Upgrading your home siding is, of course, a necessary investment to keep your property protected from the elements. But it doesn’t have to be a boring, lackluster endeavor. You can actually give your home a striking, eye-catching makeover by choosing the right siding accents to draw attention to its best features and create the dramatic curb appeal you crave.
Here’s how to do just that.
Top Tips for Giving Character to Your Home Exterior
While siding can seem at first glance to be a basic, plain exterior feature—it doesn’t have to be that way. With some creativity and boldness, you can easily level up the look of your home. The right siding contractor (like our team!) will be happy to help you choose the best options to bring out your architecture’s unique style.
1. Accent Architectural Corners
The places where one wall meets another can be more than functional. Draw attention to your home by installing specialty corner trim pieces. Corner trim is designed to add a layer of protection to areas of your home where water can penetrate, and it also creates a neat, elegant finish to your home’s overall siding aesthetic. Keep the corner trim consistent with the rest of your color scheme for a cohesive look.
2. Call Attention to Gables and Dormers
Areas of your home’s architecture that stand out, such as gables, dormers, and bump-outs, give you an opportunity to create strong visual appeal. Using siding that is different than what covers the rest of your home is effective. If you have horizontal siding elsewhere, use vertical boards or shake shingles on gables, dormers, and bump-outs for textural interest.
3. Draw the Eye to Garage Doors
Garage doors are functional, but they can easily be given more character with the right accent choices. Create a bold look by opting for a color that dramatically contrasts with siding. Install a mantel above the door or decorative trim along the sides of the door. A white frame around a rich siding and door color like slate grey deliver a crisp look.
4. Place Mantels Over Windows
Window trim is another way to accent your home’s architecture and pull the look of your new siding together. Mantels above the window can help prevent leaks during heavy rain, and they can also make windows look larger and more dramatic. Choose a color and style that blends well with your main siding, and use matching mantels over all windows for a cohesive appearance.
5. Highlight Your Front Entrance
Your front door and the elements around it are key to pulling your home’s curb appeal together in a pleasing way. The right mantel and trim—often referred to as a “surround system” for the door and frame—is a handy feature to invest in. Create contrast! If your siding and architectural design are complex, choose a surround system that is simple, and if siding and features are simple, use an ornate door frame and trim elements.
6. Add Color with Shutters
Details such as shutters are definitely helpful for creating an attractive, finished look to your home siding. The key is to choose the right shutter style and color scheme to match your architectural style. For example, mission-style shutters (featuring vertical planks) work well for Mission and Craftsman homes. Go a shade or two darker than the siding for a calm, classic look, or go bold with color for a dramatic modern feel.
7. Apply Stonework to Your Foundation
Known as knee walls, stonework added to the footing of your exterior walls (about knee height downward) can create an elegant, luxurious look. Stone veneer options offer a more affordable approach than authentic, natural stone. The mixed colors of stone and stone veneer blend with your siding and create visual interest. Other areas where you can add stone or stone veneer include bump-outs and entryways.
8. Blend Siding Styles and Materials
In addition to using stone, your home exterior can feature a mix of materials such as fiber cement, wood, and metal. For example, copper gutters can pop against a rich warm brown, green or blue shade of siding. Natural, stained wood accents around your front door contrast pleasantly with white siding. Think about different styles too—using vertical siding on one story of your home, horizontal on another story, or a mix of thick planks with shake siding.
Creative Siding and Accents Await You with Iron River Construction
As you dream about the possibilities of siding upgrades for your Minneapolis/St. Paul area home, why not explore some visual samples right now?
Our team at Iron River Construction has great ideas for how your home can look when you invest in new siding and other exterior updates. Browse our gallery of completed remodels for inspiration.
