New siding makes a BIG difference to your home’s look.
The front of your house is a canvas- and fresh siding adds both curb appeal and value to your home’s investment. Only friends and family see your interior but the outside of your home? It’s on display for everyone.
Choosing the right look for your siding isn’t always straightforward. While some home improvement projects are easy to navigate, selecting good exterior colors is more of an art. The two biggest challenges homeowners face? Light and scope.
First, light: Small manufacturing samples can help you see the color- but only what they look like inside the showroom. Interior lighting is different from the lighting in your front yard. Not seeing your samples in your home’s exterior light can trick the eye when it comes to color.
Second: Scope. Ever hold up a paint swatch against the wall, only to get one roller into the color and instantly know it was a bad choice? Siding can be the same. The surface area of your home’s exterior is the biggest visual you’ll see. Sometimes looking at a sample on a small scale doesn’t really reflect how your choice will look once installed.
In this article, we’re going to let you in on a secret weapon your favorite celebrity home designers use to make their renovations look amazing. After reading this, you’ll be able to
-
- Narrow your options
- Choose siding that adds to your home’s value
- And discover which colors enhance your home’s style
We’re also going to show you how we help homeowners choose the best vinyl siding for their homes. How? By using a visualization software that shows how their favorite choices look on their actual home in real time.
But first- how do you know if you need replacement siding for your home?
Signs Your Vinyl Siding Needs Replaced
The life expectancy of your vinyl siding can fall anywhere between 15-40 years. With a window that large, it’s best to know the signs your vinyl siding needs replaced rather than just counting on a number.
Siding acts as your home’s armor against weather and water. If damaged siding goes unchecked, you risk costly repairs to your home’s interior. Fortunately, the signs are easy to spot.
How do you know your siding needs to be replaced?
- Physical Damage: Is your siding cracked, dented, or warped? Does it have holes or gaps? Physical damage is the biggest sign your siding needs replaced.
- Interior Damage: Damaged siding allows moisture to build up between your walls- putting your home at risk of mold and mildew. If you see mold in your home, or you’ve been experiencing building related illness, your siding needs checked.
- Heating/Cooling Bills: Damaged siding affects your home’s energy efficiency. If you’ve noticed a rise in costs- or suspect you’re paying more than you should for heating/cooling- your siding might be the problem.
You’ve got the logistics down. Now let’s look at the art behind choosing a great color for your home.
A Designer’s Secret To Siding: Using The Color Wheel
The good news: Vinyl siding is a versatile material- available in an enormous range of textures and colors.
The bad news? That wide range is a double-edged sword. You have so many options to choose from!
Home designers recommend choosing no more than three main colors for your home’s exterior. This keeps your home from looking too busy. But more important than the number of main colors is how those colors are related to each other.
What do we mean by “related”? Here’s where the color wheel comes in.
(I bet you never thought you’d see this after high school!)
When talking colors for your home’s siding, you want exterior combinations that are either complementary (on opposite sides of the color wheel) or analogous (next to each other on the color wheel).
Think complementary as big on contrast- like choosing a craftsman green for your siding and trimming your home in a stately burgundy. Analogous colors would be pairing that same burgundy trim with a deep musk purple siding instead.
Want to try it for yourself? You can use this professional design color calculator to create complementary and analogous palettes. Try starting with your roof color, colors in your hard landscaping, or a color you love to point you in the right direction.
Both complementary and analogous color combinations will work great for your home’s exterior- but their effect on your home’s style can be dramatically different.
You don’t have to be Joanna Gains or Nate Berkus to enhance your home’s beauty. We want to help you make decisions for your home that you love. And that means using the same tools the pros do to help you envision your home in a new color.
When you work with us, you don’t have to guess your way into perfect siding. We help you see it – on your home, to scale- before it’s installed using the same visualization software HGTV pros use when working with their contractors. Here’s how it works.
Seeing Your Home In A New Color
Maybe you’ve been scoping out siding for a while, driving through neighborhoods, noting what you like and don’t like. You’ve got a Pintrest board filled with examples and a coffee table of earmarked magazines.
You’ve put thought into this, but you’re running into a problem. None of these homes are your home…and it’s hard to imagine what the styles you love really look like on your specific architecture and in your yard.
We’ve got you covered.
With GAF’s visualization software, we upload photos of your home, to show you what your favorite options look like in real time.
Here’s what it looks like:
Isn’t it amazing how different the same home can look when tapping into complementary and analogous color palettes?
Oh, and did we mention this software also works for roofs? This client was planning for a complete exterior update. We can use this same process to help you imagine a change for your home’s entire exterior- even if you’re only investing in siding right now.
If you’re ready to end the search for the perfect siding- and turn your home into a showstopper- schedule a call with our team here and let’s talk.
Keep up with the latest in home building trends, smart homeowner tips, and more! Subscribe to our email list below!
Recent Comments