Understanding the Unique Character of the Split Level Home Exterior
The split level house distinguishes itself immediately through its stepped profile. Typically, you enter into a landing area or small foyer with short staircases going up to the main living level (living room, dining, kitchen) and down to a lower level (often a family room, garage access, and utilities). Sometimes, a multi-level split will have another set of stairs leading up to bedrooms. This internal staggering is directly reflected in the Split Level Home Exterior.
Visually, this results in a facade with multiple rooflines, varied window placements at different heights, and often, multiple entry points (front door, garage door, sometimes a side or lower-level door). The garage frequently occupies a significant portion of the front elevation, often on the lower level. This inherent asymmetry and layering are the defining features of the Split Level Home Exterior, providing both its charm and its design puzzle.
Challenges and Immense Potential of the Split Level Home Exterior
While practical for interior living, the external appearance of many original split levels can sometimes feel a bit disjointed or boxy. Common criticisms often revolve around seemingly awkward proportions, a lack of a clear, grand entrance, and materials that might now appear dated. However, seeing these not as flaws, but as unique characteristics ripe for enhancement, unlocks the incredible potential inherent in the Split Level Home Exterior.
The straight lines and geometric nature of split levels lend themselves remarkably well to modern and contemporary design aesthetics. With strategic updates, you can leverage the different levels to create visual interest, highlight architectural features, and design landscaping that integrates the house seamlessly with its site.
Addressing Proportion Issues
One of the perceived challenges with a Split Level Home Exterior can be the proportion of different sections. A large garage door might dominate the lower level, or the different window heights can seem randomly placed. Smart design can balance these elements.
Using contrasting materials or colors can help define different levels or sections. For instance, stone or brick on the lower level/garage can anchor the house, while a different siding material on the upper levels can visually separate them. Adding architectural details like substantial trim around windows or doors, or a prominent porch roof, can add visual weight where needed and improve overall balance.
Updating Dated Aesthetics
Many older split levels feature materials and colors that were popular in the mid-20th century but now look tired. Think faded aluminum siding, small windows, or simple ranch-style brick. Updating these elements is one of the most impactful ways to transform the Split Level Home Exterior.
Replacing old siding with modern materials like fiber cement, wood, or metal panels can dramatically change the look. Installing larger windows or changing their style can improve natural light and update the facade. Even simple changes like a new, stylish front door and updated light fixtures can make a huge difference in overcoming a dated appearance and enhancing your Split Level Home Exterior.
Highlighting Unique Features
Instead of fighting the split-level structure, embrace its unique characteristics. The multiple levels mean opportunities for interesting rooflines and varied facade planes. Use these to your advantage in your design.
Consider using color or material changes to emphasize the horizontal lines of the different levels. The inherent asymmetry can create dynamic visual appeal if handled thoughtfully. The multiple entry points can be unified through cohesive landscaping or pathway design, or intentionally differentiated to serve specific functions while maintaining overall style.
Transformative Design Strategies for Your Split Level Home Exterior
Ready to unlock the full potential of your Split Level Home Exterior? Focusing on key exterior elements can lead to a dramatic and beautiful transformation. These strategies go beyond simple beautification; they enhance durability, energy efficiency, and the overall functionality of your home’s exterior. Let’s explore some key areas for impactful updates.
Renovating the Split Level Home Exterior is an investment in both your lifestyle and your property’s future value. Choosing the right materials, colors, and design elements that work with the unique architecture, rather than against it, is crucial for success.
Exterior Siding and Materials
The siding covers the largest surface area of your Split Level Home Exterior, making it the most significant factor in its overall style and condition. Updating siding offers a chance to completely redefine your home’s aesthetic.
- Fiber Cement Siding: Extremely durable, low-maintenance, and comes in a wide range of colors and textures (smooth, wood grain). It’s an excellent choice for a modern, clean look or a more traditional one.
- Wood Siding: Offers natural beauty and warmth, available in various profiles (clapboard, shakes, vertical boards). Requires more maintenance but provides classic curb appeal.
- Vinyl Siding: A cost-effective option with improved durability and color retention in modern varieties. Offers a wide color palette.
- Metal Siding: Increasingly popular for modern and contemporary split levels, offering a sleek, industrial look and excellent durability.
- Stone or Brick Veneer: Adding stone or brick accents, particularly on the lower level or around the entryway, can add texture, visual weight, and a sense of permanence to the Split Level Home Exterior.
Mixing two or even three compatible materials can add significant visual interest and help break up the horizontal lines inherent in many split levels. For example, combining horizontal fiber cement siding with vertical metal accents or a stone wainscoting on the lower level.
Window and Door Updates
Windows are the eyes of the home, and their style and placement profoundly impact the Split Level Home Exterior. Older split levels often have smaller windows or a mix of sizes that feel uncoordinated.
Updating windows improves energy efficiency and offers an opportunity to enhance the facade. Consider replacing small windows with larger ones where appropriate, or changing the style (e.g., from double-hung to casement or awning windows for a more modern feel). Adding decorative grilles or choosing bold trim colors can also add character.
The front door serves as the primary focal point for the main entry point. For a Split Level Home Exterior, which might have a less prominent entry than other styles, making the front door stand out is vital.
- Choose a door style that complements your home’s overall aesthetic – clean lines for modern, paneled for traditional, or a pop of color for personality.
- Material matters: Steel, fiberglass, or wood doors each offer different looks, durability, and maintenance needs.
- Consider adding sidelights or a transom window if the structure allows, to increase natural light and create a more welcoming entry.
Roofing Considerations
The roofline is a prominent feature of the Split Level Home Exterior, often characterized by multiple slopes and varying heights. While primarily functional (protecting the home), the roofing material and color contribute significantly to the overall look.
Asphalt shingles are common and come in many colors. Choosing a color that complements the siding and trim is important. Darker roofs tend to create a sense of stability, while lighter colors reflect more heat. Other options include metal roofing, which offers durability and a distinct modern look, or tile or wood shakes depending on the desired style and budget. Ensure the roof is in good repair, as a damaged or worn roof detracts from even the most beautiful Split Level Home Exterior.
Enhancing the Entryway and Curb Appeal Focus
Due to the split nature, the main entry of a split level might not be at ground level, often requiring stairs. This area is critical for curb appeal and deserves special attention to make it welcoming and clear.
Porch and Stair Design
The stairs leading to the main entry landing are part of the approach and should feel sturdy and inviting. Consider updating materials – concrete, stone pavers, or wood decking. Adding a railing, even if not strictly needed for safety (check local codes), can enhance the sense of arrival and provide a design element.
Adding a small porch cover or overhang above the front door can provide shelter and define the entry space, making it feel more significant. This can range from a simple shed roof to a more integrated structure that complements the house style.
Front Door Impact
As mentioned, the front door is a key focal point. Paint it a bold color that contrasts with the siding to draw attention. Ensure the hardware is modern and attractive. Pair the door with appropriate lighting fixtures – sconces on either side or an overhead light that is stylish and provides good illumination for safety and visibility. The pathway leading to the door should also be clear and well-maintained, guiding visitors directly to the main entrance.
Exterior Lighting Design
Effective exterior lighting enhances the beauty of your Split Level Home Exterior after dark, improves safety and security, and extends the usability of outdoor spaces. A well-designed lighting scheme can highlight your home’s architectural features and landscaping.
- Pathway Lights: Illuminating the path to the front door is essential for safety and creating a welcoming feel.
- Up-lighting: Placing fixtures at the base of interesting architectural features (like a stone section, a textured wall, or attractive gables) can highlight them at night.
- Accent Lighting: Spotlight key landscaping features like trees or unique plantings.
- Task Lighting: Ensure practical areas like the garage door and side entrances are well-lit.
- Decorative Fixtures: Choose wall-mounted fixtures near doors (front, back, garage) that match the home’s style and provide adequate light. Consider scale – fixtures should be appropriately sized for the space.
Thoughtful lighting makes your Split Level Home Exterior stand out and feel secure long after the sun goes down.
Landscaping Secrets to Elevate the Split Level Home Exterior
Landscaping is arguably one of the most powerful tools for enhancing a Split Level Home Exterior. It softens harsh lines, adds color and texture, defines spaces, and helps integrate the house with its surrounding environment, particularly important when dealing with sloped lots common for split levels.
Effective landscaping can camouflage less attractive foundation areas, draw the eye to key features like the front entry, and create a layered look that complements the home’s multi-level structure.
Working with Elevation Changes
Split levels are often built on sloped lots to accommodate the varying floor levels. This presents landscaping opportunities to create visual interest and functional outdoor spaces.
- Terracing: Creating level planting beds or seating areas using retaining walls made of stone, timber, or block can manage slopes, prevent erosion, and add dramatic visual layers.
- Layered Planting: Use plants of varying heights and textures on slopes or in tiered beds to creat depth and visual interest, mirroring the levels of the house.
- Step Design: If there are exterior steps connecting different yard areas or leading to different doors, design them thoughtfully using attractive materials and integrating them with surrounding planting.
Creating Welcoming Pathways
The approach to a split level can sometimes be confusing with multiple potential entry points. Clear, attractive pathways guide visitors and enhance curb appeal.
Design a main pathway that leads clearly to the primary front door. Use materials like pavers, flagstone, gravel, or concrete that complement your home’s style. Edge the pathway with low plants or lighting to define it. If you have secondary entries (like to a lower level or garage), consider softer or less formal pathways for those, or connect them seamlessly to the main path network.
Strategic Planting to Define Spaces
Plants can be used strategically to soften the straight lines of a Split Level Home Exterior and highlight its best features.
- Foundation Planting: Use a mix of evergreens and deciduous shrubs, perennials, and groundcovers to soften the base of the house and conceal potentially utilitarian foundation walls. Vary heights to add interest, keeping taller plants at corners or to frame the entry.
- Specimen Plants: Use unique shrubs or small trees to accent specific areas, like near the front door or at a corner of the house.
- Color and Texture: Incorporate plants with varied foliage colors, textures, and seasonal blooms to provide year-round interest.
- Tree Placement: Mature trees can provide shade, improve energy efficiency, and frame views of the house. Be mindful of placing trees too close to the foundation or roof.
A thoughtful landscape plan addresses the specific characteristics of the Split Level Home Exterior and the property’s terrain, turning potential challenges into beautiful design features.
Bringing it All Together: Crafting a Cohesive Split Level Home Exterior
Successfully updating a Split Level Home Exterior requires a cohesive vision. It’s not just about replacing individual components, but ensuring all elements work together harmoniously to create a unified and attractive look. Consider the architectural style you want to achieve – are you leaning into the Mid-Century Modern roots, or aiming for a contemporary, Craftsman, or even a modern farmhouse feel?
Choose materials, colors, and design details that align with your desired style. For example, vertical siding and large format windows suit a modern look, while shaker-style siding and stone accents might lean more Craftsman or transitional. Pay attention to trim color – it can define architectural details and tie different elements together.
Don’t underestimate the power of paint. A fresh color palette can dramatically alter the perception of a split level. Consider using a main color for the body, an accent color for gables or specific sections, and a trim color that pops. The front door color provides a final touch of personality.
Working with an architect, designer, or landscape architect experienced with split-level homes can be incredibly beneficial. They can help you see the potential you might miss and develop a plan that respects the home’s structure while achieving your design goals for the Split Level Home Exterior.
Investing in the Split Level Home Exterior yields significant returns, not just in terms of enjoyment and pride of ownership, but also in tangible property value. Curb appeal is the first impression, and for a split level, making that impression strong and positive is key.
Conclusion
The Split Level Home Exterior is a fascinating architectural canvas, offering a unique blend of challenges and opportunities. While often associated with a past era, these homes possess inherent structural characteristics that are surprisingly adaptable to modern design trends and functional improvements. Their multi-level facades, varied rooflines, and integration with sloped landscapes provide numerous avenues for creative expression.
By strategically addressing key elements such as siding, windows, doors, lighting, and landscaping, you can transform a potentially overlooked Split Level Home Exterior into a stunning, contemporary residence with undeniable curb appeal. Embrace the distinctive character, invest in quality materials, and design with a cohesive vision. The result will be a home that not only looks beautiful but also functions better and increases significantly in value, proving the enduring potential of the humble split level.