Variety is the spice of life, as the old saying goes. Whether it’s food, clothing, or friends, options are what make life more enjoyable. When you think of variety, you may not instantly think of exterior cladding. But, believe it or not, there are thousands of options available when selecting the perfect vinyl siding for a home’s exterior.
Early tract housing was often criticized for its monotony and complete lack of variety. Too much of one thing can be drab and boring, which is definitely one way to describe these turn of the century neighborhoods. This one-siding approach worked well for efficiency and cost control, but it was about as visually appealing as the culinary equivalent of sitting down to 17 pounds of mashed potatoes.
With today’s vinyl siding, you really don’t need to settle for boring, uninspired designs. There are thousands of options to help spice up a façade along with a variety of materials to keep your eyes dancing from color-to-color and texture-to-texture.
Mix Materials to Amplify the Look of Vinyl Siding
When looking at the Battery Park multifamily units lining the streets in Cleveland, OH, it’s hard not to admire the award-winning development. The designers created a truly unique exterior by mixing and matching colors and textures using vinyl siding as a visual foundation with accents of steel siding.
These designs prove that mixing materials can create a greater visual impact than using a single type of shape of material. For example, think of structures that are completely steel sided, such as shipping containers, chicken coops, and steel warehouses. These can be visually boring. But when mixed with other colors or materials, such as vinyl siding, it instantly adds more dynamic.
At Battery Park, the steel siding pops thanks to the base material and color provided by the vinyl siding backdrop, creating a visually appealing, bold statement. In fact, nearly 80% of the cladding you see on these buildings is contrasting colors of vinyl.
Adding Pops of Color for Added Flair
Just as the variety of textures provided by steel and vinyl siding engage you eye, the Battery Park designers explored the color variety possibilities of vinyl siding. Today’s vinyl siding, including accessories, is available in more than 400 certified colors, so you can achieve virtually limitless designs by mixing these durable colors and textures.
By mixing materials, designers at Battery Park achieved buildings that bring together weight with masonry, whimsy with steel siding, and warmth with vinyl siding to reflect all the elements of a home.
To learn more about the design possibilities available with vinyl siding, check out the VSI Inspiration Gallery.