How to Choose the Right Siding Color
Apr 08, 2017“There’s a lot more to siding than a material that serves to simply cover your home’s exterior; it gives your home a sense of style and heavily contributes to curb appeal,” said Wendy Cline, owner of J&B Construction, serving southeastern Wisconsin homeowners since 1958 as a provider of high-quality exterior home improvement products and services. So when it’s time to install new siding or to repaint what’s already on your home, a lot of homeowners find themselves contemplating what siding color they’re going to choose.
“Determining the right color siding for your home can be a challenge, but there are several ways you can help narrow down the selection until you find exactly what it is you’re looking for,” she added.
The first step is to take clues from your home. Did you know that most architectural styles have a palette of colors that were originally thought up to go with it? For instance, Victorian style architecture is painted in what is known as “Somber” colors, or colors with black added to the paint to pay tribute to Queen Victoria, who continuously wore black after her husband’s death. “So, you can reduce the number of color choices by discovering what your home’s ‘true’ color palette is. However, if the colors in the palette don’t suit your personal tastes, you don’t have to use them, but it is a good starting point for restricting your options,” said Cline.
Taking clues from your home also involves paying attention to all the different details of your siding. For example, if you have a lot of trim or different types of siding such as shingles on the upper half of your home and lap siding on the lower, you may want to consider accenting these with different shades or colors. “By taking note of how many different natural breaks there are in your exterior, it can help you determine how many colors you need,” Cline said. “Conversely, some homes can be painted one solid color with only contrasting trim no matter how many types of siding were used. The choice to show off these different areas or not is ultimately up to you.”
Next, you’ll want to look at your neighborhood. “This step is particularly important when considering selling your home. If your home stands out too much from other, similar homes in your neighborhood, it could negatively impact your resale value,” she said. Take note of the paint colors of nearby homes, paying particular attention to other homes with similar architectural style. For example, if you have a Colonial and you notice that other Colonials in your neighborhood are painted in shades of cream, yellow and gray, then you may want to select a color that is in line with those. “If you want to give your home some flare, consider using a boldly painted front door or contrasting shutters; something that’s easier for home buyers to change if they don’t like the color as much as you do,” she said.
Siding can be painted in a wide variety of colors. “Some siding may come in a range of pre-finished colors and shades, while others can be primed and painted in any color you choose,” said Cline. “You may want to drive through several neighborhoods as well as look at pictures of homes and siding in magazines and online. The more colors you’re exposed to, the more likely it is that you’ll discover a pattern.”
For instance, you may find yourself drawn to homes painted in different shades of blue. Now, you only need to narrow down the right shade of blue for your home, instead of trying to pick a color from the thousands of available options.
Lastly, review siding samples. Once you think you know the color or colors you’re going to use, be sure to get a few samples, either of painted siding or of the paint itself. “You’ll want to look at the color right up against your home in all lights and times of day for about a week to ensure that the color looks good on your home,” said Cline. “You’re sure to find the perfect siding this way, as you can tweak or change your color selection before it covers your entire home.
“Color plays an important role in your home’s curb appeal. While choosing the right color of siding can be a challenging process, it pays off in the end when your home looks its best.”
