Archive for the ‘Exterior Color’ Category

Cape Cod Weathered Siding

Regional color preferences are based on several factors, foremost is the available and popular building materials of a region. It is true that most regional color preferences appear on the exterior of homes and commercial establishments whereas interior choices tend to be more personal.

Yes, the weather does have an influence on color, cool colors tending to show up in environments in the north and warm colors in the south. Is this because of the ambient temperature or a natural occurrence in a region? I think it is both, just as warm colors are dominant in the southern hemisphere because the sun is a major element but also the surroundings tend to be brown based or yellow toned hues. Dry grasses, sand and sun equal warm colors in the warmer climates whereas snow, sky, green trees and gray stone is obvious in the cooler climates.

Ethnic cultures also add to the mix in regions and often are common to an area such as the bright, warm colors of Mexico and Latin America that are strong influences in the southern part of the US. But also the use of materials, such as stucco is found in those southern countries and is are natural canvases for the warm colors of gold, peach, yellow, cream and orange. Putting cool colors on stucco doesn’t always work and can look somewhat out of place whereas peach looks terrible on cedar, the substrate itself strongly sways the choice of color.

Home styles often dictate the color of a structure, such as the dusty hues of arts and crafts, the historic colors on Georgians and Victorians as well as the rustic stains on cedars and shakes. Cape Cod gray is a natural color applied to cedar shakes due to the tradition of that color as a coastal favorite.

Florida Stucco Home

Roof colors are also regional with white as a common roof color in the warmer climate due to its concept of a light reflective color, terra cotta tile is more common in warm climates and grays appear more often in the cool climates. So as the roof color goes it influences the house color or vice versa.

White, a perennial favorite, is all over the map and can be found in all parts of the US as it is a perfect neutral along with beige and clay colors that are among the most popular colorsoverall.

The rules of regional colors are changing as more people move from one region to the next taking their favorites with them, so today you can find a mix of styles, colors and materials in one single neighborhood. Enjoy the diversity!

By Pat Verlodt

The Arts and Crafts movement was born in England in the late 1800’s and grew in popularity to flourish in North America. New home styles reflect many of the design details that made this style popular. It is further popularized by those same features appearing in commercial buildings as well.

The Arts and Crafts movement began as an effort to maintain the handmade craftsmanship of design that was being lost to the industrial revolution and mass production in Europe. This movement grew to include Bungalow design, originally designed as resort lodging in the early 1900’s.  These bungalows with the large extended roofs and porches were particularly suited to the warm climate and became popular in California.

Gustav Stickley, who published his influential magazine, the Craftsman, included over 220 home designs. After WWII mail order companies like Montgomery Wards and Sears, Roebuck and Company offered kits that included all the components make affordable homes and their popularity grew, therefore the term Craftsman was born.

Several regional styles developed the large Arts and Crafts style evolved into the low one story styles popular in warmer climates of Florida, California and Texas that were influenced by the Spanish Missions and therefore became known as Mission style.

The Arts and Crafts homes are recognized by the elements of divided light windows, low pitched roofs with deep eaves with corbels and triangular brackets, covered porches, wood or shake siding, square tapered columns and contrasting trim. Natural wood and stone were included in the design, especially in the front porch designs.

The Mission style evolved from the Arts and Crafts style and adapted arches, stucco, tile roofs and rough cut stones as influences of the Spanish missions and was popular in Texas, California and Florida.

Today’s new homes reflect many of the elements found in these earlier styles with a mix materials and colors. Stone is used as an accent with painted trim and walls in contrasting colors, usually White against a muted or neutral hue. Colors are kept natural or nature based with clay, gray, warm greens and muted golds being the most popular.

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