Architectural design is the process of creating a structure that perfectly balances function and aesthetics. It is a creative, collaborative process and working with an architect can help you to design a home that meets all of your needs and suits your lifestyle. Using a range of tools and techniques, architects can bring your ideas to life and create detailed technical drawings that can be used throughout the project.
Whilst designing a functional and practical home that’s comfortable and enjoyable to live in, you shouldn’t forget about your personal style and design preferences. It’s important to express yourself through your design and create a unique space that stands out from the crowd. Many will choose to incorporate some eye-catching features into their designs to make their home visually interesting and somewhere they love coming home to.
Below we have explored some of the most popular residential architectural design elements that will catch the eye of visitors and make your dream home more unique.
Floor-to-ceiling windows
Filling your home with natural light comes with many benefits, both mental and physical. Natural light can help you maintain a regular circadian rhythm whilst reducing stress and improving mood. With a biophilic design concept in mind, large windows can also provide a connection to the outdoors and help to bring nature inside. Incorporating floor-to-ceiling windows into architectural designs has been popular for some time now.
Floor-to-ceiling windows can make your home a brighter and more inviting place to be. Natural light can help to create a feeling of spaciousness and make your rooms feel bigger. Large windows are an aesthetic choice too, especially in more rural areas with stunning views.
Large overhanging roofs
Cantilevered structures are becoming more common in residential building projects and an architect can help you to achieve the right proportions, so your home doesn’t look ‘top-heavy’. Large overhanging roofs aren’t just an aesthetic choice, they are also a functional design element for a property’s exterior. This unique style of roof can conceal rainwater pipes, provide shade from direct sunlight and even increase privacy.
There are lots of ways you can use the space beneath overhanging roofs, such as for an outdoor seating area. Exploring cantilevered structures in more detail can help you to create a roof size and shape that is perfect for your home.
Curved walls
Curved walls are a popular alternative to standard straight interior walls and they add a unique and modern aesthetic to a home. When using curved walls to divide rooms, you can create the illusion of space and depth, making any room appear larger than it actually is, and even improve the internal flow of your home.
The placement and style of the walls throughout your home will have a direct impact on the look and feel of your interior space. Not only will curved walls divide your rooms in a distinct way, but they can create a better connection between spaces. These unique walls will become an interesting focal point too and give an otherwise plain room a more dynamic look.
Exposed beams
Exposed structural elements, like beams, are an attractive architectural feature in residential design and they can add visual interest to your home. Both wooden beams and steel beams can become the main focal point of the design, and they can add depth to a space.
When you leave beams exposed in your home, you will be revealing the original fabric of the building and telling a story of how your home was built. This makes the architecture speak for itself and draws the eye to the structural elements. Whilst they’re commonly associated with traditional cottages, exposed beams can work well in modern properties too and they’re a versatile design feature that’s worth exploring.
High ceilings
Trends often circle around and it’s not just interior design that’s impacted by this, architectural design is too. High ceilings are a common feature in older properties and they’re starting to make a comeback for modern homes.
Having higher ceilings in your home can create a feeling of grandeur and this is an eye-catching design feature for any property. Higher ceilings can help to make a room seem more spacious too and they can make smaller rooms appear larger and more inviting. They can also improve the acoustics of a space. When you have higher ceilings you have more space to experiment with when decorating and you can get creative with wall decor.
Speak to our experts about architectural design in London
If you are starting an architectural design and build project and you want to include some eye-catching features in your home, hopefully this will have provided you with some inspiration. There are lots of ways you can elevate your architectural design to create a functional and practical home that is also unique to you and your taste. If you need assistance with architectural design in London, get in touch with the Zulufish team today.
Here at Zulufish, we provide comprehensive architectural design services and we excel at the design of exemplary homes. We can support you through the entire process, from creating initial designs to applying for planning permission. Our expert architectural design team will work closely with you to uncover the full potential of your brief and draw up technical designs that are both inspirational and economically viable.
The architectural drawings we produce will maximise your contemporary living requirements and we are passionate about implementing innovative, eye-catching design ideas. To find out more about our architectural services in London, contact us today.
