Smart Siding Choices That Work with the Rest of Your Home’s Exterior
There is nothing like new siding to refresh the exterior of your home. Replacing the siding gives your home a fresh, polished, and enhanced aesthetic that will make a big difference in your curb appeal. The challenge with new siding is selecting the right color, design, or style. You want to give your home a fresh look, but you also want to make sure that your new siding matches with what’s already there – and that includes all the exterior finishes of your home, including the landscaping features. Siding is one of the first things people will notice when they see your home, so making the right choice is essential. When you are ready for a siding change but aren’t sure how to best implement your vision, finding a contractor who understands the best choices is the right way to start.
Can You Mix and Match Siding?
Many homeowners become nervous about selecting multiple siding options and choose to stay consistent with a single siding choice for the entire house. That’s a safe option for many homeowners who want a clean look, but they often find they end up with a home that looks mass-produced and cookie-cutter. Mixed-siding exteriors can make your home unique and work very well if they’re done correctly. This can involve mixing the style of siding (like plank siding, smooth panel siding, or wood shingle style siding), a combination of colors (using dark and light shades from the same color palette), or a mix of textures. Most homeowners who mix siding find that accent locations are the perfect spot to add visual interest.
Balancing Modern Updates with the Overall Style of Your Home
Installing new siding can be the perfect time to update your home with a more modern style, but that doesn’t mean you can completely change the style of your home. Yes, you can update the aesthetic, but if you ignore the overall style of your home, it won’t look or feel right. A classic colonial home will look out of place with stucco siding accents, a farmhouse-style home can be jarring with a brick façade, and a contemporary-style home can feel out of place with wooden shakes. Even if you think that you are comfortable with a unique style for your home, you do need to consider how your home fits into your neighborhood. A well-designed siding choice with unique features can help your home stand out in a good way, but a total departure from the architectural style of your home can make your home incongruous with the rest of the neighborhood. When making your choices, make sure that you balance interesting and creative elements with your home’s style, rather than fighting against it.
Consider Your Existing Exterior Features When Deciding Where to Highlight
The best places to mix and match siding are the architectural features of your home, like gables, dormers, bump-out walls, porches, entryways, or second stories. Adding contrasting elements to these specific areas can break up large expanses of siding and provide dimension. Accent areas in a modern home can soften the sharp lines of smooth paneling, while accented areas in a more traditional home can modernize an older style. Talk to your contractor about your home and the best places to accent with different siding options.
Coordinating for a Cohesive Look
It is possible to coordinate colors, textures, and materials for a cohesive look, even when mixing styles. Different siding styles can complement each other, like plank lap siding with the board and batten option, which is often used in farmhouse-style homes. Brick and stone siding options, when used in specific areas, can provide areas of architectural interest without disrupting the overall look. When blending siding colors, staying in the same color family can offer a subtle contrast for dimension without a jarring switch between colors on opposite sides of the color wheel. Pairing different shades of a single color, like gray, tan, or blue, has an understated impact that provides interest without being dramatic. Your home can feel cohesive while still being visually interesting.
Beyond Design: Making Smart Siding Choices
While siding can be considered an aesthetic choice, there are some things to consider when selecting siding that go beyond just curb appeal. First, when investing in replacement siding, consider a choice that improves your energy efficiency. Some new siding options offer heat-flow resistance (R-value) which can provide significant energy savings. Adding additional insulation beneath the siding can also help your home operate efficiently, and a siding replacement is the perfect time to address this. Choosing water-resistant siding is more durable and has a longer lifespan compared to other options, allowing it to withstand weather conditions and temperature fluctuations. Finally, it’s essential to understand the maintenance requirements of different siding options. Vinyl siding has minimal maintenance requirements, while wood siding requires ongoing maintenance to prevent weather damage. With advancements in materials and installation methods, you can strike a balance between practical choices and improved curb appeal.
The right siding won’t just boost your curb appeal, but also protect your investment in your home. Choosing the right siding can be a challenge. It’s easy to second-guess your design choices at every stage. Working with an experienced contractor will not only ensure that the installation is of high quality but will also give you a guide to help you feel confident that the investment you’ve made in your home is the best one.
Ready to refresh your home’s exterior? Let the professionals at All-Nu Construction help you choose siding that looks great, lasts long, and fits your home perfectly. Contact us today to learn more.