How to Warm Up A Home's Exterior

  LENEXA, KS - 06/15/2016 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

Gone are the days of harsh exterior color combinations on a house. These days, warmer tones of beiges and neutral hues, plus soft shades of gray, are the colors homeowners are leaning toward for their homes.

            According to Kate Smith, color trend forecaster at Sensational Color, homeowners are marrying up warm beige exteriors with trim work and shutters in eye-catching contrasting tones.

            "Today's homeowners are looking to express quiet sophistication on their home exteriors," says Smith. "That can be achieved by viewing the home from a 'top-down' overview. By starting with the roof and letting the eye travel downwards on the house, different soothing color combinations can be joined to create an overall warm exterior."

            As an example, Smith cites a DaVinci Roofscapes^® synthetic slate roof in a Brownstone Blend of browns and tans. Flowing down the home, a welcoming Antique White paint on the siding would be offset by a Mahogany front door and accenting trim work in a deep Chocolate.

            "Neutral tones of beige and brown certainly warm up a home exterior, but they're not a homeowner's only option," says Smith. "Gray is a popular and powerful color these days. There are softer tones of gray, like Smokey Gray, that easily flow into this trend of creating warmer exteriors."

            For this type of home, Smith cites the example of a Castle Gray Blend of roofing that leads the eye visually down the home painted in Silverpointe and accented with Snowcap White trim and Steely Gray shutters. A front door in Ibis Rose or Royal Gray completes the exterior.

            For homeowners interested in blending tones of gray or beige on their home exterior, Smith offers these five key tips:

                        Tip #1 - Use paint samples liberally. Take time to paint out a large enough sample area so you can really see the true color of a chosen paint. The full beauty of many colors, especially a neutral color, isn't always apparent when looking at a small sample. You might be surprised at just how beautiful the color you thought was "too dull" really is when you see the true hue on your home exterior.

                        Tip #2 -  Don't dismiss gray. A great choice for a roof, colors like Smokey Gray can be used with warm or cool neutrals and a wide range of colors on the home exterior. For a house that has natural wood siding or is predominantly brown in color, going with the warmer tones that fall between gray and brown (such as a Mountain Blend) would also work well on a synthetic slate or shake roof.

                        Tip #3 - Surface texture matters. The lightness or darkness of a color, along with the texture of the surface it is applied to, will affect the amount of light reflected. If you are applying paint to stucco or another textured surface, the color will appear darker. If applying paint to a smooth surface, the color will appear lighter.

                        Tip #4 - Go outside with your samples. It's always best to view all color samples and materials (including your roofing options) in the natural light outside your home and at different times of the day. This allows you to see the way the light changes the colors throughout the day and allows you to envision what the product will most closely look like before placing your order.

                        Tip #5 - Accent neutral colors with deep, rich and slightly toned down colors. You can use neutrals, textures and accent colors to give your home personality and make it stand out. Stone, brick and roofing tiles all add texture and depth to a neutral palette. Then, choose a statement color on your front door to turn it into a focal point.

            The experienced team members at DaVinci Roofscapes develop and manufacture industry-leading polymer slate and shake roofing systems with an authentic look and superior performance. DaVinci leads the industry in the greatest selection of colors, tile thickness and tile width variety. The company's reliable products have a limited lifetime warranty and are 100 percent recyclable. All DaVinci high-performing roofing products are proudly made in America where the company is a member of the National Association of Home Builders, the National Association of Roofing Contractors, the Cool Roof Rating Council and the U.S. Green Building Council. For information call 1-800-328-4624 or visit www.davinciroofscapes.com.