Welcome to Part 3 of our series of ‘cheat sheets’ for achieving the ‘modern’ look.
The Mixed Materials look is a smart way to break up homogenous designs to create great ‘kerb appeal’.... whether your client is after an ‘unexpected’ home that stands out, or you’re working with a narrow lot.
In this piece, we explore interesting and ingenious uses of new materials, cladding and options to transform a potential mashup into a masterpiece with real character and long-lasting appeal.
The Mixed Materials look has four clear characteristics:
1. Two or more cladding styles.
Creating a standout Mixed Materials look is about breaking up the monotony of a streetscape where every house looks the same by being creative in your choice of materials. Select from bricks; render; and horizontal, vertical, or render-look cladding.The most popular ways to increase facade variety and create a great stand out design are:- to mix brick with stone and timber, or - to combine lightweight materials that create vertical and horizontal lines. The trick is starting with heavier materials like masonry and brick at the base and adding lighter profiles as you go up.
2. Smashing (not clashing) roofs.
You don’t want a roof clashing with your clever cladding combinations. Instead, go for a flat or skillion roof. With this choice, the roof material is hidden from people passing by, and the roof’s profile is the only element visible from the street.
3. Carefully considered window placement.
Well-placed designer windows make cladding combinations look purposeful and avoids the haphazard look that comes with poorly-placed windows. Managing the client’s budget, creating street appeal and ensuring rooms work for those clients can be tricky. Bang for buck is all about selecting feature windows for important elevations; while considering solar access, light and what each room will be used for.
4. Clever use of textures and colour.
Texture and colour allows home builders and renovators to accentuate the home’s form by highlighting (or hiding) specific build features.
Colour: When it comes to colour, going with sophisticated shades of whites and greys with black window frames is a safe bet to complement interesting cladding shadow lines without overwhelming them. That’s not to say that an unexpected pop of colour is out of place, like on the front door.
Terrific Texture in less time, with fewer trades: Anecdotal evidence from the US suggests houses have greater value - not just in street appeal but in dollar terms too - with homes that sport the modern look appreciating more.
Texture, which adds good character, is even more important to the Mixed Material look than other looks in this series.
Gone are the days when homeowners and builders needed to choose between character or longevity. Now you can have both - and a design that withstands the test of time, giving your client a home that they will be excited to invest in and that maintains its appeal for longer.
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A new way to achieve the modern render look We all know that tens of thousands of homeowners have loved the rendered look and have done for some time. However - as we know - achieving that look required extra time, effort and extra trades on-site. Now there’s a new way of getting the ‘render look’ and creating a design that is bold without the site challenges of using heavy weighted materials. Not to mention chippies can get it installed. It’s up to 30% faster than rendered brick! One option to achieve this is called Hardie™ Fine Texture Cladding and it’s the first fibre cement cladding panel manufactured in Australia with the texture of a fine render wall. So, what’s the big deal?
With no need to hire trades to set joints and apply acrylic texture coats and less coordinating, scheduling and administration this means lower on-the-wall costs for builders and renovators. In other words, more profit in your pocket at the end of the day! |
PRODUCTS THAT ARE PERFECT FOR THE MIXED MATERIALS LOOK
Now you're up to date with the elements that make up the Mixed Materials look, here's an easy look at a range of products that fit the bill for Mixed Material home design.
| PERFECT FOR | PRODUCT TYPE | EASY LINKS TO OUR ONLINE NHS STORE |
| Facades | Weatherboards | Click here |
| Panels | Click here | |
| Decking and Screening | Decks | Click here |
| Soffits | Castellations HardieFlex Versilux |
Click here Click here Click here |
