Exterior Design: Recommended Materials

When renovating a home, we often think about interior design, but exterior design is just as important. Without proper exterior design, our project may not seem complete and can detract from the beauty of the home, even though we have put in considerable effort to decorate the interior.

Exterior design involves, first and foremost, delineating the space, establishing the available perimeter, and assigning a purpose of use.

Designing courtyards, terraces, and pools

If the garden is located in front of the house, it is important for it to be tastefully arranged and elegant. If it is in a secluded location, you can even turn it into a vegetable or flower garden, or even a storage space.

If the garden is larger, you can assign it one or more purposes. You can include in the design process the creation of a flower garden or a terrace that you can use exclusively during the summer.

For smaller spaces, you can opt for functional and compact vertical decor items. They will help you create the illusion of a larger space for your garden. In such situations, experts recommend using brighter colors and less complex ornaments.

The terrace can be arranged either as an extension of the existing house or in a dedicated space (in the latter case, you will need a generous space). Building and arranging the terrace depends on the owners’ usage needs, so the terrace can be an open one, ideal for the cold season, or a closed one, where you can enjoy it even during the cold season.

In the case of gazebos, they are recommended to be arranged in a space that is not in the immediate vicinity of the house. You can opt for an open gazebo made of wood or stone or choose to build a closed gazebo that you can also use during the cold season. However, a gazebo represents a considerable financial effort, so before you build and arrange one, it is recommended to analyze whether you really need it. Also, you need to consider the costs associated with maintaining it.

If you have a generous outdoor space, you also have the possibility of arranging a pool.

It is very important to know that to build such a construction, you will definitely need a construction permit. You can opt for a closed pool, which you can equip with heating systems and everything necessary for year-round use, or for an open pool, which you can only use during the warm season. You can choose to arrange a traditional style pool or a modern style inspired by the exterior design of the house or yard.

Exterior design with ceramic tiles

Ceramic tiles (wall tiles and floor tiles) specially created for outdoor use represent by far the best option when we want to arrange our terrace, courtyard or even balcony. However, choosing the type of exterior floor tiles is not very simple.

To choose the exterior floor tiles that best suits your needs, it is very important to know that they can be found on the Romanian market in a very wide range of colors, textures, and finishes.

Using exterior floor tiles offers unlimited design possibilities, due to the varied patterns available on the market.

Given that terraces are generally not protected from weather conditions and low temperatures, it is important to use non-slip and frost-resistant porcelain floor tiles in their arrangement.

For example, CESAROM Garden is a collection of porcelain floor tiles ideal for arranging both terraces and courtyards.

Exterior design with porcelain floor tiles represents the best choice in terms of design, utility, maintenance, and durability for the outdoor space we need to decorate. Porcelain floor tiles are preferred by buyers because they can be applied directly to floors, making them suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The advantages of porcelain floor tiles are multiple: they can be installed quickly and easily, they are durable, easy to clean, and do not require special maintenance like other surfaces.

Types of outdoor floor tiles

Porcelain floor tiles are formed by firing ceramic plates at very high temperatures so that they do not lose their porous texture, but only partially melt. As a result of the high temperatures, the process called “vitrification” occurs, resulting in a compact and very resistant tile.

Due to its density, porcelain floor tiles can be used in conditions of increased wear, and due to their hardness, they are resistant to heavy traffic, being used for outdoor floors.

Unlike non-porcelain floor tiles (for indoor use), porcelain floor tiles can be used for outdoor spaces.

Most often, these types of renovations are done in the summer, and many simply forget to consider temperature variations when choosing materials. Given that in Romania, during winter, temperatures drop even below -15 degrees Celsius, it is advisable to choose models of tiles that are resistant to freezing for outdoor spaces.

Usually, porcelain floor tiles are frost-resistant, making them the most recommended type of tile for outdoor spaces, such as terraces or balconies.

Other types of outdoor flooring

Concrete flooring is one of the most affordable options when it comes to outdoor design. It is durable and wear-resistant. Thus, if you park your car directly in the yard or have heavy traffic in the yard, concrete flooring can be an ideal option.

Decorative gravel flooring is also a very good option for outdoor design. Gravel has a relatively affordable price and comes in various models and colors, making it almost impossible not to find something to your liking. Using this type of design does not require special maintenance conditions and can be placed anywhere, with a modern visual effect.

If you want an elegant and always fashionable material, you should know that there is wood flooring for the outdoors, specially built for maximum durability and a refined appearance. Maintaining wood is very simple. It is cleaned exactly like interior parquet, but it needs to be lacquered more often than interior parquet to prevent it from deteriorating and to maintain its properties for as long as possible.

You can choose to finish the elements or functional areas of the yard in accordance with the facade of the house, i.e. to opt for the same style in the terrace or gazebo design.

At the same time, it is recommended that the construction materials or shapes used be in harmony. The simplest and most efficient combination can be made at the chromatic level. Thus, the exterior design must include a palette of complementary or similar colors to that of the facade of the house, so that the result is not tiring to the eye.