The facade is the front, street-facing side of a house, also known as the frontage. It’s the first thing visitors, neighbours and buyers see, and it sets the tone for the whole home.
Every house has a facade, but not every facade stands out.
This guide covers what to consider when choosing a facade, whether for a new build in Australia: style, front-of-house details, colour and lighting, materials and roofing, energy efficiency, and what to check before you commit.
How to choose your facade?
There are so many options to choose from that it’s very easy to get confused.
Your choice may well be set in stone for a couple of decades, making it a significant decision that deserves much attention and thought.
Here are the main factors that you should look out for when choosing a facade:
- Style of the house
- Individual elements of the front of the house: doors, windows.
- Lighting
- Materials: Mixed and single approach
- Sustainability
We have addressed all the topics one after the other.
Style of the house
A facade displays multiple things about the people who live in it- their unique sense of style, and aspects of lifestyle, among other specifics.
Here are some of the most common designs and how they help mark your sense of design sense on the house.
- Coastal style: Light, relaxed and low-fuss, with whites, greys and soft blues, and a mix of render, stone or brick, and cladding.
- Hamptons style: Similar to coastal, with more trims, texture and detail. It’s usually symmetrical, with gabled roof forms and weatherboard-look cladding. The roof can be tiles or a pale to mid-tone Colorbond, so choose on budget and performance as well as looks.
- Modern/Contemporary: Clean lines, streamlined forms and layered textures, often asymmetrical. Materials such as render, timber-look cladding and brick add contrast.
- French Provincial: It is an opulent design that makes an instant statement. It exudes tons of class, from grand double doors to wrought iron features. It looks best with lighter shades.
Elements of the front of the house
- Windows: Choosing windows depends on what type of home design you’ve selected. In relaxed options like the Hampton or coastal style, unconventional shapes can add character to a plain face. If you’ve opted for a modern, sleek design, large windows bring in light but reduce privacy from the street. Tinted or frosted glass, screening or landscaping can help.
- Front door: The big decision here is how bold you want to go. If the door’s location is central, a defined shape and popping colours are the way to go. However, if the door is aligned to one side, you can choose a more curving option with softer shades to complement the other parts.
- Garage door: On many Australian blocks the garage takes up a big share of the frontage, so its style, colour and material matter as much as the front door.
Lighting
- Lighting and feel: The direction your facade faces changes how it looks and how much sun it takes. A west-facing front takes strong afternoon sun in summer, so eaves, a porch or awnings and lighter colours help. Slope and neighbouring buildings also affect how much natural light reaches the front.
- Lighting options. Wall lights or uplights at the entry, porch and garage add warmth and safety, and can highlight texture such as stone or batten cladding.
- Colour palette: Most people choose neutral or monochromatic tones, but a feature colour or bolder front door adds personality. Keep the walls, roof, trims, front door and garage door working as one palette, and ask your designer for a colour board before you lock it in.
Materials: Mixed and single approach
Apart from the aesthetics, the facade is also the first line of defense against weather damage, which means your choice will impact the overall maintenance cost.
Designers have gotten creative by combining different materials to get the best effect.
Here are some of the most common material options that you can choose from:
- Cladding:A practical option that protects the walls and adds texture. Common choices include timber, fibre cement, aluminium and composite boards. See our complete guide to cladding for the differences.
- Brick: Brick has traditionally been used as a reliable and style flexible material to provide a home facade with a comforting homely feel.
- Render: Rendered finishes, including lightweight panels such as Hebel, give a smooth modern or Provincial look.
- Tiles: Roofing: The roof is a big part of your facade. The two main choices are concrete tiles and Colorbond steel roofing (Colorbond is a pre-painted steel product, not a tile). Tiles are traditional and quieter in rain, but can crack under severe hail and need periodic upkeep such as re-pointing. Colorbond is lightweight and low-maintenance, comes in a wide colour range, and is non-combustible, which matters in bushfire-prone areas. Both suit Australian conditions, so choose on your style, budget and location.
Sustainability
- Colors: Lighter colours reflect more of the sun’s heat, which helps keep the home cooler in summer, while darker colours absorb more, making your home more sustainable.
- Well-placed trees and plants shade the house and reduce heat gain. If your block is bushfire-prone, check planting rules before you plant.
- Energy rating: New homes need a minimum 7-star NatHERS rating under NCC 2022 in most states and territories, so glazing, shading and colour choices should be planned together with the energy rating.
Financial aspects of choosing facade
The facade is a big part of your home’s street appeal, which shapes how most investors see it. So, a new facade should be a top priority.
Whether you’re investing in a new home or partially tearing down your current house to sell, the facade is a great place to start.
Some important things to remember for generating maximum value:
- Stand out (but not too much): A facade that clashes with the neighbourhood can put buyers off, whatever the market is doing. Aim for something distinctive that still suits the street. If you are not planning to sell; follow your dreams. If not, follow, do this.
- Long-term value: If you choose something too niche or trendy, it may lose value over time. For reselling, it’s better to buy timeless designs, which do not necessarily mean old. A lot of contemporary styles can also have timeless elements.
Check your block’s rules first
Before you fall for a facade, check what your block allows. Many new estates have design guidelines or a design approval process covering materials, colours and garage placement, and council rules can affect setbacks and heights. If your block is in a bushfire-prone area, its BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) rating can restrict some cladding, window and door choices. Your builder can help you check these early, so the facade you choose is approved and buildable.
Points to remember
- Take your time: Several different styles of facades are available, each with its benefits and drawbacks. Make sure you discuss each detail with your home’s designer/architect.
- Parts of the house you want to highlight: Where you want visitors to focus is essential. Your choice will decide how much focus the other elements get too.
- Focus on the big picture: With so many factors like the focus of attention, materials, look, landscaping, and color, it’s only human to lose focus. They all have to meld together in the same design, so the house has everything you need for a living experience, investment potential, etc.
Facades that stand out with ABM Homes
We believe in helping you make an impression on everyone who visits your home.
The facade is the first step towards that. As a part of our process, we ensure your ideas shine through.
That is why hundreds of families have trusted us to build their dream homes. See our facades in person at the Whitlam or Menangle Park Display VIllage.
All our homes are built to meet the NCC’s energy efficiency requirements. We also specialize in using steel frames to make solid homes that last.
Contact our team today to start building your dream home!