Siding selection

Despite setbacks with the framing job, I’m trying to push ahead with other aspects of the project. One of the biggest upcoming steps is choosing the siding for the house. Siding is attached over the structural sheathing and forms the outermost layer of the exterior walls. Siding plays a lot of functional roles: it has to protect the inner layers of the walls from water, wind, impacts, and UV damage. But it’s a huge aesthetic choice too. Just choosing the color of the house is a big decision that somehow feels both really simple and really complicated.

One thing I’ve tried to be mindful of is what I’m drawn to in photos vs. what I want the house to feel like when you pull up to it. For example, blacks and dark grays are super popular exterior house colors right now, and Pinterest is awash in artfully color-graded photos of chic black Nordic homes. But when I see houses in these dark monotones in person around town, they can sometimes feel a little austere and standoffish. I’m good with the house having some class but I also want it to be friendly and approachable.

Pictured here are samples of prepainted seamless steel siding from Quality Edge. It’s a good idea to view samples under natural light so that you can see how they’ll actually look on the house. I haven’t made a final decision on the color scheme yet, but it’s been fun thinking about this and narrowing the options down. Or trying to, anyway.