Clay siding has a bad reputation for being dull. Its grey-tan tint makes a house look industrialized and almost camouflaged in the background if you are surrounded by greenery. However, this just gives you more opportunity to explore colors that can make your house vibrant. So, what colors pair well with clay siding? We have gathered ideas for you.
When choosing the right colors to go with clay, it’s important to prioritize creating a sense of warmth and depth. Adding contrast is ideal, too, so the house will be visually stimulating. Try any of these colors with your clay siding:
- Black and white
- Red bricks and terra cotta
- Chartreuse
- Navy blue
- Dark brown
- Cranberry
- Cream
There are many areas on your house exterior that need attention if you want your home to look vibrant and visually cohesive. You need to consider the trim, the door, and the roof, making sure that your siding can tie them all up for a balanced look. Keep reading below to learn more about matching exterior colors with clay siding.
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What Color Goes With Clay Siding?
Your siding determines the house’s exterior color scheme. It is the biggest fixture on your exterior, so it’s important to make the colors work around it. Clay siding has a neutral color, so it should be easy to plan out a cohesive color palette for your roof, trim, and door.
Leaning into clay’s warm undertones is a good idea. Earth tones and sunset tones will inject vibrance into the house but creating contrast with cold-neutral colors will make the house look more structured because of the contrast.
Of course, you can try to incorporate a softer color palette by leaning into the neutral tones of clay, such as greige, grey, and sage green. However, your color options for it would be highly limited, and it would make your house look dull and plain.
Remember that the goal is to avoid letting your home melt into the background and to inject character and vibrance into it. Here are colors that best pair with clay siding.
Read: “15 Great House And Roof Color Combinations.”
Black and White
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Make your exterior look more structured and dimensional with black roofing and white trim. The white trim will create a visual outline of your house, lifting the exterior away from the background.
Meanwhile, the black roof will make the house look more structured and modern. It will also lead the eyes upward, making your house look bigger and taller.
For the door, you can go for dark-colored wood that looks almost black, so it won’t get lost with the light-neutrality of the exterior. If you want a cozier approach, go for a stark white-colored door.
The contrast will still make the door highly visible, but it will make your home feel more welcoming. It is also best to match your trim with your door so you can have a more cohesive color palette.
It is also easier to decorate white doors since it already has an intimate feel. Wreaths, dried flowers, and succulents will be more visible against a light-colored door.
Red Bricks and Terra Cotta
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Red bricks are a timeless fixture that adds rustic character to the house. You can install these red bricks at the front of your house to make your home more visually appealing.
As for the roof and trim, inject vibrance into the exterior by painting them with soft terra cotta shades. If you want something more balancing, you can try blending your trim with the exterior by painting it tan.
As always, try to match the trim with the door and paint it in a neutral or tan color for a cohesive color scheme.
Should you always match the trim with the door color?
Homes with matching door and trim paint look integrated, but that’s not the only way to make your home visually appealing. When you’re in doubt, go neutral; but you can also experiment with other colors and create contrast.
For example, if you have white trim, you can go the safe route and have a white door. Or, you can go with a black one or a blue one to create contrast. Clay siding is fairly easy to match since it has a plain tone, so try to mix the colors to highlight the coziness of your home.
Read: “Tan Or Beige House? 11 Exterior Color Schemes To Consider.”
Chartreuse
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Chartreuse is a bright yellow-green color that can highlight the warm tones of your clay siding. This hue injects a refreshing appeal into your home, making it look more bright and welcoming.
Chartreuse has a clean and vibrant tone that balances out the dull appeal of clay siding. You won’t stray too far from your house’s color scheme, so don’t worry about the colors clashing despite the vibrance.
Since it sits between yellow and green, it is an instant contrast against the dull shades of grey and green. It creates a lovely contrast, making your home look more structured and visible.
Where should you put chartreuse?
You can incorporate this color on your trim and see if you like the appeal. You can go for a more muted tone of chartreuse on the roof if you’re not sure, and the colors will still work.
Lean into the refreshing vibe of chartreuse and paint your door white. The combination of white with chartreuse will make your exterior look polished, elegant, and visually balanced.
You can paint the door in chartreuse if you want to perfectly match your trim with the door; just make sure you get the right shade so the color won’t melt into the background.
Navy Blue
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Navy blue is another color you can incorporate into your clay siding. The deep hue will create a contrast with the dullness of the siding and lift it away from the background, highlighting its structure and adding depth to the exterior.
You can paint your trim white and have a blue-colored door for a more homey vibe. Your roof can either remain neutral, or you can have it in a darker color.
Navy blue on the roof is also a good idea since it will add a unique charm to your exterior. The dark contrast will also lead the eyes upward, making your house appear taller. The color is not as overwhelming as black, and it has more character than neutral colors.
If you’re unsure about what colors to match, pair the blue paint with white and other contrasting neutrals–you can never go wrong with them. This color palette will also accommodate various decorations well, unlike if you lean into the dull color of your siding. Succulents and indoor plants will look more vibrant and visible, making you and your guests feel energized.
Dark Brown
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If you want to lean into the earth tones of clay siding, go with something that can add character and depth to your house.
Dark brown has a classic, traditional, and rustic appeal that can elevate your exterior without being visually overwhelming, and it still stays true to the aesthetic you want to achieve.
Pairing clay siding with brown is the safest route since the brown tones highlight the warmth of clay and make it look less plain and drab. Go for a dark brown wood for your door for a more classic and elegant appeal. The roof can either be in a lighter or darker shade of brown, whichever you prefer.
Paint the trim in white or a similar dark brown. Go with white if you want a softer look, and go with dark brown if you want a monochromatic look.
Cranberry
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Cranberry is a bold but artistic choice that can elevate your clay siding. The color is highly vibrant, so you may want to only put this color on your door or the roof. Tone down the rich cranberry tones by painting your trim in tan or white.
The roof can be in a lighter shade of cranberry if you don’t your color scheme to be too bold, or you can go darker if you want to add a unique charm to your house.
Cream
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Cream is another neutral color, but it highlights the warm and light tones of clay siding. This can make your exterior look brighter, making it more welcoming especially for guests. Pair your cream roof with a cream-colored door, tied together by white or tan trim.
Final Thoughts
It’s both challenging and rewarding trying to design an exterior that doesn’t have a vibrant siding. Fortunately, you can achieve a more intimate and welcoming appeal by exploring richer tones that enhance your siding color.
