Lap Siding Options for a Classic Yet Modern Home Exterior
By: Mackenzie
Lap siding has long been a favorite for creating stunning exteriors, offering versatility and charm that transcends trends. Whether paired with sleek contemporary materials or classic architectural details, it brings a balanced aesthetic that’s both modern and enduring. From enhancing elegant designs to complementing rustic wood and stone accents, this siding can elevate any home design. Read on to see how lap siding transforms exteriors with its unique ability to contrast, highlight, and harmonize with other materials, helping create homes that are as functional as they are beautiful.
Your design goals don’t need to be colossal to enlist our expert designers. Whether you want a total home overhaul or you want to make small updates, we’re here to help. We even offer a paint visualizer service if you merely want to see what your home would look like in a different color. Find out more about the services we offer!
Is lap siding the same as vinyl siding?
Lap siding refers to a style where horizontal boards overlap, and it can be made from various materials like wood, fiber cement, vinyl, or engineered wood. While this siding can be vinyl, it’s not exclusively so. Vinyl siding is a specific material often manufactured in a lap style but also available in other patterns, like vertical.
Modern elegance
Lap siding is a tried and true exterior material and it’s one of our favorites to reccomend. Our designers wanted to enhance the elegant architecture of this house, so we used lap siding for contrast alongside the white brick. We love how the brick, arched dormers, lanterns, columns, window trim, and Juliet balcony all exude a classic ambiance while the siding brings a clean, modern essence.
Accentuate with lap siding
Our designers know how to blend textures and materials for a modern look, and lap siding is the ideal material to accentuate with. For this home, we used a blend of stucco, stone, and lap siding, choosing different shades of green for the stucco and siding to create even more contrast. The driveway pavers, garage awning, glass garage doors, and sleek wood columns all lean into the modern aesthetic, while the siding sections tap into a more traditional appearance.
Add depth to a smaller home
The right material and design elements can transform a smaller home. For this small house exterior design, we used lap siding to give the ranch the illusion of more length. For added height (and visual interest), we added a portico above the doorway. The cultured stone along the skirting infuses more texture and dimension into the design. We love how the textures and accents enhance the simplicity of this exterior to create a compelling aesthetic.
Bring balance with the right accents
The architecture, layout, and materials on this home deliver a traditional, classic appearance. To modernize the aesthetic, we opted for gray lap siding and modern accents. The rain chain, sleek porch columns, and pato furniture all bring a modern look to this house, which is balanced by the siding. We also appreciate the contrast the gray brings alongside an otherwisde traditional black and white color palette.
Keep it consistant
When it comes to modern minimalism, lap siding is one of the most reliable exterior materials. Our designers used the same beige siding on this entire exterior from the main level to the portico peak and dormers. This consistency creates a neat aesthetic, which we made even more crisp with bright white window trim. Our designers brought warmth to the exterior with the wood porch columns and door, the Corten steel planter, and the bronze gutters.
Vertical siding for visual interest
A horizontal pattern is one of the key characteristics of lap siding. In the design above, our designers used lap siding on the wider sections of the house. To emphasize the height on the upper level section on top of the garage, we used vertical siding. Although we changed the material for this section, we used the same shade of white, so the contrast is subtle, yet still impactful. The white exterior exudes a classic aura, and the wood trim and black metal roof give a modern vibe.
For the design below, we followed a similar tactic, using lap siding on the wider section of the house and vertical for the gabled end of the house to accentuate the peak. We want to bring a classic contrast to the green siding, so we used thick off-white trim throughout the design. For a modern appeal, we opted for clean landscaping and sleek, simple accents.
Highlight a certain section of the exterior
Lap siding is a great way to draw contrast and attention to a specific design element or section of an exterior. Here, we used lap siding on the upper portion of the home. Capping the top portion of the house creates a more dynamic façade, which elevates the neutral design. Combined with the red brick, the siding gives off a timeless aesthetic. Our designers tied all the elements together with wood window trim, porch columns, and doors.
Modern farmhouse vibes
If a modern farmhouse is what you’re after, lap siding is an ideal exterior material to embrace. In this design, the blue lap siding gives the home a fresh, modern look. The crisp white trim and subtle black accents make the siding stand out more, and the wood accents add warmth to the design. On the porch, the lap siding and double doors visually widen the space, while the porch columns create the illusion of added height. These impactful design decisions draw the eye to the entrance.
A rustic flare
Rustic designs don’t have to be exclusive to materials like wood and stone. Combined with those natural elements, lap siding looks beautiful and timeless on a rustic design. For this modern rustic home, we opted for a bold black, adding definition to the classic siding. We made the texture stand out even more with the wood trim and fascia throughout. We even translated that to the metal roof section above the bump out, creating a consistent and cohesive design.
Contemporary yet classic
Our designers can blend design styles seamlessly, catering to each client’s preferences and tastes. Here, we created a contemporary aesthetic with a classic flare. The sharp architectural lines, rain chains, wood siding and columns, and sleek front door all exude a contemporary essence. Bringing in a classic touch, we used lap siding on the gabled part of the house, making it stand out from the other sections.
A timeless addition to any design
Whether your vision leans modern, rustic, or somewhere in between, lap siding is a versatile choice that enhances the beauty and character of any home. Its ability to complement diverse materials, highlight architectural features, and add texture makes it an enduring favorite of our designers. From bold color choices to subtle contrasts, lap siding adapts to every style, bringing balance and sophistication to your exterior. No matter the design, lap siding proves that timeless appeal and modern elegance can go hand in hand — making it the perfect finishing touch for your dream home.
You might have big visions for what your exterior could be, or you might be entirely overwhelmed by the possibilities. Wherever you land on that spectrum, our designers can help you reach your goals. We’ll work with you to manifest every design dream you’re interested in chasing. Get started today!
Subscribe for more content like this!
