How to add character to your home’s facade

Face value

From the inherent charm of a period home to the wow factor of a well-crafted contemporary build, some homes look inviting and some… well, don’t. If yours is a bit of a blank box, there’s plenty you can do to add character without having to resort to a wrecking ball. Check out these visual tricks for adding appealing details to a featureless facade.

Add character with paint

A fresh coat of paint looks great, but the same colour used all over can make even the cutest cottage look dull. Instead, consider using contrasting colours to draw an expressive face over your home’s facade – try inverting the usual colour scheme by substituting white for a deeper hue on windows and trims.

A contrasting front door colour is an easy and cost-effective way to create a fascinating focal point. Dulux colour expert Andrea Lucena-Orr believes an interesting front door can be one of the warmest greetings to guests arriving at your home. “But it is entirely up to you how bold or subtle you choose to go with this colour,” Andrea says. “It can reflect the homeowner’s personality and really add to the overall street appeal.”

Create a welcoming entrance

Give guests interesting features to attract their attention as they approach the entrance. Make the most of the front porch by tiling it with beautiful pavers, repainting or staining timber decking, or adding life to old pavers with a coat of paving paint – add a pretty stencil for extra flair!

Dress the entrance for success with accessories. Frame a formless front door with tall planters or a duo of charming carriage lights. Create a playful moment on the porch with a bench or hanging egg chair.

Make the most of windows

Like eyes in a face, windows are often the most expressive part of a home’s exterior. But if your windows are featureless rectangles, flush with the facade, there’s plenty you can do to add that missing layer of interest.

Depending on the size and shape of your windows, hinged exterior shutters can be an achievable addition, bringing a new level of personality to a home while also helping to control light, heat and privacy. Fabric awnings are another easy retrofit – for example, a black-and-white striped awning that offers practical charm.

On the inside of windows, consider plantation shutters, which give a home Hamptons style and, when used on all front-facing windows, can transform the look of the exterior.

Update exterior cladding

If cladding is dating your home in the worst possible way, it may be possible to swap it for a more contemporary option (but first check with your local authority if approval is needed or heritage restrictions apply). To retrofit cladding over other lightweight cladded walls, Jorge Paz from James Hardie advises removing the old to expose the framing, rather than covering the existing walls. This is because new panels can’t be fixed directly over the existing cladding, and the old lightweight cladding may negatively affect the performance of the new exterior cladding. “The exposed frame must be inspected for suitability. If needed, new sarking should be installed over the frame, then the new exterior cladding installed,” Jorge recommends.

There are cladding solutions to update old or tired brick exteriors, too, he says. To retrofit a masonry home, he recommends installing Hardie Wrap weather barrier over the masonry wall before battening out with a cavity system.

Whatever type of exterior your home has, the biggest challenge will be choosing a style of cladding. To create a modern, minimalist aesthetic, Jorge suggests a product like Hardie ‘Fine Texture’ cladding, which has a smooth, natural, sand-like texture and a fine matt finish. If beach chic is more your style, the deep shadows of ‘Linea’ weatherboards offer clean, horizontal lines for a contemporary coastal look.

Add climbers and vines

Don’t underestimate the power of landscaping – plants can hide all manner of architectural sins! Self-clinging climbers use roots or adhesive pads to attach themselves to a wall, says horticulturist Tammy Huynh. “However frequent trimming will be needed to keep them from covering windows, eaves or gutters,” she warns. While self-clinging climbers are good for when a support structure isn’t possible, be prepared for them to be permanent – and removal may damage painted or rendered surfaces.

Alternatively, consider training climbers up support structures like tension wire. “This keeps them off the facade but still adds character to the home,” says Tammy. She suggests training Madagascar jasmine or star jasmine to grow up tension wire strung between two bolts secured to the surface. “Run a few at different lengths to create interest, or cross them over in a diamond feature,” she says.

Woody vines like wisteria or grape need a sturdier support, but could be grown up a pergola or similar structure, positioned to draw attention from the street. Check with your local authority if you need planning or building approval before erecting any new structure.

Disguise with greenery

Use plants to practise the art of distraction. Strategically placed topiary lends a formal touch, while a statement tree can be your front yard’s defining feature. Choose a deciduous variety for seasonal flair, from blossoms in spring and autumn leaves, to bare winter branches that throw interesting shadows on the walls. “Consider ornamental grasses too, like miscanthus,” suggests Tammy. “They sway with the slightest breeze, offering movement and a sense of dynamism, giving life to a bland building.”

While flowering perennials such as Mexican sage and hydrangeas are fabulous planted en masse, think about planting them with interesting evergreens, like buxus balls. “This can help carry the display through the seasons, especially once flowers fade or plants die down for winter,” says Tammy.

Find some facade inspiration

Check out this amazing transformation, with projects to try at your house.