What's with exterior colors?

[PCustoms]

What's with the new trend of black/white exteriors?

A few years back neighbors renovated a summer log cabin to year round and then painted/stained it black.

Other neighbors either redid siding or painted to go from nice blue to an off-white.

New house goes up last fall, house is either whitewashed or the pine is bleeding through. Tough to say if it was intentional as the color was certainly more solid last year, and the finish was homeowner applied. This spring they sided the ADU, but in black. So 10' aprt you have a white house and a black apartment (?).

Now the kicker that made me go WTF. Someone has been restoring a barn (lifted barn, excavation for footings, poured floor and knee walls, set barn square, new roof, new 4 bay "wing" etc ), way over the top build and barn is likely worth more then my house. It's been red, probably for 100 years, as that is the color of barns around here. About a week ago I noticed it was primed grey, and just had that feeling....yep, it was dark black yesterday. Giant barn, dark black. Looks totally wrong.

 

[mike93lx]

I doubt most people realize how much hotter a dark color will get than a light.

Fashion trends often don't make sense

 

[jack stand]

I've noticed the dark trend develop about 10 years ago starting with the windows in new, upper end homes. To me they reminded me of a industrial building or mill from close to 100 years ago and I didn't get it.
It has grown on me particularly with a white siding and perhaps a little bit of black "trim", but not on my home. I don't have the nerve.

 

[Stuart in MN]

They watch those HGTV shows. Inside the house they've probably painted their brick fireplaces and oak woodwork too.

 

[mike93lx]

I do like the black windows trend....it's a nice change from always white.

My current house is all brick, so nothing to worry about here

 

[PCustoms]

I doubt most people realize how much hotter a dark color will get than a light.

My initial thought was "wonder what that will do to their utilities?" Well, I had other thoughts about the black log cabin, but they're a little weird overall....

But seeing the barn painted yesterday just had me baffled. This thing is massive, probably $75k in raw concrete alone, let alone labor costs. Why sink that much money into "saving" something with no known historical value* and then paint it BLACK? Seems like tearing down and starting a new barn would have been faster and cheaper.

*There are some historical barns around. Pretty clear based on the work done that this wasn't a restoration. Kind of the old " this is grandaddy's hammer, the handle has been replaced 7 times and the head 4 times" concept.

Guess I wish I had money to burn....

 

[Natty Bumppo]

It's called the "modern farmhouse." The trend has been hot for about 10 years now...whitewashed houses with black windows, front porches with large rustic beams, lots of gables on the home, white cabinets in the kitchen, and interior barn style doors. Just read a NY Times article about it a few weeks ago. Probably born from a yearning for simpler times in a modern era.

 

[PCustoms]

On the barn, I suspect possibly "wedding barn" as we don't have one in the immediate area.

I'm half expecting to see next time I drive that way that they cobb blasted the exterior in some attempt to emulate weathering.

 

[jack stand]

Sounds like they're making it into a nice house, not that I understand the black.
I'm partial to red paint or grey/ silver naturally faded wood for barns.

 

[NUTTSGT]

My initial thought was "wonder what that will do to their utilities?" Well, I had other thoughts about the black log cabin, but they're a little weird overall....

But seeing the barn painted yesterday just had me baffled. This thing is massive, probably $75k in raw concrete alone, let alone labor costs. Why sink that much money into "saving" something with no known historical value* and then paint it BLACK? Seems like tearing down and starting a new barn would have been faster and cheaper.

*There are some historical barns around. Pretty clear based on the work done that this wasn't a restoration. Kind of the old " this is grandaddy's hammer, the handle has been replaced 7 times and the head 4 times" concept.

Guess I wish I had money to burn....

Any chance this barn is going to become living space ? An original "barndominium" ?

 

[PCustoms]

It's called the "modern farmhouse." The trend has been hot for about 10 years now...whitewashed houses with black windows, front porches with large rustic beams, lots of gables on the home, white cabinets in the kitchen, and interior barn style doors. Just read a NY Times article about it a few weeks ago. Probably born from a yearning for simpler times in a modern era.

I suppose.

Just funny to see well established and unique homes go through makeovers so that now ever other house on the street is a duplicate.

White house, can't see from road, white house, black house, can't see from road, black house, white house, black house, white house.

That's just the left side of the road!

 

[PCustoms]

Any chance this barn is going to become living space ? An original "barndominium" ?

I don't think so.

They've actually nicely fixed up the "farmhouse" and a separate building on the property in traditional colors, those buildings look normal and just cleaned up versions of what was there previously. Plus the barn doors.

 

[PCustoms]

Here's the barn, from 10yrs ago.

 

[jack stand]

Oh now I see, VERMONT.
Probably some NYC money for a 2nd or 3rd home. The amount of excessive money that's "out there" is amazing. I don't resent these people because of their success and seeing them (apparently) spending a substantial sum  saving this barn is a good thing in my mind.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Oh now I see, VERMONT.
Probably some NYC money for a 2nd or 3rd home. The amount of excessive money that's "out there" is amazing. I don't resent these people because of their success and seeing them (apparently) spending a substantial sum  saving this barn is a good thing in my mind.

That or I thought an older farmer died, grandkids with a young wife got the property with a substantial farm inheritance check and spending it liy there's no tomorrow.

 

[PCustoms]

Oh now I see, VERMONT.

I suspect in the case of the barn you are correct.

Only one other home I mentioned is owned by flatlanders, and it's pretty clear they lack taste and money.


@NUTTSGT the old owner (well at least old occupant) is still around. Though it is quite surprising to know of a few "celebrities" just trying to live a normal (albeit privileged) life around here, so you never know if someone has money to burn.

Worth mentioning, I bought a foreclosure and have only had 2 contractors (tree/crane guy and gas guy) work on it. I certainly don't have excess money!

 

[Wiz02]

Someone recently painted their home's beige stucco exterior black, in my neighborhood. It certainly stands out.

My issue with white in any exterior application is that it always looks dirty, but I am not replacing our windows or trim. Instead, in true
GJ fashion, I am using it as a reason to get a power washer.

 

[PCustoms]

In true GJ fashion, I am using it as a reason to get a power washer.

Just to clarify, you aren't going to wash the paint off the neighbors house, right?

 

[dfiler2]

Someone did a black barn near here and I thought it looked pretty good, I like the look of old timber and black siding.

 

[mike93lx]

I suspect in the case of the barn you are correct.

Only one other home I mentioned is owned by flatlanders, and it's pretty clear they lack taste and money.


@NUTTSGT the old owner (well at least old occupant) is still around. Though it is quite surprising to know of a few "celebrities" just trying to live a normal (albeit privileged) life around here, so you never know if someone has money to burn.

Worth mentioning, I bought a foreclosure and have only had 2 contractors (tree/crane guy and gas guy) work on it. I certainly don't have excess money!

Flatlanders ****!

 

[Wiz02]

Just to clarify, you aren't going to wash the paint off the neighbors house, right?

Around here everything is siding, brick, stone, stucco or aluminum capped, very little paint on exteriors of most homes to wash off, but with enough pressure....

A neighbor did have their vinyl siding painted. A few months later, they re-sided it.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Because it creates a calming, relaxing atmosphere for the people living within... and because people miss the colors of... their former home at either the state penitentiary or the state mental health residential facility... same with all the grayscale interiors.

 

[sayn3ver]

White siding (with board and batten or other accent on the rake ends of the gables) with black windows and black metal roof.

I like the look and it isn't a new combination of colors. The black window frames are probably considered new for that color scheme. It's definitely trending here in southern nj but worse things have occurred like turquoise carpet in the 90's or linoleum sheet flooring.

Plenty of older homes that had white lap wood siding or white lap vinyl or white lap aluminum, black asphalt shingles and black shutters for decades now so it's definitely not new, it's just new with the attention to details/material and the standing seam metal roof adds another level of detail that for most in my area is unusual vs the de facto 3 tab or architectural asphalt shingle.

The next new will be the resurgence of the resurgence of the three-4 color craftsman paint jobs (the olive green body, off white trim and an accent color then clear coated wood accents like the front door).

Plenty of houses previous to the modern farm house started slapping craftsman front doors on anything and everything (craftsman front door with the 6 light window and the detailed ledge on a colonial with columns on the front) Craftsman trim has been raging for a decade now in non craftsman homes (guilty here on that but did the entire interior trim that way and it's mostly cause I wanted trim that was solid non finger jointed and non mdf and poplar flat stock was available and within budget. We also live in an area of orginal bungalows with that treatment despite being in a non bungalow rancher and my
Wife and I are simple folk not trying to be fancy ).

 

[wcummins1313]

We went with a dark blue and black window look. I can’t tell you the number of people who have stopped and asked what color it is.

We have noticed the house getting a bit warmer this winter. However, we live in northern MN. The sun only shines for three months out of the year.

 

[allinon72]

It's a styling trend. Trends come and go. No need to go outside and shake your cane at the clouds about it.

 

[kbs2244]

"Fashion trends often don't make sense"
THIS
black, or any dark, siding will expand when the sun hits it
no matter what the temp is

 

[Zeke]

It's called the "modern farmhouse." The trend has been hot for about 10 years now...whitewashed houses with black windows, front porches with large rustic beams, lots of gables on the home, white cabinets in the kitchen, and interior barn style doors. Just read a NY Times article about it a few weeks ago. Probably born from a yearning for simpler times in a modern era.

Stupidest trend ever. I once was going to write a book about house trends starting with oak barrel hot tubs and then mini blinds. But a sliding door IN FRONT of an opening is just plain idiotic. Especially on a bathroom or bedroom and it's been done.

 

[Garcky]

When the trend is over, they'll probably redo their buildings to match the new trend, I suppose. When we bought our mid-century rambler in St. Paul, MN, it had light blue vinyl siding with white window trim. My wife called it "Sears Blue" and expressed her dislike of that color. After inspecting the vinyl siding, I could see that it was in good condition, so I repainted it, after my wife helped me with color choice. We chose an antique brick color. It took me three days to hand wash the house, rinse it off, and apply two coats of an all-in-one primer/flat vinyl-based paint. Then, I repainted the trim a dark blue color that matched the decorative shutters I bought for the windows.

The result was strikingly different from the rest of the pastel vinyl siding on other houses on the block. Looked great. Over the next couple of years several other houses on that street got repainted or resided with more interesting colors than the basic 1950s-70s vinyl siding. Fast forward about 13 years, and we sold the house. The painted siding still looked great. I took my time on that. Most people could not tell it was repainted vinyl siding.

You can paint vinyl siding. Almost nobody does it, but it works just fine.

 

[alfadan]

We have acres and acres of black painted duplexes. All exactly the same. Gives me the feeling of soviet bloc houses or something.

 

[sayn3ver]

When the trend is over, they'll probably redo their buildings to match the new trend, I suppose. When we bought our mid-century rambler in St. Paul, MN, it had light blue vinyl siding with white window trim. My wife called it "Sears Blue" and expressed her dislike of that color. After inspecting the vinyl siding, I could see that it was in good condition, so I repainted it, after my wife helped me with color choice. We chose an antique brick color. It took me three days to hand wash the house, rinse it off, and apply two coats of an all-in-one primer/flat vinyl-based paint. Then, I repainted the trim a dark blue color that matched the decorative shutters I bought for the windows.

The result was strikingly different from the rest of the pastel vinyl siding on other houses on the block. Looked great. Over the next couple of years several other houses on that street got repainted or resided with more interesting colors than the basic 1950s-70s vinyl siding. Fast forward about 13 years, and we sold the house. The painted siding still looked great. I took my time on that. Most people could not tell it was repainted vinyl siding.

You can paint vinyl siding. Almost nobody does it, but it works just fine.

Vinyl paints well. Need to typically paint same shade or lighter or use a vinyl safe formula.

 

[sayn3ver]

"Fashion trends often don't make sense"
THIS
black, or any dark, siding will expand when the sun hits it
no matter what the temp is

I think some of it is the look of the charred wood siding is appealing so they just paint it charcoal.

If you live in a heating dominated climate then dark colors (black) may be beneficial energy wise. Same for roof color. As
The climate warms I have a feeling almost all locations will benefit from lighter colors.

 

[ATC]

Stupidest trend ever. I once was going to write a book about house trends starting with oak barrel hot tubs and then mini blinds. But a sliding door IN FRONT of an opening is just plain idiotic. Especially on a bathroom or bedroom and it's been done.

My friend worked hard on modifying and installing two nice doors with glass panes for their laundry 'room' a while back. Now, his wife wants sliding barn doors there. My friend just laughed and said 'over my dead body'. She asked me my opinion, and I said she might as well start digging two graves! Haha!

My mother is always watching HGTV, DIY, or other home improvement network shows. They are all the same. I don't think she likes my WTF face when I watch a little bit with her. Make it look good for TV...to hell with function!

 

[Kuma601]

The interiors also conform to that back, gray and white color scheme. In fall I did some RE photography and after a handful of shoots, it was the same ol.

Our travels in Japan this shou sugi ban and specifically the Yakisugi of Japanese cedar is quite appealing. The wife's family is countryside Kyushu-Kagoshima and the homes in that area had this application.

Eventually it will be like the almond and avocado colors of the late 60's-70's. Or the muted colors of cars now.