Exterior Home Trends for 2018

By:

Trends in home design come and go…especially when it comes to color. About every ten years, we will see certain styles and design elements emerge and then fade away. These elements and color are what enable people to date a house when they are just driving around. In some ways, it’s like carbon dating for properties! Let’s take a look at reoccurring trends and exterior home trends for 2018.

For example, the 50s brought us optimistic color palettes and “modern” accents like flat, rectangular stone. Or welcome to the 60s with the All-American details like classic shutters and white clapboard siding. Fast forward to the 2000s, we saw tons of hardie-plank siding in many different colors, widths… with a colorful front door.

Looking at 2018, what are some of the trends we are seeing right now? Here are three of the big ones:
  1. While neutrals will ALWAYS be in fashion, designers are starting to find ways to “texturize” color. This has been happening on the interior and has now made its way to the exterior. Homeowners are using neutrals in a more sophisticated way as to create texture or the illusion of texture. For example, you could use the same color in different finishes to add some contrast while maintaining a very streamlined palette. Creating a space that flows from one material to the next as the color is consistent even though subtly different on different materials. We see this with wooden window trim and brick. We will often advise a client to continue the same color on the two materials and it creates a beautiful, albeit subtle contrast from one material to the next. In addition, the finish can be different as well… creating an even more sophisticated look.
  2. With more and more time spent on technology, people are craving natural accents and organic elements in and around their living spaces. Rock gardens, raw wood accents are going strong. Wood is an easy element to work with and can be seen on outdoor ceilings, benches and even exterior shiplap.
  3. More and more attention is being paid to streetscape and the overall aesthetic of the exterior including the natural surrounding area. Homeowners are paying more attention to these fixed elements when considering color and design options. We see that more and more people are investing in landscape architects and spending their money on creating an interesting streetscape that includes the landscaping and container gardening.

 

Trends are just that…passing phases of design.  Timeless designs are classic and immune to looking dated as they pass through the decades.  The key is adopting the trends that work with your timeless design. Trends that can be changed when you tire of it.  Painting a door is fairly low risk, but painting the entire house is a big commitment and should far outlast the color trend of the year.  Hope this helps! We at brick&batten would love to partner with you on a virtual exterior design for your property. Get started today!

Author

Alli’s passion for home design began during childhood when she’d accompany her father to various fixer-upper properties he was working on. Years later, Alli received a degree in physical therapy from Indiana University, but her love of design and personal need brought her back to the home design industry. Alli co-founded brick&batten in 2017 with her sister, Cassie, out of necessity. She was looking for a service like brick&batten for her own home, but one didn’t exist. Alli loves designing exteriors that inspire people. She’s also interested in real estate investment and enjoys creating exterior designs that will provide a great return on investment. Alli lives in Atlanta with her partner, three children, and their dogs. She loves to travel and often finds herself looking at houses in the areas she visits for inspiration and ideas.