Color Cues: How to Choose Colors for Your House Style

So, you’re ready to pick siding colors for your house.

With literally thousands of exterior colors to choose from, where do you begin? For many homeowners, this is an intimidating process. Let’s face it, the outside of your home has quite a bit of surface area. And there is this fear that, if you pick the wrong cladding color, you’re stuck with it – unlike repainting a room in your home, this decision is more long-term.

I recommend letting the style of your home be the guide to your exterior color selection. Different house styles lend themselves to different color palettes. You wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) want the same colors on a Mediterranean style home as a Low Country home. Here’s a quick rundown of six popular house styles and their color palettes.

What color should you choose for your house style?

Craftsman Style Home

Craftsman home color palettes tend to be earthy in nature – rugged, even. Think deep reds, olive greens, warm browns. And because there are typically two siding profiles (siding and shakes), it’s fun to use more than one siding color! I like Irish Thistle paired with Teak or Sedona Red paired with Stone Mountain Clay.

Tuscan Style Home

Tuscan style is characterized by stone– typically warm tones like the warm Tuscan sun. Pick body colors that complement yet contrast with the stone. Don’t forget to add deep accent colors on shutters or the front door.

Low Country Style Home

I like to think of low country style color schemes as light and breezy in nature. I love Savannah Blue paired with brown shutters; or Delray Sand(yellow) with white trim and black shutters; Sagebrook (rich green in color) with white trim and white shutters.

Farm House or Folk Victorian Style Home

Farm house and folk Victorian siding color palettes tend to be more playful and vibrant. Try Autumn Beige with Wedgewood or for something more masculine, pair the Wedgewood with Amber board and batten siding and a brown shutter.

Mediterranean Style Home

Like Tuscan, Mediterranean home color palettes are warm in nature. Often, the roof is the most dominant color and the body color is secondary. If you have a dark orange-toned red tile, you may want to feature an almost white house. Don’t be afraid to try a soft peachy tone with an orange-brown roof. If you’re really daring, try a dark orange-red for the house.

French Country Style Home

French country style is fairly flexible in terms of colors that work with it. You could start with a cool stone like Flint and pair it with Pewter. Or, for a softer look, try Silver Mist with Irish Thistle.

See – that wasn’t so scary! Use color to enhance and bring out the best of your house style. Don’t be afraid to do a little research on your house style and experiment with siding colors and stone colors outside in the sun – before applying them to your home. But most of all – welcome color.