As a homeowner, you know the value of a well-designed, beautiful home. Coordinating your siding with factors like style, color palette and materials is essential for achieving the most impact. But blending all of these elements can be difficult. Don’t worry, Star Lumber is here to give you tips on how to match your siding with your home’s windows, doors and trim.
Understanding Your Home’s Architectural Style
Each architectural style has distinct characteristics, such as lines and symmetricality, so start by understanding your home’s style. Choose siding materials that complement the unique elements of that style to create cohesion between your home’s design elements. This will make it easier to craft a consistent look.
Traditional Homes:
Traditional-style homes combine design characteristics from other architectural styles. Most traditional homes feature common elements like symmetrical layouts, gabled roofing and other details like shutters and dormers. These houses typically pull inspiration from colonial, cape cod and craftsman styles with inviting colors and cozy front porches.
Modern Homes:
Modern homes often embrace a minimalist aesthetic, prioritizing clean lines and bold contrasts. Dark siding paired with crisp white trim create striking visuals. Large windows offer expansive views and unfiltered natural light. The blend of minimalism and sophisticated neutral colors emphasize the home’s sleek and contemporary design.
Craftsman Homes:
Craftsman homes capture a warm and inviting aesthetic. These homes often use natural wood siding, feature porches with tapered brick columns and include low-pitched roofs. In general, craftsman homes focus on handcrafted details that connect to the local landscape using earth color tones like browns, greens and gold.
Creating a Color Palette
Main Siding Color
Consider how your home’s color will fit the landscape and neighboring houses. Choose vibrant hues or uncommon colors if you want to stand out from your neighbors. The same goes for your landscape. Choose neutral browns, greens, and beige to blend in with your surroundings, or pick colors like royal blue to contrast with your trees, gardens and lawn.
Trim Color
Think of trim like jewelry for your home. It can highlight windows, doors and molding, adding visual interest and definition to your home’s exterior. For instance, a white or light gray siding paired with black or dark brown trim can create a sharp, modern look. However, a dark siding paired with a light-colored trim tends to create a more traditional, elegant aesthetic. We recommend selecting a dominant siding color first and then choosing a complementary trim color.
Window and Door Colors
Choosing the right colors for your windows and doors can add depth, character and interest to your home. Your home’s architectural style should guide your decision. For a traditional look, try matching your window trim and door color to your home’s overall trim. On the other hand, matching your window and door colors to your siding can create a more modern and minimalist aesthetic. For the most balanced and cohesive look, choose contrasting colors that add depth to your home.
Coordinating Materials
In many cases, choosing the right siding material is as important as choosing a color palette. Each material offers a different texture, range of colors and style.
Wood Siding:
Wood siding creates a classic and timeless look when paired with wood windows and trim. This combination suits traditional home styles, offering a warm and inviting aesthetic.
Fiber Cement Siding:
Fiber cement siding offers a durable and stylish option for your home’s exterior. When paired with vinyl windows in a similar color, it creates a cohesive and modern design. This combination is appealing to homeowners looking for a low-maintenance and contemporary style.
Vinyl Siding:
Vinyl siding’s versatility makes it a popular choice for homeowners. Its wide range of colors and styles allows it to blend in with window and door materials ranging from classic wood to modern fiberglass. This adaptability makes achieving a consistent and stylish look easy for any home.
Visualizing Your Design
Before making a decision, be sure to gather plenty of samples and look for inspiration. We also recommend trying some free design software to experiment with different design combinations. If you need guidance, schedule a free design consultation today with Star Lumber’s experienced designers.
