Ipe Siding: Why We Love It and How We Use It

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Ipe siding is one of the most popular on-trend wood cladding options, and our designers love it. Because Ipe is a natural material, it is durable and long-lasting. As an added bonus, the type of wood used to make Ipe is a sustainable choice. Sourced from Brazilian rainforests, Ipe is known as one of the hardest types of timber. The trees used to make the siding can grow up to 50 feet wide and 100 feet tall, and because they grow fast, they can be replaced within a few years of being cut down. Our designers know all the best ways to use this environmentally friendly cladding material. Read on to get inspired.

From cladding options like Ipe siding and stucco to smaller details like shutters and front doors, we offer comprehensive design services to help you visualize your dream home. Let us simplify the process of achieving your exterior design goals. Learn more about our virtual exterior design services.

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modern home with white stucco, stone, and Ipe siding

Modern and minimalistic aesthetic 

The rich, dark tones of the Ipe siding on this modern house contrast beautifully with the soft white stucco, rendered in Benjamin Moore’s Cloud White. The wood siding adds warmth to the minimalistic exterior and highlights the home’s midpoint, including the all-important front door.

modern home with stone, stucco, siding, and wood porch columns

Ipe porch columns

Mixing materials and paint colors is a great way to create a dynamic façade and elevate curb appeal. This design is a great example — it’s chock full of visual intrigue. Amidst the stone cladding, white stucco, gray-blue siding, and black and white trim, the Ipe porch columns still manage to stand out. 

back side of a contemporary house with dark greenish gray siding and Ipe siding

Contemporary contrast 

Ipe siding lends itself beautifully to contemporary exteriors, especially when it’s paired with other natural materials, like the iron railings and cultured stone above. The warm, natural texture of the Ipe siding on this home offers compelling contrast against the coolness of those materials and the deep green-gray siding, which is rendered in Sherwin Williams’ Rock Bottom. 

modern home with dark siding and Ipe cladding

Horizontal accents

Our designers are incredible at using different materials and installation patterns to make an exterior more compelling. Alongside the vertical siding that covers the bulk of this modern home, we suggested horizontal Ipe siding to highlight particular architectural details. Mixing cladding options like this gives an exterior depth and intentionality.

off-white house with a Ipe siding-covered entryway

Highlight the entryway

The warm, off-white stucco — painted with Sherwin Williams’ Alabaster — pairs beautifully with the stone cladding on this elegant home. Our designers enhanced the entrance by surrounding it with Ipe siding. This choice elevates the home’s design and lends it a warm and welcoming vibe.

back side of a dark green house with Ipe soffits

Ipe soffits 

While Ipe siding is a breathtaking cladding option, it also works well in subtle applications. Here, we used Ipe on the soffits, making the other wood accents on the home pop. (Soffits are the covering of the underside of the eave. Interested in brushing up on your exterior design vocabulary? Head here.)

modern house with stucco, stone, and Ipe siding

Draw the eye with vertical Ipe

This design is architecturally interesting, but in a subtle way. With a mix of sharp peaks and straight lines, the vertical Ipe siding on the façade highlights the exterior’s non-symmetrical portion. The vertical pattern of the Ipe also elongates the section, helping it keep stride with its taller, gabled counterpart on the other side of the entrance.

bohemian design with Ipe siding

Added warmth

This eclectic exterior teems with a modernist, space-age vibe. Combined with the unique geometry and bold accents and landscaping, the Ipe siding creates a warm and cozy aura that ties this dynamic design together.

modern rustic house with charcoal siding and Ipe

Modern rustic curb appeal

While we often use Ipe siding as an accent texture on smaller spaces, we also cover larger areas, especially if a modern rustic look is part of our clients’ design goals. Paired with the charcoal gray brick and siding — rendered in Benjamin Moore’s Graphite — this design achieves the desired aesthetic.

WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND SAMPLING AND TESTING PAINT COLORS BEFORE COMMITTING. FACTORS SUCH AS NATURAL LIGHTING, UNDERTONES, AND YOUR PROPERTY’S FIXED ELEMENTS WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON HOW A COLOR WILL APPEAR ON YOUR EXTERIOR. OUR FRIENDS AT SAMPLIZE OFFER EXTRA-LARGE 9 X 14.75 INCH PEEL-AND-STICK PAINT SAMPLES OF THE COLORS WE LOVE FOR EXTERIORS. ORDER YOUR ‘REAL PAINT, NO MESS’ SAMPLES FROM SAMPLIZE HERE.
house with siding, red brick, and Ipe siding

Accentuate architecture 

Our designers are great at executing designs with thoughtful attention to existing architectural details, and this rendering is a prime example. The Ipe siding highlights the gabled midpoint and follows the arch of the picture window below. This simple touch helps make both the two-story windows and the main-level entryway stand out.

contemporary house with dark siding, stone, and Ipe

Embrace natural elements

Combining natural materials is both on-trend and style-appropriate when working with contemporary architecture. The Ipe siding used on this home meshes effortlessly with the natural materials — like stone, glass, wood, and Corten steel planters — that are woven throughout the design.

dark modern house with Ipe siding accents

Dreaming of adding Ipe siding to your exterior?

If you want to embrace natural, maintenance-free materials for your exterior, Ipe siding might check all your boxes. Not only is the wood siding long-lasting, it also lends itself well to any design style. From contemporary and modern to bohemian and rustic, this material is ideal for enhancing any exterior.

Unlock the hidden potential of your home and elevate its curb appeal with us. At brick&batten, we consider every detail, ensuring no aspect is overlooked when creating an updated look for your exterior. Don’t wait any longer to achieve your dream home. Start your exterior design project with us today.

Author

brick&batten Contributor

Mackenzie has been writing for brick&batten for three years, and most of her exterior design knowledge comes from renovating her own home. She purchased a log home that was stuck in the '90s and the previous owners were unable to keep up with exterior maintenance. From reimagining the landscaping and hardscaping to revamping the porch and logs, Mackenzie and her family approached the entire project DIY-style. In her free time, Mackenzie enjoys cooking and spending time with her family of six on their farm, which includes cows, chickens, rabbits, dogs, and cats. She has been writing for 12 years and has explored a variety of materials from food writing to lifestyle pieces and, of course, virtual exterior design.