It’s no secret that light shades have ruled the exterior siding space for the past few decades. While light neutrals offer beautiful, timeless aesthetics, dark neutrals are beginning to gain popularity, shifting the trend we’ve all become accustomed to.  

Instead of opting for neutral colors like white, cream or tan, homeowners are choosing dark neutrals like black to evoke elegance, modernism and sophistication into their home’s exterior. 

While black siding may be a newer trend for siding, it’s a strategic way to create a one-of-a-kind look that sets your home apart from the rest of the community, leaving an unforgettable impression.

Current Trends in Black Siding

When homeowners picture black siding, some may think it is an unwelcoming color that lacks creativity. However, the opposite is true — black siding comes in various shades and materials that can be used to create different looks that will fit a homeowner’s personal style and design preferences. 

With thoughtful consideration of the design end goal, neutral additions and different trim colors, designers and homeowners can ensure they select the right design to enhance the home’s overall aesthetic. 

Enhancing Different Design Styles 

Black siding is the perfect finishing touch for modern, minimalist and industrial-style homes. Its sleek, moody look creates the perfect canvas for homeowners wanting to make a statement while maintaining sophistication.

Black siding is also the perfect way to update the look of a home with a more traditional style. By updating the color of the siding, a homeowner can pay homage to the original home’s design and time period without making it look like a relic from the past.

Finally, homeowners who want their newly built homes to stand out in a neighborhood full of builder-beige homes can use black to elevate and personalize their homes’ styles.

Incorporating Natural Elements 

Another popular way to incorporate black siding is to combine it with natural materials and textures — this includes warm wood, stone, brick and stucco. This combination​​ of modern and natural design creates interest and is a great way to soften the look of black siding for a more welcoming feel.

Pairing Black Siding With Different Trim Colors

Homeowners who want to keep an appealing classic style for their home and make it stand out can flip the style script. They can swap out traditional light siding featuring a black trim color scheme for black siding with a bright trim color scheme.

Black siding is the perfect backdrop for a pop of color in window frames, soffits, shutters and exterior doors. It can also make landscaping and flowers a more significant focal point.

Tips for Transforming Your Home With Black Siding

From matching your home’s architectural style to choosing the right landscaping, using high-quality design is the key to making black siding work for your home without making it look cold or eerie. 

Highlight Your Home’s Architectural Style

Using black siding to enhance your home’s architectural style is the best way to turn it into a unique piece of art. It highlights some of the best architectural features and makes the style really stand out. 

For example, a Craftsman-style home is known for its large front porches — with black siding, that front porch can take center stage and be an enhanced focal point for the design. 

Choosing the Right Texture

To achieve your intended design style, consider whether you want smooth or textured siding for your home.  

Smooth black siding creates a polished, elegant, high-end appearance that is ideal for modern or industrial-style homes. It can be made from vinyl, aluminum or engineered polymer solutions. 

On the other hand, textured black siding has a raised, uneven surface that adds depth and interest to its overall appearance. Typically made from wood or fiber cement, the rough patterned texture works well with cottage or Craftsman-style homes.

Maintenance Requirements 

While black siding is generally a low-maintenance color, its texture may impact how much upkeep is needed to maintain its beauty.  

Typically, textured black siding does not require much maintenance, but it should be cleaned regularly to avoid dirt and dust build-up in the texture ridges. While smooth black siding may not hide imperfections as well as textured siding, it does not collect as much debris, so a quick rinse is usually sufficient for maintaining its charm. 

It is also important to consider the raw materials and the installation method of your siding to determine how much upkeep it will need. 

For example, black siding from Azek® Captivate™ needs minimal maintenance compared to black wooden siding as it is resistant to water intrusion, rotting, splintering, softening and warping. 

Landscaping and Exterior Lighting

The right landscaping and exterior lighting can elevate the style of your home and make it look like it has an intentional color story and design. Plants, trees and other natural elements soften the visual impact of black siding, especially if you choose glossy black siding.

Exterior lighting can brighten up the outside spaces of the home so that it doesn’t look dark or unappealing. Lighting features like sconces and solar garden lights give black siding more visual appeal, and opting for warm white lights can help create a charming, inviting exterior. 

Coordinating With Roof and Windows

If your home’s roof and windows are too bright, they will look jarring and make the home visually unappealing.

If your home has black siding, its roof should complement it. Black or dark gray roof tiles are the best choices for this.

Windows add light and soften the impact of black siding, but the trim of those windows should not clash with the siding. Neutral-colored trim is a classic choice. If you want to add a pop of color, choose colors that enhance the shade of black and the siding material you’ve chosen.

Practical Advice for Homeowners

When you’re ready to give your home a style upgrade and get in on the black siding trend, keep these installation tips from home design experts in mind:

• Talk to a design professional who can help you choose the right shade of black for your home and your design goals.
• Choose the right type of siding material for your climate.
• Make sure you understand how to maintain your black siding before installing it.

Find the Right Siding To Transform Your Home

If you want your home to reflect your style and have a more elevated look, look no further than Russin. We have an extensive range of siding options to ensure you can find the perfect look for your home.

From products like Azek Captivate, Western Red Cedar and Thermory, we carry the highest quality black siding on the market — we want to bring your visions to life while giving you peace of mind that the siding is made to stand the test of time.

Ready to upgrade your home with an impressive siding design? Contact us today to learn more.