire home. Often, the stairs are the first place your eyes go when entering a home. The details of style and craftsmanship need to be considered when designing your staircase. Architectural components of stairs include:
- The Handrail: The handrail must be functional and safe, but it also creates a staircase. Contrasting materials or colors will set the handrail apart.
- Newel Post: This is the post at the landing and the turning points of the staircase. Is your staircase clean-lined and contemporary, or is it a traditional winding or spiral staircase?
- Balusters: Narrow pillars support the staircase rail and increase safety. They can be decorative in design and establish the staircase and newel post style. Cable wire, wood beams, and other materials can shift the look you want to achieve for your custom-designed home.
The task of determining your architectural style may seem overwhelming. When you work with Colby Construction, their building process will help you to resolve it. Check out our Houzz page to see the many different styles of homes that include all these details!
