“Curb appeal” has become a common phrase when buying, selling or upgrading your home. While everyone wants the exterior of their home to look great, “curb appeal” can get pushed to the side in favor of other considerations like price and durability of the products. These are all important factors that homeowners must consider when upgrading their exteriors—but aesthetics shouldn’t be forgotten as they have a positive impact and increase the value of your home.

So how do you increase your home’s curb appeal? We have a few ideas you can try out to customize your home to your own taste and style.

Mixing and Matching Colors

In the past vinyl siding was pretty limited. It came in a small variety of somewhat drab colors. Many of the bolder colors of vinyl siding would fade easily. With advances in technology, new vinyl siding brands are more durable and easy with color formulas that last. This opens up a world of possibilities for homeowners when it comes to adding color.

When mixing and matching colors you’ll want to start by selecting a specific exterior material to use as the basis for your color palette. Depending on what you're planning on upgrading, this could be some brick or stone that you’re keeping or it could be your shingle color if you aren’t re-roofing. Or if you are keeping the bulk of your current siding and adding new trim or windows/doors, your base color may just be the color of your current siding.

After you select your base color you can select secondary colors that are a few shades lighter or darker. For example, gray is often paired with a gray-blue stone and warm-colored brick matches tan or beige. For a more traditional look, “ground” your color palette by using the darker color for the base and the other colors as accents.  

Combining Siding Styles and Textures

If you’re looking for something more subtle than mixing colors, try mixing siding styles and textures. Traditionally, most vinyl siding has been “lap siding,” but today vinyl siding styles authentically mimic many natural materials. Cedar shake is one of the most popular options when it comes to adding a different siding style as an accent (like the siding on this dormer in the image below). Even without mixing colors, there are plenty of ways that you can create a subtle but unique look with different siding styles and textures.

Pro Tip: If you’re mixing siding styles and textures, try using the second siding style to highlight unique architectural elements of your home, like a dormer or the eve above your garage for example.

Shingles that Complement Your Siding

The first rule of thumb when thinking about matching your siding and shingle color is to pair warm colors with warm and cool colors with cool— so for shades like brick red or tan, pick siding in a similarly warm shade such as tan, beige or brown. Or if you are working with cool colors like blue or darker green, look for complementary grays and charcoals.

The second rule of thumb is contrasting darker and lighter colors. This means that if you want a darker, bolder siding you can pair that with a lighter colored shingle or vice versa. This helps all the elements of your home’s exterior stand out and garner the attention they deserve.  

In the end, these “rules” are simply a guide to get you started. It is most important that you like your home and it reflects your style— so have fun with it! Try out LP® SmartSide® Home Visualizer— you can try out different siding, roofing, trim, door and window combinations. When you’re ready, our team of experts can help you with advice, materials, and connect you with an installer from our network of trusted contractors. Contact us online, by phone, or stop by and see us in person.

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