if you are concerned about uniformity, HP makes a stucco looking sheet. maybe that will help?

http://www.lowes.com/pd/James-Hardie-HardiePanel-Primed-Stucco-Vertical-Fiber-Cement-Siding-Panel-Actual-0-312-in-x-48-in-x-96-in/3108837?store_code=1898&cm_mmc=SCE_PLA--LumberAndBuildingMaterials--SidingWoodCompositeAndCement-_-3108837:James_Hardie&CAWELAID=&kpid=3108837&&kpid=3108837&k_clickID=01b07afa-a282-4ae2-8e81-777bea9a1b2e

Personally I dislike a house that has a front face that is not the same as the sides and back. It makes it look like it was just stuck on or like the house is wearing a mask and has no relation to how the house was built.

My house will be stucco on the first floor and the smaller second floor will be hardie siding, but the materials go all around the house.

Can you post an elevation of how the house looks?

Perhaps some stucco and siding on all elevations? Anything is better than the tract builder's house with cosmetics on the front and plain on all other sides. You know the old saying, "You can put lipstick on a pig, but..."! Good luck on your project.

I would choose either stucco or Hardie Board siding, but not the mix of one material on the front and another on the side.

This tradition was started by developers building production houses to save money. There is no other reason than cost savings to do this.......

Therefore, I would choose the less expensive material and use it all around if you want to save money.

We like to use integral color in our stucco and often use a custom color which is not that much more expensive when you are doing a whole house. Integral stucco color lasts forever and you never have to paint.

Attached is a photo of a custom color on a custom house that we did. The color was copied from a photo of a stucco farmhouse in France.

Thank you. At first I really didn't think about it because the entire house will be white with no drastic contrasts in color so I was thinking it would blend in more or less

I say do what works for you and your budget, and I wouldn't worry about the sides not being the same, so long as you wrap them 3-5' around the side.

Around here (mid-Canada), all the brick buildings use a nice stone/brick for the front, and the sides are something obviously cheaper. Use plantings to shield the sides from views, and don't worry about it!

A stucco farmhouse is common throughout Europe and in the Southwest United States...and even in the east and the west...here are some images of stucco farmhouses

There are actually quite a few where I am in FL but I'm back in NY now and can't take pictures.

Nothing at all wrong with stucco on a creative design which was conceived with it in mind. It does take more maintenance, particularly in challenging climates.

I'll just need to talk with the builder more about it. The home is 100% custom. Neighboring homes are all Hardie or all stucco. Omg idk what to do now. For me its all about spending in only the right places.

Mike if you can get pics of your elevations maybe we can make some suggestions for you.

Thanks. I'll get some pics. I'm not too concerned with people thinking I did the cheap route down the sides but do I wonder about resale and as someone mentioned looking like a builder tract home. I am in Florida and there is lots and lots of stucco everywhere. But because of the style of home I was really hoping to use the cement board - just not everywhere in order to save $

I am in FL too! As I mentioned first floor stucco and second floor Hardie. Apparently because the second floor will be stick built, it's actually easier and less expensive to put hardie on the second floor vs stucco. The first floor is cement block so stucco is easier and less expensive.

What roof material are you using?

Black/charcoal asphalt shingles most likely. I've noticed that as well - siding upper, stucco lower

The door will not be as drawn and all other sides are similar to the right elevation shown. There will also be freize board detail.

A "stucco panel" makes no sense whatsoever. It's simply a texture panel, usually 4 x 8, which like all exterior panels must have some sort of detail on all horizontal and vertical joints to keep out the weather. This immediately telegraphs to one and all that the panel isn't stucco, rather it's some sort of pretend thing which simply cheapens the aesthetic and the value of the house. If you want cement plaster (stucco), just do it. Forget all these pretend and make-believe products. You'll be glad you did!

Mike, I don't know what these elevations represent, but they need a lot of help. As one example, there's no window trim shown on these elevations. The proportions and aesthetics are poor. I've never seen an elevation with a roof pitch indicated as an angle.

I don't know who is doing these drawings for your, but this is not good. You need professional help, brother!

Honestly I'm confused by what you're showing.

Additionally in FL you don't want black asphalt shingles. You'll be baking your house.

Which direction is your house facing?

Why are there almost no windows?

Do you have a floor plan you can share? Also any other info you can give us. Such as family makeup. Lot size. etc

This is a small house. The right elevation depicts a living room window, master shower and 2nd floor bedroom. Small lot with homes on either side so I wasn't too concerned with the look of the sides. Agree, elevations aren't detailed enough. The builder and I acknowledge that. House is southern facing on small lot and we actually do have many homes with dark roofs here in FL. I'm definitely not using stucco panels. It will be the "usual" stucco typically used in FL. How about a medium toned brick on the front, say near or at the botttom of the window line, stucco above that and then Hardie above the front porch? Then with the stucco sides it wouldn't be such a drastic switch from all Hardie front to then stucco sides?

I found this - Eastover cottage SL plan siding front, stucco sides (and a version with brick sides). Personally at first glance, I don't like it which is the very issue I have with my home. But as I keep looking at it, it does seem to work...

can we see a floor plan and all elevations.

When one changes exterior wall materials at an outside corner, there must be some sort of appropriate detail for the transition of materials. It's hard to tell from the photos you posted but it appears there is a projecting pilaster at the corner of the porch which allows the siding to die into, and makes sense for the stucco to begin.

Without a thoughtful detail where materials change, everything just looks paper thin, and like applied cosmetics without care or thought.

Agree. There must be appropriate detail at the transition point. All I know is I don't care for a hard stop of Hardie to stucco. Builder said here, Hardie is about the same as stucco. So I'll either go all Hardie or, do stucco under front porch which will then merge nicely with the sides and use board and batten as an accent on the 2nd floor over the porch. I've never seen a southern American farmhouse in stucco. I understand the European and Southwest US have stucco farmhouses which is nice but. my inspiration was the old southern US wooden farmhouses.