How to Coordinate Exterior House Colors and Features

Taking the leap to update your siding can be both exciting and overwhelming. As you begin to think through major changes, you may discover lots of smaller decisions included in the process—for example, coordinating exterior house colors and features to match your siding.

Though your siding will likely make up the bulk of your exterior, there are multiple elements at play to consider when choosing colors-things like window trim, garage doors and roofing. Though these factors are often overlooked in the excitement of choosing a new siding color, they are key to achieving a cohesive exterior.

First, Consider Your Current Exterior

Before you begin your re-side, head outside and take inventory of your current exterior. Do you have brick or stone on your exterior? A front-facing garage door? Contrasting window trim? What color are your window panes? Do you have flower boxes, shutters or light fixtures? Once you know what you're working with-and what currently is or isn't working about your exterior-it will be easier to make informed decisions about new updates.

When it comes to curb appeal, house colors can make a huge difference. Let’s take a closer look at some of these exterior features that are often missed but can take your curb appeal to the next level.

Use Window Trim to Stylize Your Exterior

Aside from your siding, your windows are one of the largest visual impacts on your exterior. Depending on your house style and color palette, windows and siding can pair to suit a variety of styles. You can keep it simple with window trim that matches your exterior or add contrast to lighter shades with a dark siding such as LP^® SmartSide^® ExpertFinish^® colors Abyss Black or Cavern Steel. As another option, take it a step further and match your window trim with the rest of your exterior trim. 

Coordinate Your Garage Door and Siding Colors

Many homes have front-facing garage doors, which means a large portion of your home’s visual impact is taken up. Still, there are many ways to work with your garage door to achieve your exterior goals. Painting your garage door to match your siding or choosing a siding color that’s easy to match with your existing garage color, such as LP SmartSide ExpertFinish Snowscape White, is a great way to camouflage your garage with the rest of your exterior. Matching your siding and garage colors also helps create the illusion of a larger exterior. 

If you have an ultra-modern home, a black garage contributes to a sleek exterior and adds contrast against white siding. For something more rustic, blue and brown shades such as LP SmartSide ExpertFinish Rapids Blue or Terra Brown siding can complement each other well.

Consider Roofing Colors

Roofing is the least obvious of the exterior features but still plays a role in contributing to curb appeal, especially if you have metal roofing. Most roofs are black or brown, which match with almost any LP SmartSide ExpertFinish Trim & Siding color, but metal roofs come in more unique color options including red, gray, yellow and white. 

For brighter roofing colors we recommend sticking to neutrals for your siding, such as LP SmartSide ExpertFinish Quarry Gray siding, or muted blues such as ExpertFinish color Summit Blue. White siding such as LP SmartSide ExpertFinish Snowscape White is a classic that pairs well with almost any roof type and color. 

Coordinating Exterior House Colors With Brick and Stone

If your exterior consists of a combination of siding and other materials such as brick or stone, finding the right siding color to complement can be an added challenge. To complement stone accents choose cooler colors, such as blues and grays. Try out LP SmartSide ExpertFinish Cavern Steel or Tundra Gray siding to pull out different cool tones in your stone accents.

For brick, opt for neutrals such as LP SmartSide ExpertFinish Quarry Gray, Desert Stone or Terra Brown siding.

Keep the Big Picture In Mind

As you begin exterior updates, remember to think about the big picture. With your end goal in mind, choosing your siding color and final supporting features will be that much easier. If you still need some guidance, try out the LP SmartSide Home Visualizer or check out these homes to strike some inspiration.