Should You Paint Exterior Trim the Same Color as Your House?
When it comes to the exterior of your home, every detail matters–especially the colors you choose. Homeowners often give the overall color the proper consideration, but choose to paint the trim the same color as the rest of the house.
Before you decide to paint your house and trim the same color, take the time to read this article to understand what trim is, how it differs from the fascia and more.
What is Trim?
Before you start painting, you need to understand what the term is referring to. A home's exterior trim is used to encase the windows and doors. It is an important feature that plays a significant role in protecting your home and keeping moisture out. Trim also helps define different home features by creating focal points, adding interest and increasing curb appeal.
How to Use Trim in Exterior Home Design
The trim on your home provides a protective barrier from the elements and offers a design opportunity. While you can paint your exterior trim the same color as your house, you can also bring in a different color to create contrast. You can also trim the same color as your house for most areas and use a different one to create a focal point to draw the eye to something specific, like your front door.
What is Fascia?
Despite many homeowners thinking that fascia and trim are the same thing, they are different. Fascia is the board that covers the edge of an overhang. It includes the roof's eaves and connects to the soffit, the angled covering that helps connect that fascia to the home's facade.
How to Use Fascia
Much like the trim, your home's fascia presents a design opportunity. You can paint the fascia a different color than your siding, which allows the fascia to stand out and become more of a focal point. This can be an excellent choice if you have decorative fascia that you want people to notice. You can also choose to have it the same color as your house and trim for a seamless look.
Benefits of Painting the Exterior of Your House All One Color
While some people will insist your house and trim should be different colors, that isn't always the case. Many things make painting the exterior of your home all one color worth considering. Some benefits include:
1. Create a Unified Appearance
Using a singular color for your home's exterior can create a cohesive, unified appearance. It will eliminate any potentially harsh lines for a seamless, aesthetically pleasing exterior.
2. Create an Illusion of Height
While primarily an interior design tactic, painting the exterior trim the same color as your house can help create an illusion of height. This can be especially beneficial for smaller homes that want to appear bigger than they actually are.
3. Easier Maintenance
Having the house and trim the same color is easier to maintain because you don't have to worry about having multiple colors on hand for touch-ups. You also don't have to worry about getting the trim paint on the rest of the house because it will all blend in.
4. A Simple, Minimalistic Approach
Sticking with one color takes the guesswork out of creating the perfect exterior color palette. It allows you to embrace a simpler design aesthetic to create an extremely elegant and minimalist exterior.
5. Make A Bold, Dramatic Statement
Using one color for the exterior is not something everyone is brave enough to do. It is a bold statement that can create an impactful design. Opting for a dark color will add an element of drama and allow your house to stand out from the rest.
House and Trim Color Inspiration
Here are trim color inspirations, some with exterior trim the same color as the house and others that show how easy it is to mix and match colors.
1. A Crisp White-on-White
White is a popular color option for home design because it looks clean and works well with every design style. The house pictured above features a white-on-white color scheme that creates a grand feel. The elements of wood and the yellow-toned lighting create a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
2. Combining Multiple Colors
If you are limited to one or two colors for your home's exterior, this house combines materials and colors. The main body is blue-gray, which is highlighted by the white trim and fascia. The white fascia also creates a clear divide between the roof and the body of the house.
3. Matching Trim With Black Accents
This cozy house features a white-on-white look that, combined with the architecture, creates a traditional feel. While the trim, fascia and soffit are white to match the house, a black door and black shutters were added to create a tasteful contrast, adding depth and boldness to the home.
4. Go for a Bold Pop of Color
You aren't limited to neutral trim colors for your home. This siding is a simple, clean white, but the trim and fascia are where the real interest is. Instead of choosing a neutral color, the homeowner chose a deep red, which creates a dramatic contrast and adds more interest.
5. Red Fascia and Blue Trim on a White House
The vibrant red roof and fascia are the first things you notice on this house, but they are not the only stand-out features. Light-blue trimmed windows and doors add a softer touch to this white home.
6. Vibrant Colors With White Trim
Making a bold statement beside its neighboring tan home, this house has a beautiful red siding with a stunning blue door. Bright white trim was the perfect choice for this residence as it simultaneously creates contrast while bringing balance to the overall design.
7. Gray-On-White
Gray is a classic, timeless house color that fits any design style and aesthetic. White trim and fascia add to the timeless look and help to brighten the porch that would otherwise be lost in the shadows if the house and trim were the same color.
8. Light Gray House with Black Trim
This house has a light gray siding found on many homes and is finished with matte black trim and fascia that contrast nicely with the rest of the house. Paired with the colorful landscaping surrounding the house, it creates a whimsical storybook feel.
9. Matching Trim with Different Fascia
This home looks like a ski lodge that combines different brown materials — wooden shakes, logs and stone. The fascia is a blue-green color that stands out from the body of the house. The window frames match the fascia and the trim surrounding them is a rich brown that matches the log siding, allowing the windows in that section of the house to blend seamlessly.
10. Orange Siding with White Accent
This house chose to go bold with their choice of siding color. The orange combines with bright white trim and fascia to create a warm, welcoming exterior.
Skip the Trim Paint and Go for the Trim Coil
Painting your trim and soffit is a time-consuming process. While the initial results may look great, the paint will begin to fade over time, and it doesn't provide sufficient protection from the elements. Soffit, fascia and trim coil are all made from thin sheets of aluminum, which are formed to cover different areas of wood trim. It provides more protection from the elements and allows you to customize your exterior with various trim color options easily.
Depend on Alsco® Metals For Your Home
At Alsco Metals, we provide all of our products at the highest quality possible. Our soffit materials are available in different styles with different color options for each, and our fascia materials come in smooth or woodgrain finishes, with a large color selection to allow for more creativity on the home's exterior.
We also supply different options for trim coil — the Color Select Trim Coil offers the widest customization with the ability to color match it to many leading brands of siding. The color matching eliminates the guesswork in finding the right paint if you're looking to have your exterior house and trim the same color.
Our Smooth Trim Coil also offers a wide color selection to easily match the trim to your soffit and fascia. With these products, you can get an easy, customized look that is durable and protective without being high maintenance.
If you're ready to dress up your home's exterior with trim coil, soffit and fascia, contact Alsco Metals today! Our expert staff can help you choose the best products for your home and find a nearby supplier.