Your home’s curb appeal is a delicate ecosystem that feeds off every exterior choice you make, from the color of your siding to the plants lining your walkway. Simply put, every decision you make outdoors plays an important role in elevating the look of your home—and that includes the back of your house, too.
You may think that choosing a deck color is as simple as pointing to a brown stain on the hardware store shelf and going with it, but you’d be doing your home’s aesthetic a big disservice. “A deck is a large element of your home, especially if it’s visible from the road, and a stain color that is harmonious with your exterior palette and hard finishes will make your home more friendly and comfortable,” says Michelle Marceny, principal color designer at The Color Concierge. “Homeowners often will pick a color they like in the warehouse without considering their overall exterior color palette. It’s one of those things that will make a house look wrong, and you can’t quite put your finger on why.”
To help you select stain like a pro, we’re rounding up six tried-and-true expert tips for landing on the right tone for your home—and upping your curb appeal just in time for outdoor season.
Figure Out Your Wood Species
Real wood decks pose a unique challenge in that you’ll have to content with not only the existing colors on the exterior of your house (and surrounding landscape) but also the wood species itself. The reason? “Different wood species yield different results,” explains expert Debra Kling, a certified color consultant. “It’s so important to test your stain in a hidden area on your deck before committing to a color, instead of relying on the color charts you find in the paint store.” What looks like a deep brown on oak may skew red on cedar, so make sure to observe your sample in different light to make sure you’re settling on your pick before you stock your supplies.
Promote Indoor-Outdoor Flow
Just like you want your deck stain to jive with the exterior of your home, choosing a hue that compliments the interior is equally as important. “I like to pick a deck color that is similar to the interior hardwood floor that’s adjacent to the deck,” says Marceny. “That way, you get an uninterrupted view out the deck window of the floor. It makes both the deck and the interior room look bigger.”
Weigh Your Exterior Finishes
Think of choosing the right deck stain as a balancing act. You’ll want to settle on a selection that has enough drama to anchor your outdoor space but not so much that it detracts from whatever else you have going on al fresco, whether that’s the beautiful blue of your siding, a hedge of prized hydrangea, or a quaint patio bistro set. “I highly recommend a color that is not competing with the color of your home but compliments the exterior color palette,” says color expert Amy Wax. “If your home is in a warmer color family—from beige to yellows to taupe and even brown—a warmer stain color in the brown family will blend in beautifully. If your home is cooler-toned (think blues, grays, or stone), choose a deck stain with a cool gray that will blend in well.”
Consider the Stain’s Opacity
“There are two variables you must consider when choosing a deck stain product, and each is equally important,” says Kling. “You have to weigh both the color and the opacity of the stain. A single deck color, like ‘mahogany,’ may come in transparent, semi-transparent, semi-solid, and solid formulations. The level of transparency will greatly affect how the color will ultimately appear, and a semi-transparent finish will always appear a bit lighter than a solid stain of the same color.” This is another reason why sampling the stain before committing is so important.
Don't Stain Everything the Same
A word from the pros: Just because you feel confident about your final stain color pick doesn’t mean you should go wild coating it on every wood surface on the exterior of your home. “Stained railings and sun structures can overwhelm the look of a house, so I typically recommend that details like railings and pergolas match the trim on the house for a connected look,” says Maria Killam, a color expert, best-selling author, and educator. When in doubt, think of your deck stain as an accent color instead of the anchor hue, and you should be good to go.
Balance Out a Wrong Choice
Trust us; even the pros miss the mark sometimes. Contrary to what you might think, choosing the wrong deck stain—or buying a house with a deck color you can’t stand—is something you can come back from. “If you choose a deck stain that doesn’t compliment the colors of your home, counteract it with warm or cool tones to balance out the floor,” says Wax. “For example, maybe your home is a warm beige, and you stained the deck a cool gray, what should you do? I suggest adding decorative elements in warmer hues that can then be the focal point of your exterior design, helping the deck fade into the background.”
Read more at Real Simple
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