Given the particular mix of inspiration we’re incorporating into our Minnesota Modern home, it was pretty obvious to me that we’d need to redo the exterior of our home. The stucco in this boring beige color just doesn’t make this adorable home feel nearly as special as it is on the inside.
Plus, we haven’t heard great things about stucco quality-wise and endurance-wise.
The exterior of our home is certainly going to be an ongoing process, because we have dreams of replacing the siding, building a bigger deck, putting up copper gutters, switching out windows, redoing part of the roof, and even adding a bit more cover over the new front door so that it feels more like an entrance.
Clearly, timing and budget will dictate both whether we do all these things and when they actually get done. But, to guide us in the meantime, I’ve been assembling exterior inspiration pictures. Want a peek?
Board and Batten Siding
To begin, let’s talk about what the outside of our home looks like right now.
It’s a lovely little farm house, and perhaps it looks a bit wonky in some ways because of its age, and the obvious multiple renovations it has received, but we love those quirks!
The main thing we want to change is the siding. Looking at inspiration pictures on Pinterest, I started finding a recurring theme: board and batten.
I love the idea of board and batten because it honors the history of this house as a farmhouse, but also feels true to our other pillars of inspiration (Scandinavian Modern Minnesota design).
I also want to combine the board and batten with wood to give that modern vibe and incorporate some natural elements into the house—plus, it will mix up the vertical lines a little bit, too.
Dark or Light
So, we’ve decided on the style of siding, but now we need to pick a color. Basically all the inspiration houses I’ve pinned have been black houses with cedar accents. So, clearly, if I was living alone, I would have a black house.
Image Source: Amber Interiors | Trickle Creek |Pinewood | Pam Sessions
But I live with my wonderful husband, and he is a bit concerned that a black house would be a bit…much. So, I did additional research and found some dark green homes that are a bit less dramatic while still being sufficiently moody.
Image Source: DeForest Architects | Our Home Building Life | J. Wright Building | Barn Light
As much as I love the dark green, and Dustin is on board with it to a degree, he still worries about a lack of contrast. So, our other option is to go traditional farmhouse and paint the outside white.
Image Source: HGTV |Jettset Farmhouse | Magnolia | Better Homes and Gardens
So, pretty big difference and a pretty big decision to make! What do you think? Let me know on this Instagram post if you think we should go light or dark with our exterior.
Stay tuned to see what we decide on and when we actually get the exterior updated! (Hint: Minnesota weather will probably have a lot of weight in the decision!)
