Mixing Materials on Home Exteriors

Bye, Bye Blase

Homeowners are mixing it up in creative ways to make the front of their homes stand out. 

“We are seeing homeowners steer away from that cookie-cutter kind of appearance to create a more dynamic aesthetic and add more depth and dimension to their overall home facade,” says Lograsso.Today, they have plenty of materials to choose from and are combining them in intriguing ways. “We are seeing a mix of stone, metal, and wood come together,” she says. 

The attention to outside aesthetics translates to roofscapes, which can be as much as 40 percent of the exterior, Bruch says.

The roof is one of the many moving parts in facade design that needs to complement the others to create a cohesive appearance, Swint agrees. “You want to make sure that your siding, your stone, your trim, your shutters, all play well together.”

Outside Choices Echo Interior Trends

As warmer colors become the more preferred choice of homeowners for inside their homes, they are opting for them on the outside too, Swint says. “Homeowners are gravitating away from those really stark, black and whites per se and really embracing more of that really dark, rich hickory color and browns.” The popular modern farmhouse style is an example, she says. 

The influence of biophilic design is also flowing to the outside, Lograsso says.

“Biophilic design is specific to the interiors, but if you are looking at your project and you are incorporating that theory at the beginning stage, you are going to naturally echo that throughout your entire design,” she says. Earthy, organic palettes and tactile exterior surfaces are popular choices. “We are seeing a shift from very cool and contemporary colors with people wanting to add back some warmth and some character,” she says.

The increased emphasis on outdoor spaces spurred by the pandemic is not going away. “There are exterior spaces that they want to create to be outdoor retreats, and there are welcoming spaces that they want to create on the front porch,” Lograsso says.“It's all about having kind of a physical joy as a natural reaction to when you are coming home.”

Providing Pros With the Right Tools 

Contractors can help homeowners through their exterior projects from start to finish.

Houzz & Home research shows that having a realistic visualization of what their renovation will look like is one of the most important factors for homeowners planning a project.

 “We have color ebooks, color visualizers and color education to help pros work with their homeowner to make selections and make a confident decision in their buying process.” Bruch says. 

DaVinci Roofscapes launched an immersive experience that shows how all the products - not just the roof - combine to create a holistic home exterior. “It allows designers to look at the roof, look at the siding and look at the stone and switch them in and out so they can see how they come together within a color scheme,” she says.