Striking Homes with Front Column Design Elements

From stately Southern mansions to quaint New England farmhouses, homes with columns create curb appeal and visual interest. Columned facades instantly catch the eye with their striking symmetrical designs. But beyond just looking pretty, columns serve important structural purposes as well. Let's explore the history, benefits, and design factors behind houses with front columns.

Columned porches and porticos first emerged in ancient Greek architecture before becoming staples of neoclassical and colonial styles. Grand entranceways with rows of columns conveyed wealth and status. Over time, simpler columned porches graced more modest village cottages and suburban homes. Whatever the style, columns add aesthetic value and create an inviting first impression.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Columned Houses

Before adding columns, weigh their assets and downsides:

• Benefits
  • Add curb appeal
  • Increase property value
  • Provide shelter at entrances
  • Offer support for roofs or upper levels
  • Create visually balanced facades
• Drawbacks
  • Higher maintenance to protect from weathering
  • Less interior floor space
  • More expensive to install
  • Must suit home's architecture

Overall, columns boost aesthetics and value when thoughtfully incorporated. But they require upkeep to maintain their structural integrity and appearance over time.

Design Factors for House Columns

Several key considerations go into designing home columns:

• Height and scale suiting the home's proportions
• Column width and spacing creating rhythm
• Choice of materials such as wood or fiberglass
• Ornamental details like fluting or capitals

Classical columns follow mathematical ratios between width and height for balance. Column scale should fit the porch size. Wider columns with heavy entablatures require closer spacing for support. Shaft detailing provides visual interest. Material choice impacts maintenance needs.

Common Building Materials

Columns made of:

• Wood: Requires frequent upkeep but offers custom designs
• PVC or Fiberglass: Lower maintenance than wood
• Stone or Concrete: Highest long-term durability
• Metal: Prone to rusting without protective finishes

Consider climate, budget, and architectural style when selecting materials. For example, painted wood pairs well with Craftsman bungalows, while grand brick neoclassical homes may feature stone columns.

Key Measurements

Column design standards include:

• Height: Spans two-thirds to four-fifths of the porch's total height
• Width: One-eighth to one-sixth of the column's height
• Spacing: No wider than 2 to 3 times the column width

Custom sizing can better complement unique home architectures. Precise mathematical harmony creates balanced, eye-pleasing results.

Adding Columns to Existing Homes

Homeowners wishing to incorporate columns into current houses should:

• Consult architects experienced in column design
• Select column styles suiting their homes' existing features
• Consider expert installation for structural safety
• Get pricing estimates for materials and construction

Trying to cut costs with DIY installation risks structural defects or columns detracting from architecture. Professionals ensure columns properly support roofs and complement aesthetics.

Common Installation Issues

Column additions require meticulous planning, or problems can occur like:

• Materials that contrast poorly with the home
• Sizes or proportions that seem too small or large
• Placements disrupting the home's symmetry
• Structurally inadequate support unable to bear loads
• Lack of protection from moisture damage

Prevent issues through careful measurement, classic column design rules, and weatherproofing materials selection and placement.

Sample Pricing

Typical column installation costs range from:

• Wood columns: $2,000 - $4,500
• Fiberglass or PVC columns: $1,500 - $3,000
• Masonry brick or stone columns: $8,000 - $15,000

Variables like accessibility, project scope, ornamentation, and region impact pricing. Get multiple professional bids before selecting materials and contractors.

Caring for House Columns

Regular inspection and maintenance preserve aging columns, including:

• Checking for cracks, rot, or insect damage
• Recaulking gaps against water intrusion
• Refurbishing worn column covers
• Repainting surfaces showing wear
• Replacing irreparably damaged columns

Preventative sealing and paint touch-ups replicate original appearances cost-effectively. But replacing entire columns becomes necessary when deterioration occurs.

Cleaning Different Materials

Recommended methods for various columns:

• Wood columns: Gentle low-pressure washing
• Fiberglass or synthetic columns: Moderate-pressure washing
• Stone and concrete columns: Specialty masonry cleansers
• Painted metal columns: TSP substitutes and pressure-washing

Harsh chemicals and intense water pressure damage many materials. Know appropriate techniques for each column type before attempting cleaning.

Decorating Houses with Columns

Columns offer fun spaces to add visual interest through:

• Wrapping columns in string lights
• Flanking entryways with statuary or urns
• Planting vibrant flower beds alongside
• Displaying wall art, house numbers, sconces

Creative touches personalize columned homes. But restrain adornments to retain architectural harmony and highlight stunning columns.

Design Inspiration

Columns styled with:

• Classical white columns on deep-blue coastal home
• Black iron wall lanterns illuminating brick columns
• Climbing ivy on a quaint cottage's stone columns
• Weathered wood columns on a gray farmhouse under glowing string lights

Match columns' grandeur with art, plants, lighting. Go bright and vivid or subdued and cozy. Just keep symmetry and avoid overwhelming stunning architecture.

Hiring Contractors for Columns

When researching contractors, homeowners should:

• Verifycredentials like licensing, insurance, bonds
• Review examples of past column installations
• Checkbusiness ratings and customer reviews
• Request and follow up on references
• Comparedetailed bids from multiple contractors

Thorough vetting ensures reputable contractors with expertise in column construction suited to your home's style. Confirm timeframe expectations and projected costs in writing before hiring.

Questions to Ask Prospects

Important contractor queries include:

• How long have you specialized in column installations?
• May I see portfolio examples of previous column projects?
• What materials and architectural styles do you have experience with?
• Do you handle securing permits for structural additions?
• What are typical turnaround times for column projects?

Their responses will demonstrate qualifications, construction capabilities, and service expectations specific to column incorporation.

Inspiring Examples of Houses with Columns

Columned home styles include:

• Grand Southern mansions with imposing multi-story white columns
• Classical brick rowhomes with slender black columns
• Weathered wood farmhouses with welcoming single-height columns
• Victorian cottages with painted pillars topped by decorative capitals
• Coastal homes with sweeping wrap-around porches atop slim columns

Whether accompanied by sweeping willows, colorful blooms, or stone balustrades, majestic columns command attention on home exteriors across designs.

Famous Columned Residences

• The White House's iconic neoclassical portico with towering columns
• Elvis Presley's Graceland and its classical revival facade columns
• George Washington's Mount Vernon features sandstone columns on piazza
• Columned porches on Southern plantations like Oak Alley or Tara

From founding fathers' homes to old Hollywood, columns convey aristocratic elegance on famous dwellings.

Alternatives to Full-Height Columns

Column design choices beyond floor-to-ceiling include:

• Pillars: Rectangular column-like structures
• Posts: Square structures without classical details
• Pilasters: Flattened columns attached to walls
• Trim Accents: Fluted trim for column-like detailing

Smaller homes can implement creative adaptations of columns for elegance without overwhelming spaces. Focus embellishments surrounding main entries.

Mini Column Inspiration

Compact column alternatives like:

• Turned wood posts along a tiny Victorian doorway
• Faux fluted corner pilasters on a brick ranch
• Trim with carved column motifs surrounding a cottage window

Even modest homes can get stately style from selective columned accents. Size and placement choices prevent disproportionate scales.

Columned facades make lasting first impressions with striking elegance and balance. Beyond just looking impressive, columns offer structural support and added value. Homeowners willing to tackle higher maintenance costs can incorporate classical column design elements to create curb appeal and convey refined style.

Even modest homes can find places for columns, pillars, posts, and pilasters. Mini details borrowed from column aesthetics customize houses with hints of grander mansion glamour. Whether embracing the full columned portico tradition or just singled accents, columns catch eyes and admiration.