You’re looking at the outside of your home and realize the time has come for a redo with your siding. The only problem is you’re unsure of what color to choose to improve the looks and condition of your home. How should you choose a color for exterior siding? Well, if you’re looking for answers, here are some suggestions.
Remaining In Place
Look at the outside of your home and pinpoint features that need to remain as they are. Unless you’re looking to do a complete makeover, you’ll want to determine what needs to remain the same, such as any columns, doors, chimneys, light fixtures, mail receptacles, outdoor landscaping, and any other elements that blend in with the color of siding you choose.
Home Style
If your home is a unique style or is in a certain location, you’ll want to focus in on those features for siding color selection. If you’re in an area with ranch-style homes or beach houses, focus on those aspects in choosing colors.
Basic Design
When you understand the basics of the exterior design of your home, you’ll realize that there are reasons certain colors work well with the style and design of your home. You’ll want to know color rules, color contrast, and the proportion of your home, and how it all affects curb appeal.
Want My Home To Stand Out
If you are part of a homeowner’s association (HOA) neighborhood, you’ll have to look at their restrictions concerning colors for your home. You’ll want to stay within their parameters. Say every house uses a neutral color with asphalt tile roofs. You’ll have to abide by their restrictions. Yes, you’ll want your home to belong to the neighborhood, but you’ll also want your own distinctions to set it apart from the other homes. New siding can be a sizable investment, and you’ll want your home to stand out. Maybe a new door color or other outside accessory would set off your color choice in a major way.
Remember Your Neighbors
Even if you don’t have an HOA, you’ll still have to make color choices that won’t be offensive to your neighbors. You should probably let your neighbors know of the changes you’re going to make and even show them color samples. No one likes major surprises, and if you want to maintain good relations in your neighborhood, you’ll want to communicate the changes that will occur and that there will be work crews around your home’s exterior.
Pairing Cool And Warm Colors
In choosing colors, you’ll want to keep your cool colors together. The same is true of warm colors. You’ll want to pair them accordingly. For example, when you have a warm roof tone that is an earth color, select a siding that is similar in shade to the roof, like a beige or brown. With cool colors, a roof with black or gray shingles would look best with either green, blue or gray siding colors.
Looking For Contrast
You do want to create a contrast with roof and siding colors. Any light-colored siding coordinates with a darker roof. A simple way to gain contrast is to use one color, like a creamy beige, and add various darker shades of beige for the roof, shutters, and any other exterior elements. A gradual effect of color starts with a darker roof and siding that is lighter. The gradation of color is attractive and it can create the same effect with other colors.
Remember The Basics
Playing it safe is usually the best way to go with selecting siding and roof colors. Popular roof colors like black, brown, gray, and red will work as they have in the past. They have all been traditional roof colors for some time. Sound, basic colors for siding will work with most any roof color.
Neutrals Are A Safe Bet
Colors in medium and neutral tones are harmonious and safe for almost any style of home. You can use neutrals for siding choices and use brighter and bolder colors for roofs and exterior features. You can never go wrong with neutral siding color choices.
Architectural Issues
The style of your home should help you select the right siding color. If you have a ranch-style home, you’ll want to choose siding colors that reflect the design. Grays, beiges and other earth tones in darker shades elevate the appearance of a ranch house. In contrast, Victorian homes bring pastel colors to mind, like yellow or light blue or bolder jewel tones. Siding with beach houses or cottages can run the gamut from bright colors like yellow and blue to deeper grays with white shutters and trim.
Emphasizing Features
Maybe you have certain exterior areas of your home that you want to highlight, or even deemphasize certain areas. Light color tones will always have the advantage of creating a sense of largeness. Any lighter color will increase a feature while dark colors will decrease them. Bright color will emphasize elements while neutrals will hide them. The same principle applies with roofing shingles. A lighter roof will bring emphasis to the area, while darker roofs are better at hiding imperfections. One thing to remember is the proportion and scale of a home. Bright or darker-colored siding is going to be overpowering to a larger and even medium-sized home. Light or neutral siding can often give smaller houses a bland appearance.
Color Selectors
There are online tools that can be of help when trying to select siding colors. Most online color selectors allow you to choose a home style and various sizes of homes. These tools are usually free and enable you to select colors for siding, trim, roofing, and other features. You can get all kinds of ideas for colors and can figure out which particular ones coordinate with your home style and your neighborhood.
With what we have shown here through color selectors, architectural issues, home design and color options may still leave you with concerns when it comes to choosing exterior siding colors. If that’s the case, get in touch with RGB Construction. Give us a call at 856-264-9093. They’ll answer your questions and help you find the right siding color for your home.
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