Introduction
Choosing exterior colors for your home’s siding and roof can be an exciting yet daunting task. The colors you select can dramatically affect the overall look and feel of your home. With so many siding and roofing options available today, it’s important to understand how color choice impacts visual appeal and complements your home’s architecture and surroundings. This article will provide useful guidance to help you pick the perfect palette for your exterior surfaces. We’ll cover the factors to consider when selecting colors and provide tips for choosing colors that work well together.
How Do Colors Affect Your Home’s Appearance?
Exterior colors have a significant impact on how your home is perceived. Light and neutral colored siding makes your home appear larger and more open, while dark siding colors tend to make it look smaller and cozier. For resale value, light earth tones and grays are popular choices. Here are some other color impacts to keep in mind:
– Warm colors like reds, oranges and yellows give a lively, vibrant feeling. Cool colors like blues, greens and purples are more tranquil and relaxing.
– Darker colors can highlight architectural details through contrast, while lighter colors downplay them.
– Monochromatic color schemes using different shades of one color can look elegant and sophisticated.
– Colors should complement your home’s style. For example, Victorian homes suit rich deeper hues while Craftsman bungalows match lighter earthy tones.
Factors that Influence Exterior Color Selection
There are several important considerations when determining which siding and roof colors are right for your particular home. Be sure to take the following factors into account:
Climate and Lighting: Select colors that complement your climate and lighting conditions. For hot sunny climates, choose light reflective colors like beige or yellow. In overcast cooler regions, darker siding colors can add warmth and contrast.
Architectural Style: Match color palettes to your home’s architecture. Certain styles have signature looks – like white colonial homes or brick Tudor style cottages. Select colors that enhance your home’s intended design.
Existing Materials: Factor in current material colors when choosing new siding and roofing. Complementary or contrasting colors for trim, brick, stonework and other elements can make them stand out beautifully.
Surroundings: Consider neighboring homes, landscaping and natural surroundings. Complementing or contrasting those colors can make your home blend in or stand out. Just be sure to adhere to any HOA requirements.
Personal Preference: While considering all the factors, select colors you find most appealing. After all, you’ll be living with them so pick colors you absolutely love!
Tips for Selecting Coordinating Colors
With endless color options available, narrowing down your exterior palette can be tricky. Here are helpful tips on choosing colors that work well together:
Stick to 3 Colors: Limit your scheme to no more than 3 colors – one for siding, one for trim and one for the roof. This prevents your exterior from looking too busy or mismatched.
Pick a Dominant Color: Select one bold color to cover the majority of the exterior surface area. For most homes, this is the siding color.
Choose an Accent Color: Use a second color on design elements like trim, shutters or front doors to accentuate architectural details.
Add a Roof Color: Your roof color ties the scheme together. It should complement both the siding and accent colors.
Use a Color Wheel: Refer to a color wheel to identify colors that naturally go well together like opposite, analogous or triadic schemes.
Look at Color Palettes: Flip through home design magazines or browse online galleries to find pre-made palettes you can replicate.
View Color Combos On-Site: Check out the exterior colors of model homes in person to see schemes you like on an actual house.
Use Visualization Apps: Apps like Benjamin Moore’s ColorSnap Visualizer let you upload a photo of your home and digitally “paint” it to test colors.
Best Color Combinations
While your color preferences are unique to your taste, some classic color combinations stand the test of time. Here are a few of the most popular and versatile pairings:
| Siding Color | Trim Color | Roof Color |
|---|---|---|
| White or Ivory | Black, Navy, Dark Green | Black or Gray |
| Light Gray | Black, Dark Gray, White | Black, Dark Gray or Red |
| Beige | Brown, Tan, Forest Green | Brown or Red |
| Yellow | White, Gray, Light Blue | Gray or Green |
| Light Blue | White, Dark Blue, Gray | Blue, Gray or Black |
| Sage Green | Ivory, Brown, Red | Black, Gray or Brown |
These popular combinations showcase colors that complement each other beautifully. Feel free to use them as inspiration when selecting your own color scheme.
Siding Color Ideas
Siding is the largest surface area of your home’s exterior. Choosing the right siding color involves finding a hue that enhances your home’s architecture, complements the roof, and meets your personal preferences. Here are top siding color ideas to consider:
White – A white exterior is a classic choice perfect for many home styles including cottages, colonials and contemporaries. White siding makes your home feel open and airy. Accent with black or navy shutters.
Light Gray – From soft dove to stormy grays, lighter gray siding adds a refined, elegant look. Gray works with almost any color and is easy to match.
Beige – Warm beige siding comes to life when accented with deeper browns and greens. Beige is a great background color for bolder trim and roof colors.
Yellow – Cheerful yellow siding breathes life into your home. Pastel yellows work well for accents like doors and shutters. Deeper golden hues pair nicely with white or gray.
Blue – Serene and soothing, blue siding can range from sky blue to navy. It works well with white, gray, black and brown accents.
Green – Earthy green hues complement American foursquare, craftsman, cottage, and other traditional home styles. Sage greens pair nicely with cream or brick red accents.
Red – For those seeking something bold, red siding makes a dramatic vibrant statement. Use as an accent or on smaller surface areas against neutral backdrops.
Roof Color Recommendations
A roof typically covers a large portion of your home’s exterior. The color you choose can dramatically impact your curb appeal. Consider these roof color ideas:
Black – A classic roof color perfect for many home styles, black roofs complement light or bright colored siding providing contrast. Black also hides dirt well.
Gray – Like black, gray roofs complement most siding colors. Cool grays work well with blue and green siding while warm grays match beige and yellow homes.
Brown – Ranging from chocolate to chestnut, brown roofs add warmth. They pair nicely with earth tones like beige, sage green and cream siding.
Red – For a pop of color, a terra cotta red roof looks sharp with yellow, light blue or gray siding. Red also complements brick homes.
Green – Deep emerald or forest green roofs accent lighter green siding beautifully. Green roofs also coordinate well with brown and cream sidings.
Blue – From navy to slate blue, a blue roof works great with blue, gray, white or light yellow siding. Blue roofs add vibrancy to neutral colored homes.
White – While less common, white roofs create a lovely coastal cottage look when paired with light siding. Keep clean with frequent washing.
Choosing the Right Color Combination
Deciding on exterior paint colors can seem overwhelming with so many siding, roofing and accent options to mix and match. Follow these steps to narrow down your colors:
1. Identify your home’s architectural style. Match a color palette to that specific style.
2. Take stock of existing materials like stone, brick and landscape elements that your colors should complement.
3. Select 1-2 preliminary siding colors you like based on your home style and preferences.
4. Choose corresponding accent and roof colors that complement your siding colors.
5. Use visualization tools to apply color combos to a photo of your home for an instant visual.
6. Order color swatches to view small paint samples of your top choices.
7. Paint test swatches directly on your home in 3’x3′ sections to judge the colors.
8. Make your final color selections and get ready to transform your exterior with your personalized palette!
Taking it step-by-step simplifies the process of selecting an attractive, cohesive exterior color scheme. Choosing colors you love that enhance your home’s style results in awesome curb appeal and improved resale value.
Conclusion
Selecting the perfect exterior paint scheme is an exciting part of home ownership. With an endless array of siding, trim and roof color options available, the possibilities are vast. By considering important factors like your home’s architecture, climate and surroundings, you can develop a color palette that complements your individual home beautifully. Pair colors that accent each other attractively while reflecting your personal taste. With the helpful guidance in this article, you can confidently combine colors to create a stellar exterior that makes your home shine.
