Home Exterior Color Trends 2012/2013: Green's A Natural

As I have been looking at the 2012/2013 color trends for home exteriors that I’ll be presenting at the International Builders’ Show, I was reminded about just how versatile the color green is and wanted to share a few tips on how you might use green on your home’s exterior.

Color Trends 2012 Green

“Going green” has become the norm and the movement continues to keep green on trend. Natural yellow-green might first come to mind when you think of natures influence but you will see an entire range of greens in 2012. From dark, and mysterious to murky, muddy greens and lush, leaf greens. The one characteristic that connects all of the variations of green is that they are all drawn from the unspoiled landscape.
A home exterior with James Hardie siding in two shades of green
Versatile green may stand alone, be seen in combination with just about any of the other color family or can be layered tone-on-tone.  The home above has two tones of James Hardie siding in green that work very well to show off the architectural details.

If your home is surrounded by green in your landscape, then a shade of this hue that is draw from nature will usually work as a siding color.  If your home is set in a dry or sandy area, green can work if it is very toned down or grayed.

Another option in either setting is to use green as the color for your front door.  In warmer climates, the green is like an invitation to an oasis inside.

Green doors selected by designer Kathyrn Ireland for a spanish style home that was featured in House Beautiful magazine.
A green front door is inviting on any style home.  Green was selected by designer Kathyrn Ireland for the unusual doors on this Spanish style home that was featured in House Beautiful magazine.
 
And don’t forget about considering it for your roof.  Look how fabulous Multi-Width DaVinci Slate in Weathered Green looks on this home. Even if you don’t want a roof in green, all of the colors offered by DaVinci are environmentally green, so use the Color Designer to find the perfect color for a composite shake or slate tile to compliment your home. 
Slate, Multi-Width DaVinci – Weathered Green
Green is what is called "nature’s neutral" because green works with every other color found in the natural environment so don’t shy away from using green on your exterior.

Does that give you some ideas for using green?  Please stop back to learn about how some of the other colors that will be on trend for 2012/2013 and beyond can be used on home exteriors and which will work well with your synthetic shake or slate roofing system. Next up:

  • Color Trends 2012/2013: Neutrals Get Colorful 1/25/12

Take a look at my previous posts about Color Trends 2012/2013

Color Expert Kate Smith lends her expertise to DaVinci Roofscapes