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nikkidan_gw

Finished Exterior photos?

nikkidan
12 years ago

I'm getting overwhelmed trying to decide on colors for our exterior. Is there a thread here somewhere that might have a bunch of finished exterior pics?

I have the houzz app...but just haven't found anything there that is "IT"..kwim?

I'm a visual person, with no design smarts! So this is hard for me! I like to SEE what i'm gonna get ahead of time..It's hard to really know if I will like the siding color based on just the little sample. We are going with Certainteed siding, but their website isn't true to color as far as I can tell. Even if I could find a pic that has darker colors in the areas I'm considering going dark, and lighter colors where I'm planning on going light would help.

Our windows will be white, but we don't want white siding...need some color there since we are in the country, a darker color will hide the dirt a little better. Then there is soffit, fascia, garage doors, entry door, etc etc, etc.

We are thinking a Natural clay siding, Sable brown cedar impressions on the gables of the 2nd floor, cottage white (cream color kind of..its the one color in my samples that really blended with the siding and shakes) soffit and fascia, white windows, white trim around windows, and probably white garage doors?

So if anyone is able to point me in a good direction I'd appreciate it! Thanks!

Comments (6)

  • Sidney4
    12 years ago

    Nikkidan, I struggled over the exterior color choices as well. Try going to the Minneapolis Parade of Homes web site and click on the "builders" tab. They list dozens of builders. Many of the builders have their web site links in their profiles. I spent hours looking at those builder photo galleries and was able to find lots of examples of stone and siding combinations. Good Luck!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Parade of Homes

  • bevangel_i_h8_h0uzz
    12 years ago

    Also contact your local Certainteed distributors and ask if they can give you the names of some builders in your area who have purchased siding in the color or colors you like. Then, call the builders and ask if they can give you an address or two where they used that siding so you can drive by and look at it. Nothing like seeing it on a whole house to help you make up your mind!

    BTW, Certainteed was very helpful to us when we were trying to decide colors. Certainteed isn't used much in our area (it's all Hardi here) so Certainteed actually sent me a whole box of nice large (i.e., 8"x 12") samples in all the colors I was interested in... for free. It still helps to see it on a whole house tho.

  • Missy Benton
    12 years ago

    When we were in the planning stage I drove around neighborhoods and took pictures of some of the houses I liked. I sent the pictures to my builder and then we were able to select colors that looked like my inspiration.

  • petesmom
    12 years ago

    I know exactly how you feel.
    Theres a home about 40 mins from me that I love the exterior of. Dark siding and stone at the bottom. Its absolutely beautiful. I am so tempted to knock on the door and ask who they used and what the colors are.

    mini thread jack-
    How/Why made you choose certainteed over Hardi? I was thinking Hardi myself and Im wondering why you are going with certainteed instead.

  • nikkidan
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Certainteed is what my builder uses...so we are going with that.

  • ontariomom
    12 years ago

    Hi nikkidan,

    I can relate as well to how hard it is to choose exterior colours. I really struggled with this too. I relied on my interior designer and also an on-line designer (color coach) to help me through the process (although the house is only at framing stage so no pics yet). I also used a free tool from Owens Corning called their colour visualizer where I could see different colour combinations on-line, although as you said computer colours are only so real to life. I often see houses where I think the white windows clash with the brick and/or siding -- i.e. the windows seem out of place. I was fearful of doing the same thing, as we needed to choose white windows for our addition, as the windows on the front elevation where not changing and they are already white.

    Good luck!

    Carol

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