You’ve decided to replace that old worn-out siding on your home. Great! And you’ve even decided the type of siding you want to have installed. Even better! But you still have one more important decision to make (in addition to what company you want to install it) – the color combination. And we say ‘combination,’ because there will be trim, and many homeowners we work with here in the Minneapolis area opt for two or more styles of the same siding product or else combine sidings. As a licensed siding contractor for the Twin Cities area, we want to give you some tips to help narrow down your choices (and they are almost limitless).
For example, take a look at the color swatch below. This particular listing is just one example for James Hardie fiber cement siding with ColorPlus finish. We offer siding from other manufacturers as well, and they’ve each got their own stack of colors to work with.
Considerations for Choosing Your Home’s Exterior Color PaletteThe color of your surroundings is something that affects so many different things. It can influence the way you feel, the way you think, the way you act and more. And color can influence the perception of others, so it’s important to put some thought into the colors you choose for your home’s exterior – particularly the siding and trim.
Even if choosing a siding color seems overwhelming now, taking the time to be deliberate about what you select is something that is going to pay off in the end. It is something that is going to make your home stand out from the others on the block. And the right combination of colors can give your home that sought-after ‘curb appeal’ as well as communicate just the right message to those who see it. After all, the exterior of your home should reflect well on those who live there.
There are a number of basic principles to keep in mind when you’re choosing colors and want the best one for the home that you own. Keep these color choosing tricks in mind from the pros who know siding and know how to choose the right color for your home.
Using the Color Wheel to Select Your Siding
Knowing more about the color wheel and being able to choose colors based on the knowledge that you have about this is important. You might have been exposed to the concept in school, or perhaps you’ve got enough of an art background to be familiar with it. But for those who aren’t, here is some basic information about how a color wheel can be a great tool.
A basic color wheel is divided into 12 different sections, although there are more detailed versions. These might show progressively lighter hues of the same color as they are diluted with white. There are some that even include a ring of colors with black mixed in. (The color wheel does not include black or white; it is based on the colors of light, and from that perspective, white is all colors and black is no color.)
Working with the wheel, you can choose colors that go together based on several different schemes. Here are some of the most effective color harmonies to mix and match with when choosing color combinations for the outside of your home. Now, in this post we’re talking about siding and its matching component, trim. But don’t forget to include your doors and window frames in the mix.
Analogous Colors – These are colors found right next to one another on the wheel. They are used in a combo of two or three colors on the exterior of the home. They create a calmer appeal. Don’t try to use more than three analogous colors, though – it will create disharmony.
Complementary Colors – These colors are directly opposite on the color wheel and involve only two colors. They create a lot of contrast when you put them together and they can provide a more vibrant look for your home. Examples: yellow and purple, blue and orange, red and green. One interesting fact about complementary colors: if you mix paints in complementary colors, you always end up with brown.
Triad – You select one color and instead of using the complementary color on the wheel, you then choose a different couple of them and this results in a color combo that has lower contrast than others. Those colors should be equally spaced. A good example of a color triad is red/yellow/blue – also known as the primary colors. All other colors on the wheel are made by mixing different amounts of two of those: red and yellow make orange, blue and yellow make green, and red and blue make purple.
One tip to keep in mind is that you want to use the colors in balanced amounts on the exterior of the home. You want one color to be the lead and then having the others be supportive of the first one.
There are of course other ways to select colors. The color wheel doesn’t include greys and browns (or their dilutes, tan/beige). Or you might opt for lighter and darker shades of the same basic color, or just choose your main color and opt for white (or black) trim.
If you want to change the look and feel of the siding on your home, speak with us here. We can provide siding from James Hardie that ensures you have quality siding for the best price, but also the most long-lasting choice on the market.
Window Outfitters is a premier Window Replacement, doors, siding contractor and installer. As Contractor in the St Paul, Minneapolis, (Twin Cities) Minnesota (MN) metro, we proudly serve, but are not limited to, the following areas: Minneapolis Energy Efficient Vinyl Windows, Replacement Window Contractors Minnesota, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Lakeville, Savage, Bloomington, Edina, Richfield, Eagan, St Paul, Hastings, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Eden Prairie, Farmington MN, Chaska, Shakopee, Chanhassen, Victoria, Mendota Heights Anderson Windows Minneapolis, Marvin Windows Minneapolis.
