Choosing the siding for our new home was perhaps
the largest stress we've had with this process. Almost
everything else was pretty easy for us to decide. I
know part of that was we've been waiting so long to
do this that we're very conscious of what we wanted
in our home. We've spent years researching & collecting
ideas. Our scrapbook is huge! Our idea file overflowing.
So it was a complete surprise to both of us that we
would be so caught up with picking something as
simple as siding. We agonized over the color at first.
Originally, we were going to go with a Heritage Blue
color, with white trim & a light grey roof. But one day,
after the hole was dug & a few trees moved, we realized
in the winter, we'd be able to sometimes see our next
door neighbor's house through the forest. And guess
what color his house is? Yes, blue! Not Heritage Blue
but a more teal light washed out blue. However, his
one shed, close to our forest, is a newer structure &
he sided it in the very blue we had our heart set on.
That was the first change. In the end, we chose a dark
Sage Green. Our windows & railings are white, the trim
will be black, our front door is black & the roof is a dark
grey. The stonework that will go around the garage & at
the front of the house will also be a dark grey, almost black.
In the gabled ends & above the cape cod window dormers,
we chose a lighter grey siding, with green everywhere else.
The agonizing & angst filled decision centered around
the style of siding. What is pretty standard here is vinyl
siding due to it's ability to act as a secondary insulator,
an important factor with our traditionally cold winters.
The only other options are brick (too expensive in this
region), stucco (too contemporary for our desired look) or
hardy board cement siding (too expensive for both
product & installation). For months we went back & forth
with colors, only to realize one day that it wasn't the color
we were having a hard time with. It was the fact we were
stuck with vinyl & both of us hated the look! We wanted a
Vintage look & the typical smooth, straight edged vinyl
look didn't appeal to us. When our builder brought out the
trim examples for the gables, we were thrilled to see those
pieces would be more of the look we wanted: a thick, rough
edged, detailed cedar look product. After marveling over it
for a day or two, we chose the grey color. And in the middle
of the night, I woke up with a bright idea! The next morning,
we contacted our builder, who said "let's ask the supplier
if it can be done" & then we patiently waited for the
reply. When it came, I was thrilled! Our question? Can we
side the whole house in the trim pieces? Their answer? No
one has ever done that before in this region but sure, let's
try it!! It took months for the siding to arrive from the east
but here it is, in the first stages of installation yesterday.
And we couldn't be happier!!
Do you think it looks Vintage enough?
I love the "cottage" feel to it!!
Do you agonize over decisions like this?
Do you love your decision once you make it?
