6 Tips for Choosing Exterior Colors for Your Custom Home
December 23, 2021When you design and build a custom home, you get to work with your builder to choose all of the details. This includes exterior colors for your custom home. Here are a few tips for choosing exterior colors for your custom home:
1. Consider Your Home’s Design
Depending on your style, taste, and what you want in a home, your home design may fit into a specific architectural style or era. In this case, there may be exterior colors that match better with that style than others.
Although you will likely want to consider other things in making your final color choices, taking your home’s design into account can help you narrow down the options to something more manageable.
For example, if your home is designed heavily around a modern farmhouse look, it makes sense for high-gloss white, black, and natural wood to be included in options for a potential color palette. Combining black, white, and natural wood is one of the classic modern farmhouse exterior design ideas.
2. Determine How Much Contrast You Want
In some cases and for some styles, you may prefer exterior colors that give a more seamless look. But, contrast can make different elements of your exterior pop and stand out. Think about your exterior and determine how much contrast you want and whether you have specific design elements that you want to stand out.
This can help you further narrow down options for your exterior colors. In some styles and exterior color palettes, a contrasting color for window shutters, the front door, or trim can be just enough to increase the curb appeal and enhance the exterior of the home.
Depending on your style, you may end up with a bright, bold color for your front door! In many cases, classic white trim offers an elegant look and also plenty of contrast. It all depends on the style of your home, your personal style and tastes, and the look and feel you want your custom home to have.
3. Think About How Materials Add Color to Your Home’s Exterior
The materials used in different exterior elements can also add color to your home’s exterior. Because of this, they should be included in the process of choosing exterior colors for your custom home. You and your builder may even choose different materials based on the exterior color palette you choose.
Sleek colors tend to fit well with contemporary-style homes. Steely grays, slate blues, and more are some popular exterior colors for this style. If a striking contrast is something you want, then you can opt for warmer materials to pair with these colors. Bronze, copper, and stained wood can be used on some exterior elements to add some warmth, extra color, and contrast to your home’s exterior.
4. Consider How the Colors Will Look With Your Landscaping
Part of choosing exterior colors for your home also includes considering your landscaping. And, it’s more than your yard and plants; it also includes what is going on with the rest of your lot and includes hardscaping, like driveways, walkways, and more.
You want to make sure your landscaping will match and work well with your exterior colors. So, if you have specific plans or materials you want to include in landscaping or hardscaping, these should be considered as you determine the exterior colors for your home.
5. Think About the Light
The direction of light on your lot is an important consideration for positioning your custom home, and it should be a consideration for the exterior colors of your home as well. The way light hits your home and how much sunlight shines on it throughout the day can affect the way your exterior colors look and the atmosphere the exterior of your home creates.
6. Make Sure You Are Within Local Regulations
If your lot is located in a neighborhood with an HOA, there may be limitations on the exterior colors you have. Depending on the HOA requirements and regulations, there may be specific color palettes identified that you need to work within.
There may even be local regulations that you need to keep in mind as you design your home and choose colors. A local builder will be able to help you navigate these situations, but they are still potential circumstances you will want to keep in mind in case they apply to your home’s location. This is one of the things to consider when choosing a neighborhood or when you are looking for land for your custom home.
There are plenty of popular color combinations for your home exterior to choose from and these are just a few tips for choosing exterior colors for your custom home to help you narrow down options to what works for you. Working with an experienced builder that has an in-house design/build process can help you narrow down options and pick colors that you love and will work well for your home. If you’re ready to get started on your own custom home, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090!