Avoiding Architectural Design Fail: How To Match Remodeling Styles

Remodeling your home gives you a chance to give it an updated look and enhance its visual appeal. In order to achieve this effect, it’s important to make sure the exterior and interior of your home have the same flow. Remodeling the interior of your home in a way that doesn’t match or flow with its exterior architectural style can create the wrong effect. When the exterior and interior styles of your home clash it has an impact on the way your home looks and feels overall – especially to visitors. Keep these tips on remodeling in mind while considering your home’s architectural style.

Interior vs. Exterior

When planning your home remodel, think about what it will be like to walk into your home after experiencing the exterior look. When you have a certain architectural style on the outside, you’ll want a complimentary interior remodel so it doesn’t seem as though you’re in a completely different home. For example, if your home has a Victorian or Craftsman architectural style on the outside, you should avoid making changes that give it a contemporary look on the inside.

When you remodel a home with an older architectural exterior style, you should preserve that style inside. You can make major changes to the interior as needed, but keep your home’s overall architectural style in mind. For example, you can add built-in bookcases, stained glass accents, or more wood framing to your interior remodel to maintain a Craftsman-style exterior.

If your home’s architectural style is more contemporary, you should avoid making remodeling changes that take the interior back in time. This can create a jarring effect when walking into your home from the outside. Contemporary homes often have a more open floor plan with a lot of natural lighting. Making changes to the layout, such as adding walls or doors for more privacy, can make your home interior feel more dated compared to the exterior.

Work with an Architect

Trying to decide on changes to make that fit with your home’s architectural style can be difficult. Hiring an architect is an effective way to make sure you end up with a home interior that flows well with and fits the exterior. Architects have the knowledge needed to recommend certain changes as part of your remodel. These changes can ensure that your home has a cohesive look and feel.

When you work with an architect for your home remodeling project, you can also easily narrow down your options. An architect can direct you to options that fit your home’s architectural style, so you can zero in on these instead of considering options that might not work well. This can make the remodeling planning phase go more smoothly and help you save time. 

If you’re planning to remodel your San Francisco Bay Area home, please contact Drafting Cafe Architects today to get a free estimate. Our architects can help you create the right changes to your home in order to maintain a harmonious flow between the exterior and interior.