Determining Siding Color

by Christopher Wittmann

When it comes to choosing replacement siding on your home in Milwaukee, Waukesha, or Ozaukee counties, actually anywhere in southeastern Wisconsin, color is an important element because it really is the first impression of your home. Almost all siding manufacturers, whether they are vinyl, fiberglass, fiber cement, or composite wood, will offer different color combinations. So how do you choose?

One of the first things to consider is your home’s architectural style. For example, a Cape Cod home may look best in subtle colors, while a Victorian can carry more dramatic colors. Cruise your neighborhood and see what other homeowners are doing with color. There is no need to copycat, but if you live in a subdivision where everyone’s exterior is a neutral shade, you might not want to go too bold or too bright. Especially in areas where homes are closer together, you want your home to be in harmony with the neighborhood – make it stand out, not look out of place.

That’s not to say pops of color can’t be used, especially when highlighting architectural details, such as doors or shutters. I recommend using three colors on a house. Your main color will be the siding. If you have brick or stonework as part of the façade, you want to make sure the color will blend or complement it. All your aluminum trim (gutters, downspouts, soffits and fascia, window, and door trim) should match or complement each other. An accent color can be used for shutters or a front door.

There seems to be a trend in contemporary or modern houses to go with a dark trim, but most houses look better with a lighter trim that will brighten up and frame the house. Some homes have bump outs around windows and a lot of homeowners want to eliminate that. Instead, I recommend accenting it with color or a stone façade. Make it a focal point because that is what it was meant to be.

There are apps and web-based programs that will allow you to get a preview of how your home will look with different colors or different size siding. Mastic, for one, has a free app that allows you put color combinations together. Some websites offer stock housing pictures that you can select from that are similar to yours and you can play with color. Other websites allow you to download a photo of your home and you can photoshop your image so you can see how various products look on it. Another resource is houzz.com, where there are thousands of ideas on home exteriors.

When considering a color, take into account what will look best for the geographic region. You may love your winter getaway in the desert or on the beach, but a home that is terra cotta or sea green may not be the best choice for our climate.

While some siding material allows you to custom paint, I recommend going with the factory applied color. It’s more durable, more sustainable, and more guaranteed/warranteed.

Siding can also be used to break up tall lines of a house and accent other architectural features. For example, a really tall house might have shake siding on the gables, horizontal siding on the bottom, and framed with band board as a separation between the two.

When choosing siding, homeowners generally fall into three categories: those who repeat the same color and style; those who want to change the home’s appearance slightly by adding some color to the shutters or door or maybe adding some stonework; and those who use more than one siding profile along with bold colors.

Which type are you? Whether you are basic or bold, we can help you choose an exterior siding product that will make you proud of your home!