Fiber cement has been gaining a reputation over the last few years as the go-to product when you want to combine style and durability for your home’s exterior. Many people may not realize, however, just how versatile the material can be, or the fact that it can be used to create many different architectural panel designs.
From Victorian to Contemporary, fiber cement can meet all of your architectural needs, while at the same time offering you the rich colors, durability, and low maintenance that you’ve come to expect from the material.
Architectural Panel Designs
1. On Trend Contemporary Facade
Rustic modern is one of the most quickly growing architectural trends right now, blending natural elements with the clean, crisp lines of contemporary design. Fiber cement allows you to achieve these goals easily, by allowing you to get cedar-look planks, along with planks and panels in a variety of other finishes and colors, including ultra-smooth. The result is a home that perfectly balances between rustic and modern for the best of both worlds.
2. Extreme Versatility and Style
Photo by Allura USA - Search exterior design ideas
Having the ability to mimic cedar or to achieve a smooth surface isn’t enough when what you want to do on your home is to bring out the many details in its architectural style. Fiber cement is also available in half round shingles, as well as trim so you can emphasize all the different angles and details on your home, showing them off to perfection. And because each one of these products is available in 22 different colors, you’ll also have no trouble coordinating them all on the same façade.
3. Cohesive, Yet Separate Design
Photo by Allura USA - Browse modern exterior ideas
For buildings that are connected, but that have separate uses or entrances, sometimes you want very different colors and styles to make them each stand out. Fiber cement gives you that option, while ensuring that each one of the buildings in the row will have the same durability and low maintenance style. In this case, one building uses smooth architectural panels, while the other uses cedar-look shingles in a bold color to emphasize the fact that while connected, these are two separate areas.
4. Beach Cottage Appeal
Photo by Allura USA - Discover traditional exterior design ideas
If you don’t want to mix styles on your home’s exterior, you don’t have to in order to get great looks and results. Fiber cement comes in a variety of different shakes and shingles in addition to planks, so you can achieve the look of a weathered cottage by the sea, but without any of the risks associated with using real wood shingles in the sea air. And with 22 colors to choose from, you’ll find it easy to achieve the look you want on your home.
5. Complete Building Coverage
Photo by Allura USA - More traditional exterior ideas
Fiber cement is so versatile a product that you can use it anywhere on your home or building – not just on the walls. Create unique architectural features such as this overhang in a contrasting wood finish to the smooth paneled walls just below. The metallic-finished trim helps to complete the look by picking up the lines of the bricks and creating a cohesive design.
6. Industrial Elegance in Design
Photo by Allura USA - Browse contemporary exterior photos
One of the best parts about fiber cement panels is the architectural trim that they pair with. Color match your trim to get more texture and depth out of the panels, or contrast your panels and trim for a more contemporary approach. In this case, the panels are also accented with faux-rivets for a more industrial appearance in one area, while smooth bold red panels make the contrast in another.
7. Texture and Interest for Days
Photo by Allura USA - Discover contemporary exterior design ideas
Architectural panels don’t need to be smooth, wood grained, or made to look like stucco. Sometimes they can also give a more industrial appearance like the look of corrugated metal. These oversize panels are set at angles that make the building appear larger and more imposing than it is, making a statement that is sure to catch everyone’s eye.
8. An Organic Appearance
Photo by Allura USA - More farmhouse exterior photos
Natural cedar shingles aren’t always the same size and shape, which can part of their appeal when using them in natural or rustic settings. Fiber cement shingles don’t need to come in evenly matched sizes and shapes either. These irregular shingles help accent the natural stone chimney and landscaping on this home, giving it a more authentic appearance, but with the same durability that fiber cement is known for.
9. Enough Sizes and Shapes to Cover any Building
Photo by Allura USA - More contemporary exterior photos
One of the best parts about using architectural panels is the fact that they come in so many different shapes and sizes. The panels on this building are shown in two different sizes, alternating as they move up the building, which naturally draws the eye upward and creates the illusion of height. The color matched trim helps to add to the appearance, creating depth at the same time.
10. All the Hallmarks of Traditional Design
Photo by Allura USA - Look for farmhouse exterior design inspiration
While fiber cement is becoming well known for its contemporary and detailed appearances, it’s important not to forget that it also be simple and traditional at the same time. This home is covered in horizontal lap siding in a cool, crisp white that emphasizes its lines and appearance. The versatility of the fiber cement means that it can be used everywhere, including on the underside of the porch ceiling for additional durability.
11. Bold Color, Bold Design
Photo by Allura USA - More home design ideas
If you’re interested in using a bold color on your home or building’s exterior, fiber cement can help ensure that color stays truer longer. Fiber cement’s proprietary method of color application means that those bold oranges, reds, and greens won’t fade, peel, or chip over time, so you can make the statement you’re after without worry.
12. Endless Style and Adaptable Design
Photo by Allura USA - Discover home design inspiration
With unique contemporary homes such as this one, you need a product that will emphasize its lines and shape, letting its style shine. The fiber cement panels on the right side of the upper story perfectly mimic the shape and size of the window, showing it off to greater effect, while the lap siding on the left picks up the color and lines of the stone below.
13. Tons of Texture and Depth
Photo by Allura USA - Look for home design inspiration
When you really want to make a statement on your home, sometimes bringing in a lot of depth and dimension is the way to go. On this home, textured fiber cement panels frame out a natural, wood-look vertical siding section. A horizontal lap siding completes the look on the other side, ensuring that this home has a lot of texture, interest, and style in one area.
14. A Study in Contrasts
Photo by Allura USA - More home design ideas
The contrast between the wood-look siding and the panels helps make this building’s exterior pop. What really makes it come to life, however, is the look of the faux rivets moving through each one of the panels, drawing and catching the eye so you look upward at the building’s height as well.
15. Endless Installation Possibilities
Photo by Allura USA - Browse home design ideas
Another way that fiber cement siding can help bring your building’s exterior into better focus is through the way it’s installed. With so many different options, it’s easy to get the look you want. In this case, a ship lap installation of the cedar-look planks complements the panels below beautifully.
16. Add Dimension and Focus to Your Facade
Photo by Allura USA - More modern home design photos
If the windows on your home or building aren’t getting the attention they deserve, fiber cement trim and panels are a great way to bring them into better focus. In this case, darker-colored panels frame out the windows with contrasting trim, making them seem larger than they really are.
17. The Look and Feel of Wood
Photo by - modern products
Fiber cement siding has the ability to mimic the look of real wood, because it’s made in a mold with actual wood pieces. This gives it the look, texture, and dimension of wood grain, particularly when stained a natural finish like this home to help bring out the look.
18. Mix Materials and Ease
Photo by Allura USA - More traditional exterior ideas
It’s not just the lap siding that has the ability to mimic the look and feel of real wood; the shakes and shingles have the same good looks. In this home, the fiber cement looks so close to real wood, it’s impossible to tell where one ends and the other begins.
19. Inside, Outside, and All Around
Photo by Allura USA - Discover traditional exterior design ideas
In homes like this that have such prominent porches and overhangs, fiber cement can be used not only on the siding, but on the porches as well. Both the exterior architectural façade of the porch, including its decorative panels, as well as the underside of the ceiling can make great use of fiber cement’s durability and style.
20. Add Detail and Personal Design
Photo by Allura USA - Search traditional exterior pictures
Find your own personal style with fiber cement. Mix and match a variety of different materials on one exterior, including panels, lap siding, and shingles to get the look you want. With so many different shapes, sizes, and colors to choose from you’ll have no trouble getting the style you’re after.
Achieve Amazing Results
With fiber cement siding, you’ll find that the possibilities are endless for finding the architectural style that best suits your home. Use any of these designs or create your own to get the look, style, and personality that your home needs.
