"Curb appeal" often conjures images of elaborate landscaping, and significant investments of both time and money. However, enhancing the visual appeal of your home's exterior doesn't have to be a complex or daunting task. A simple, well thought out layout can create a welcoming atmosphere that leaves a lasting impression on visitors and passersby alike.

One of the most effective ways to enhance curb appeal is decluttering and simplifying. A strong, simple layout will be more inviting and easier on the eye. Greenery has a remarkable ability to add vibrancy and depth to any outdoor space. We can help you choose low-maintenance varieties that thrive in our local climate to minimize upkeep while maximizing visual impact. We design landscaping elements such as shrubs or ornamental trees to frame your property and create a sense of balance and symmetry.

Proper lighting can dramatically enhance the visual appeal and safety of your home's exterior during the evening hours. Illuminate your entryway with strategically placed outdoor lighting fixtures to create a warm and inviting ambiance. Path lights, wall sconces, or overhead fixtures can all contribute to a well-lit and visually appealing entrance.

Sometimes, it's the smallest details that can make the biggest difference in curb appeal. Pay attention to elements such as mailbox design, house numbers, and door hardware, as these seemingly minor features can significantly impact the overall aesthetic of your home. Choose cohesive and stylish accents that complement your home's architecture and color palette to create a cohesive and polished look. By focusing on a few key areas and implementing simple yet effective strategies, we can elevate the visual allure of your home's exterior. Whether you're preparing to sell or simply aiming to create a more welcoming atmosphere, investing time and effort into curb appeal can yield substantial returns.

An experienced developer once told us, “roofs don’t leak, it’s windows that leak.” And while there is an exception to every rule, we at AJH have found that it’s important to specify and install a quality window if you want to keep your home leak free! Over the past decade of building we have had opportunity to fit Jeld-Wen Windows on many different homes. Their classic double hung units with grids between the glass or simulated lites fit seamlessly in the suburban 5 over 4 with-a-door or in a Charleston-style row home. AJH appreciates the ability to manipulate the scale of their double hung units to match the exterior elevation character with light for the interior spaces.  When we build in the mountains, their ultra slim plate units capture the views while keeping out the wind and cold, and they can be engineered to withstand mountain storms.

“Jeld-Wen provides options for our customers in multiple lines and styles all while backing their windows up with a consistent warranty.”

Jeld-Wen offers low maintenance vinyl windows in several integral exterior colors; from traditional white and clay to dark bronze and black. In the past, AJH has relied on the their all-wood product when building in a historic overlay zoned districts. This product line also offers both stain or paint grade exteriors, and while the wood exterior does require a more attentive maintenance routine, there is no better way to match  historic fenestration. The Jeld-Wen aluminum clad product line is our go-to product and offers over 20 standard aluminum exterior colors and can even be customized to a color of your choice. We have yet to encounter a selection that we were unable to fulfill in the clad product line.

When specifying and purchasing windows AJH recommends Jeld-Wen because the lifetime cycle of their windows coordinates with the exterior finishes we install. It’s not smart to install a window that won’t last 10 years in a thoughtfully detailed exterior that will easily weather 50 years of sun, rain and cold! Choosing from Jeld-Wen’s product lines lets AJH match the right window both aesthetically and functionally to the home. And it allows our clients to enjoy beautiful views with peace of mind.

Key to that peace of mind is knowing AJH & Jeld-Wen will be there to service any issue that might arise. Whether in the frame of the window or the glass itself their warranty department is ready and willing to help AJH correct it, so our customers don’t have to live with anything less than an optimal unit.

Check out Jeld-Wen by following this link!

Have you ever driven by a wide country expanse with a farmhouse on it? Now, let it be said that people can do what they wish with their own property (as long as they're not in a historic overlay district!). But, given that, there are still style standards in the world, and some homes do not belong in an urban setting while others should not be found on rural acreage. Charleston-style homes are meant for narrow urban lots. Even the timeless Georgian was always an in-town dwelling for the wealthy when away from their manor home in the country. The Georgian should not be built in the country unless the manicured gardens are built as well.

This is not to say that every home in the country should look the same, nor that urban housing should be uniform up and down the street (though in some applications, like Brownstones, it should). It is simply to say that some home plans are country, some are city, and some shouldn't be found outside a track-home subdivision. This is the rationale behind historical overlay districts, as urban planners seek to preserve a unique architectural style within certain more homogenous neighborhoods.

That being said, it should also be noted that rarely does one find a pure architectural style. The analogy of facial symmetry applies here: studies have shown that perfect facial symmetry (something that very, very few people have) is both beautiful and somewhat off-putting. Applied to architecture, one might stand in awe of the Taj Mahal, but still realize that it is cold and intimidating (of course, it was designed and constructed as a mausoleum, so the analogy does kind of break down with regard to a home!)

Still, just as the quirks and idiosyncrasies of the human face give both character and warmth, so the blending of architectural styles make a house more inviting and even attractive. Thus, in the residential design process, there are far more hybrids than pure-breeds.

We at Designed for Downtown, LLC and AJH Custom Homes, LLC continually study architectural designs as well as the various applications and hybridizations of those styles. This enables us to make suggestions to our clients based on their often quite diverse idea photos. Give us a call today to begin planning your new home design; we can make it both suitable for the location and beautiful to behold.

Form follows function is a common phrase in design, and it is usually true. Even the layout and shape of a landscape is driven by the functions it needs to provide. In this case though, the clients needed a creative solution to maximize the useable space. Fortunately we were able to provide just that!

The area right off new porch had several roof lines and gutters feeding into it, as well as an area drain off the driveway. The site was steep, with the neighbor's yard positioned below. The potential for flooding and water issues was huge. We designed an oversize catch basin and level-spreader system that would allow the water to be retained and let out slowly and evenly. This would slow the torrent and let it percolate gently, rather than coming to one point and washing out the neighbors.

This whole assembly was then concealed below the patio and fire-pit area, keeping it out of sight for the homeowners as well. This combination let us fulfill a critical function without it having it dominate the space and useful areas of the backyard.