The document provides design ideas for rural building walls and facades. It suggests (1) getting at least one wall along the roadside to create a village ambiance and leave room for outdoor spaces, (2) breaking up long walls by changing colors, materials, or including offsets and bay windows, and (3) placing the building close to the roadway to help shape an outdoor room along the street. The goals are to make a positive first impression on passersby and invite them to explore and spend time at the building.

1. Rural Walls 1
DISCLAIMER: This material is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied on the part of the authors/disseminators, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability,
fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. This publication could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors and any reliance on the information contained herein is at the complete risk of the
user. It is recommended that the user consult original sources. Changes may be added from time to time to the information herein; these changes may be incorporated in new editions as information becomes
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Rural Design Ideas: Walls
Walls and windows introduce your building to potential tenants, investors and clients. The facade is –
sometimes literally – your shop window. Attractive walls don’t have to be costly. A few simple “rules-of-
thumb” can make a big difference, both in the marketplace and in promoting your proposal to neighbours.
Here are some ideas – but check your building code and land use by-law for any legal requirements! And
consider retaining an architect to help you realize your objectives and guide you through the design and
construction process.
Get up front
People get
their first
impressions
of your site
from the
roadway.
Passersby shouldn’t have to peer through their
binoculars across a sea of parking to find you.
Try to get at least one wall along a roadside to
create a village ambiance where people will
want to get out of their cars to explore and
spend money. Leave room for outdoor cafes and
roadside sales. Provide awnings and shop
windows to let people see what your tenants
offer. Provide doorways visible from the
roadway. The example above is at Borden, PEI.
Break it up
This example in Wolfville breaks up a long wall.
You can do it by changing colours or materials,
using offsets, or including bay windows. Offsets
also offer privacy, and they work well with
curved roads or balconies.
Be the edge
Village streets are much
more than pavement.
They can be like outdoor
rooms furnished with
trees, benches and places
to linger. Your building
can help shape this
outdoor room if you put it close to the roadway,
as in this example at Chester. In general, the
wider the street, the taller your building should
be. Upper floors can be leased as offices or
apartments. The ground floor is closest to where
people walk and drive, so make sure it includes
shop windows, awnings and doors on the street.
Open out
Put shop
windows
along the
roadway,
at a height
where
passersby
can see
what you have to offer. For upper storeys, it’s a
good idea to have at least a third of the length
comprising windows. Vertical windows may look
more welcoming than horizontal ones, which
remind some people of the openings in a fort!
The example above is in St-Lazare, QC.
© Google Earth, 2014
© Google Earth, 2014

2. Rural Walls 2
DISCLAIMER: This material is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied on the part of the authors/disseminators, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability,
fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. This publication could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors and any reliance on the information contained herein is at the complete risk of the
user. It is recommended that the user consult original sources. Changes may be added from time to time to the information herein; these changes may be incorporated in new editions as information becomes
available and inaccuracies are detected. Links to websites are provided solely for your information and convenience. The authors/disseminators are not responsible for the content and the privacy practices of these
websites and encourage you to examine each site's privacy policy and disclaimers before providing any personal information.
Draw them in
Make sure people can easily find your main
door. Emphasize the main entrance with gables,
canopies or pillars, as in this example at
Mahone Bay. Try an angled doorway where the
sidewalk meets a side parking lot, to attract both
walk-in and drive-in customers. For residences,
try a porch or verandah, but make sure it isn’t so
high that it looks like a balcony.
Mind your back
Don’t forget the view from behind and between!
Unexpected glimpses are part of the charm of a
rural village setting or small town. Attractive rear
walls and windows show you care about your
neighbours and the community. The above
example is in Fredericton, NB – an urban
setting, yet reminiscent of a small town.
Finish well
High quality siding gives your building a positive
image. The photo below shows a rural cluster
subdivision in the Hammonds Plains area. The
example below is in Upper Tantallon at the
Crossroads, and has natural wood in traditional
board-and-batten style. To avoid a top-heavy
look, always put masonry-style finishes closer to
the ground than wood-style finishes. Traditional
corner boards and wide window trim can make
vinyl siding look more like real wood. If you have
a masonry-style facade with a wood-style
sidewall, continue the
masonry round the
corner a short distance
before switching to the
wood style.