Where to see examples of the designs and products you’ve been checking out online
The internet has become a powerful tool for researching products before a renovation. Of course, at some point you may want to shift from looking at pictures on your phone or computer to seeing live examples in person.
This guide is designed to help you find local examples of beautiful exteriors created with a variety of products, textures, and design styles.
Contents
James Hardie colour and design
Modern exterior design
Vinyl siding design options
Cedar shakes
Neighbourhood map
For Hardie colours and design options
If you’d like to see tons of James Hardie houses without driving from neighborhood to neighborhood, head straight to Summerside (south of Ellerslie Road and east of 91st street) or Jensen Lakes (north side of St. Albert).
Summerside
First drive over to Grande Boulevard. Starting from Lake Summerside and heading East, you’ll see dozens of single-family homes with detached garages clad in Hardie Plank, Panel, Trim, and Shingle. Both sides of the street are done in Hardie, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally mixing up product lines. Only at the very east end of the street will you start to notice a few homes with vinyl siding.
Because Grande Boulevard was designed as a “100% Hardie” area, the designers really had to work with every option in the James Hardie product line to make each home stand out. As a result, this is one of the best places in the city to see examples of the standard Hardie design options. Not sure if you want Hardie Panel board and batten in your front gable? Deciding between Iron Gray and Evening Blue? Not sure if you prefer Staggered Edge or Straight Edge shingle? See them live on Grande Boulevard.
Things to note:
Almost all of these homes were originally designed with white HardieTrim boards at corners and front windows. James Hardie now has 6 standard trim colours plus hundreds of factory-painted custom options. If white trim isn’t your thing, don’t worry!
Most of the homes on Grande Boulevard were built between 2008 and 2014. James Hardie’s colour palette changed in 2016, so you won’t find any of the more neutral gray tones here.
Jensen Lakes
To see the new Hardie colours and some different co-ordinating trim options, head to the estate section of Jensen Lakes in St Albert. Building in this community is ongoing and is a good example of what new home construction looks like in Edmonton in 2019.
You’ll see most of the new colours alongside some of the old favourites, and the overall effect of the neighbourhood is quite a bit different than slightly older areas like Summerside.
Things to note:
Since Jensen Lakes is an active construction zone, be sure to stay in the completed areas of the community. This will reduce your risk of getting boxed in by construction vehicles or getting a nail in one of your tires.
For the latest in contemporary design
Just because lap siding has been around for decades doesn’t mean you can’t use it in a more modern application! To see how siding can work in a contemporary design, take a look at the houses in One at Keswick (Ellerslie road and 170th street SW) and Jagare Ridge (South of Ellerslie Road on 141 street SW). If Sherwood Park is more accessible to you, check out Salisbury Village (on Wye Road just east of Walmart)
One at Keswick
Mixing a variety of products on the same exterior is one of the major new design trends in Edmonton, and One at Keswick is an excellent example. These homes are similar in style to some of the modern infills that you see popping up in our central neighbourhoods, but there are dozens consolidated here in one community for easy viewing!
On the front of each home in One at Keswick, you’ll see either acrylic stucco or Hardie Panel, with clean lines set around and sloped roofs. The estate section of the community features Hardie Plank or acrylic stucco carrying around the sides and rear of the home, while the lower-priced homes most often have vinyl siding on the sides and rear instead.
This is a good spot to get a look at some of the darker coloured vinyl siding options out there too. The sides of the lower-priced homes in One at Keswick will show many of the dark and premium vinyl colours rather than the lighter beiges you may be used to seeing in older communities. You’ll get the added bonus of seeing a mix of Hardie and vinyl siding on the same home. This can be a good compromise between curb appeal and cost savings, and is becoming increasingly popular in Alberta.
Jagare Ridge
A quick jaunt from One at Keswick down Ellerslie Rd is Jagare Ridge. This high-end community features some really contemporary homes, and several modern design options worth checking out.
In particular, Jagare Ridge is one of the best communities to visit if you’d like to see wood look siding options. There’s a mix of Lux Panel steel siding and its alternatives – Longboard, Sagiper, and a few others. These wood accents are all quite a bit more expensive than the standard siding options, but on a feature wall (or even a small accent section) they can add natural character without breaking the bank.
Another unique feature in Jagare Ridge is the use of black window trims. Many of our customers like the idea of black trims, but until you see it on a few homes it can be difficult to be sure if it’s the right design for you.
Salisbury Village
Interested in contemporary siding options but don’t want to make the trek to Southwest Edmonton? Try Salisbury Village in Sherwood Park. The design aesthetic is very similar to Jagare Ridge with modern finishes and lots of wood look accents.
Vinyl Siding Profiles
Vinyl siding has been Edmonton’s product of choice for the last 30 years, so if you drive through most neighborhoods built since the 90s you won’t have any trouble finding it! That said, there are two standard profiles of vinyl siding: Dutchlap and Traditional.
Dutchlap vinyl siding has been the standard vinyl siding for most Edmonton builders for about the last ten to twelve years. Recently, traditional profile vinyl siding has regained some of its popularity. The look is more like classic wood clapboard siding, but the width is limited to 4 or 4.5”.
Dutchlap and Traditional are the most common vinyl siding profiles in the Edmonton area
There are several communities in Edmonton where you will find a mix of vinyl siding in traditional and dutchlap profiles, in a wide variety of colours:
Cameron Heights
This community shows a true variety of products and styles. You will find both profiles of siding in a wide assortment of colours, as well as some Hardie, CanExel, and stucco.
Maple Crest
Here you’ll see traditional designs. Lots of vinyl siding in both profiles with stone and trim accents will give you a sense of what a “standard” exterior looks like on a new home in Edmonton.
Cedar Shingles in Edmonton
For a classic and timeless accent, natural cedar shakes are tough to beat. However, builders are specifying natural cedar much less often than they did in years past. Almost everyone loves the way cedar shakes look, but the cost is quite high and they require regular maintenance if you want them to last.
There is one newer community that is using a fair amount of cedar shingles if you’d like to see the look for yourself.
Graydon Hill
Graydon Hill is still under development, and is one of the few recent communities in Edmonton that features cedar shingles as a standard design option.
From the beautiful townhouses lining the entrance off Ellerslie Road to the single-family homes built throughout the development, this is one of the best communities to visit if you’re hoping to see several examples without having to hunt around too much.
If you love the look of cedar shakes but aren’t sure about the maintenance, please reach out to us! There are a few cost-effective options that mimic the look of a cedar shake with a fraction of the upkeep.
Want to see something specific but aren’t sure where to find it? Just let us know!
Neighbourhood Map
Map legend
1. Summerside: Hardie colour and design options
2. Jensen Lakes: Hardie colour and design options
3. One at Keswick: Modern design aesthetics
4. Jagare Ridge: Modern design aesthetics
5. Salisbury Village: Modern design aesthetics
6. Cameron Heights: Vinyl siding colour and design options
7. Maple Crest: Vinyl siding colour and design options
8. Graydon Hill: Cedar shake features