by Christy Heitger-Ewing

There’s nothing more comforting than pulling in the driveway and seeing, you are home. For G&G Custom Homes clients, it takes both interior finishes and exterior details to create a home that is a reflection the family that lives there. Owner, Joe Garcia, and McGinnis Designer, Dean Drake, sat down with us to explain the exterior design process, home styles and what’s been hot in the Midwest market.

To begin the homebuilding process, both Joe and Dean meet with the client to discuss goals, budgets and how they prefer to live at home. Surprisingly to many, the exterior is designed after a floor plan. “The overall floor plan of a home can dictate what style best suits the exterior. I take a different approach when designing a prairie style home, or a home that has mainly hip roofs, than when I design a modern farmhouse that has mainly crisp lines and gables,” explained Dean. Speaking of modern farmhouses, it’s proven to be a home style preferred by many clients the past few years, but G&G designs and constructs anything from traditional colonials to modern asymmetrical flat roof homes!

The G&G team agreed, front porches and outdoor living areas are a favorite. Dean added, “Those spaces really invite you into the home and seamlessly bring the indoors and outdoors together!”

When designing a home, Dean tries to limit the exterior materials to a combination of three materials, “more than that can look off balance.” Selecting materials can be one of the biggest decisions for homeowners to make, but G&G is there to help every step of the way.

If you’re in the market for a custom build with an exterior catered to your desires and way of living, connect with G&G Custom Homes at 317-418-7665 or ggcustomhomes.com.