Choosing Outdoor Elements Based on Your Home's Exterior

Enhancing your home's exterior with well-chosen outdoor elements is an easy way to boost curb appeal. Whether you have a ranch or a Victorian, here are some tips to give your home a whole new look.

Choosing Hardscape Materials

The two or three materials used to construct patios, walkways, walls and other elements of a hardscape should not just coordinate with each other, but also with any stone or brick accents on the exterior of a home. Look at the primary colors in the exterior brick or stone, and make sure the colors in the hardscape materials complement these colors.

Choosing Outdoor Lighting

Well-placed landscape lighting adds emphasis to the most beautiful features of your home and gives a pleasant glow to any property. Is your home's architecture elegant and stately? Clean and contemporary? Craftsman? Mediterranean? There are outdoor lights to suit almost any architectural style. Take cues from your home's architecture in selecting fixtures that match its style.

Choosing Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor furniture that doesn't fit with your home's façade is anything but relaxing. If you have an exterior that is darker in color, select outdoor furniture in a lighter color. If your siding is a shade of white or another neutral, consider a darker furniture finish. Homes accented in contemporary stone veneers look great paired with sleek and modern furniture styles. You can't get any more traditional than lap siding, which looks great paired with iconic rocking chairs.

Choosing Landscaping

Determine if your site is best suited to a formal or informal landscape. Formal landscaping includes strong lines with uniform plants and symmetrical plantings. Informal designs are more free-flowing, with asymmetrical elements and plants that are less structured. In addition, think about what trees and shrubs will look like when they reach maturity. Don't plant anything that could block the view of your home from the street.

Create a Custom Look

Thanks to its broad product line, LP^® SmartSide^® Trim & Siding products offer the versatility to achieve stunning exteriors with ease, whether you want a classic aesthetic or a modern look. All LP products are manufactured with the proprietary SmartGuard^® process to enhance strength and offer exceptional protection against termites and fungal decay. That's the beauty of working with treated engineered wood trim and siding.