Mix It Up!

The trends for 2016 house construction styles have been published, and in terms of exterior home finishes, it’s a bit of a crazy quilt! While different sections of the U.S. have varying color palettes, one trend which covers all is using a variety of materials on the house exterior.

Multiple exterior finishes

Mix and Match:

The varying roof lines and bump-out areas of previous popular architectural design are still hot, but with an updated twist. First of all, the look of a single style or color of siding is old. Instead, 2016 features a mix and match approach to finishes. A stone façade entryway might have Dutch lap siding to the left and cedar shake siding to the right. While the siding styles may differ on a single home, they will tend to be in the same color family or in coordinating shades to help unify the look. Another popular option is to mix both stone and brick in a single house. Normally, the finish changes are applied at natural breakpoints in the architecture, such as at a bump-out area, at a corner, at an entryway, on a dormer, at a midline below the windows or on the face of an attached garage.

Multiple styles of siding on a single house.

Color, Color, Color:

Another strong trend is to use more bold and aggressive colors. No longer are neutrals the primary siding palette. Instead, strong colors, such as a barn red, a cobalt blue, a dusty green or a deep rust provide visual interest in siding. To a degree, color does differ in various regions. For example, the Northeast US prefers a more vintage and traditional color scheme. The Southwest leans toward earth-tones, including yellow, orange and brown. The Central region palette features beige, brown and green.

Nearly Natural:

While stone and brick have traditionally been more expensive finishes than siding, faux stone and brick finishes are flourishing and give the look without the price tag. 2016 design trends do emphasize the use of natural materials, so faux stone can provide a solution for that desire. Incorporating metals and woods also fuels the wish for natural materials.

Inside Out:

A final 2016 exterior trend is to blend the inside into the outside with using indoor spaces outside. A good example of this is the patio which morphs into an outdoor kitchen. More and more high-end homes are installing a full kitchen outside, whether on the deck or on the patio. Of course, all parts of such a kitchen must be weather-resistant and waterproof to remain durable. The convenience of these spaces facilitate entertaining and having guests.

After you’ve mixed it up and created your own distinctive style 2016 home, don’t forget to cover it all with an American eBuilder new home 10-year warranty!