Choosing Timeless Exterior Finishes for Your Custom Home

Choosing the exterior finishes for a new home is one of the most exciting parts of the building process. The exterior sets the tone for the entire home, and there are a lot of different ways to make it feel unique without choosing something that may look dated a few years down the road.

At Buffum Homes, we tend to lean toward exterior finishes that feel timeless and fit naturally into the West Michigan landscape. That can include traditional brick, natural stone, complementary siding combinations, wood accents, neutral colors, and classic architectural details.

That does not mean every home has to look the same.

A Lot of Options Within a Timeless Style

There are plenty of ways to change up an exterior while keeping the overall look classic.

Siding is a great example. Different shades of white, gray, beige, taupe, green, and blue can create very different looks without being overly trendy. Changing the siding profile or combining complementary siding materials can also add character.

Brick and stone offer another opportunity. A home can have a more traditional brick exterior, use stone as an accent, or combine masonry with siding for a more transitional look.

Then there are the details. Roof color, trim, garage doors, front doors, windows, shutters, porch details, and exterior lighting can all change the personality of a home.

Let the Front Elevation Be Different

One of the biggest ways we like to personalize a home is through the front elevation.

Even when two homes have similar floor plans, changing the rooflines, garage placement, windows, entry, or combination of exterior materials can make them look completely different.

We do not want to build an entire neighborhood where every house looks like a slightly different version of the same house. We want each homeowner to have a home that feels like their own.

Keeping Our Developments Cohesive

At the same time, there is a balance when you are building within a development.

Buffum Homes has exterior finish guidelines for our developments that help keep the neighborhood looking cohesive. These guidelines help make sure that the different homes complement one another and that the overall development maintains a consistent level of quality and character.

Within those guidelines, we still have a lot of flexibility.

We can change up front elevations, mix different materials, adjust color combinations, and incorporate different architectural details so that each home has its own look.

The goal is not for every house to match. It is for the homes to feel like they belong together while still giving each homeowner something that feels special.

The Home Should Make You Excited to Pull In the Driveway

Ultimately, exterior design is about more than just choosing materials.

We want our homeowners to be excited about the home they are building. We want them to pull into the driveway, look at the front of their house, and feel proud of what they created.

That means finding the right balance between timeless design and personal style. The home should have great curb appeal, fit naturally into its surroundings, and still have enough character that it feels like it was designed specifically for the people who live there.

At Buffum Homes, our goal is to create homes that look great together as a neighborhood, but feel special and personal to the individual homeowner.

Because at the end of the day, you should not just like the way your home looks. You should love coming home to it.