This key home exterior design trend is becoming more popular

Some exterior siding products are estimated to last more than 100 years with regular maintenance, according to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. Choosing the right siding product is therefore a critical lifetime decision for homeowners, and architects play a role in helping homeowners understand their options and avoid regrets down the road.

Beyond choosing a timeless aesthetic, homeowners must also consider a material’s ability to withstand harsh conditions. As the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events increase, durability becomes an increasingly crucial factor for homeowners to consider when beginning a siding project.

That may be why most residential architecture firms believe that durable and low-maintenance exterior design products are growing in popularity, according to the most recent AIA Home Design Trends Survey. The quarterly survey, which is based on responses from more than 300 firms, showed durable and low-maintenance materials were the top growing trend in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Low-maintenance siding option

For decades, architects have used fiber cement siding products to achieve gorgeous, durable exteriors. One such product is Hardie Artisan Lap siding, part of the Hardie Architectural Collection.

Doug Leach, owner of Douglas Leach Architecture in Southern California, has used the product to build about 20 farmhouse style houses. He says his clients appreciate that it can mimic the appearance of real wood while providing enhanced durability and fewer maintenance concerns.

Bill Kennally, president at Oakmont Builders, used the product on a home in Malibu, where fire protection was top-of-mind for homeowners and builders. “We talked them into the Artisan Lap because of zero flame spread in a fire area,” he says. “To make it a one-hour fire protection, we used DensGlass first and then the Artisan.”

Like other Hardie fiber cement siding products, Hardie Artisan Lap siding is Engineered for Climate to withstand the elements. It’s non-combustible, making it ideal for wildfire-prone areas, and resists damage from torrential rain and flooding. And it holds no appeal to woodpeckers and pests.

The siding also offers a smooth texture, distinct thickness, and deep shadow lines, and it allows builders to craft mitered corners on-site.

Read more about the creative ways architects and builders have incorporated Hardie Artisan Lap siding in a variety of exterior designs and explore the available options in the Hardie Architectural Collection to see what’s possible for your next project.

Disclaimer: AIA does not sponsor or endorse any enterprise, whether public or private, operated for profit. Further, no AIA officer, director, committee member, or employee, or any of its component organizations in his or her official capacity, is permitted to approve, sponsor, endorse, or do anything that may be deemed or construed to be an approval, sponsorship, or endorsement of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.