When it comes to building facades and interiors, colour selection can become quite an intense experience, given the wide range of choices available today. So what colour should you choose for your new deck or wall cladding?
NewTechWood has always been at the forefront of introducing new colours to keep up with trends and provide optimal choices for customers. Different countries have different tastes and the popularity of composite decking colours can vary greatly.
Whereas bright blue decking is appreciated in some parts of the world, by contrast, dark colours, such as ebony decking, or charred wood decking, are all the rage in the US. While these sleek dark tones are gaining popularity in Australia (and NewTechWood has introduced these colours into our range), we are trending towards more natural, lighter colours, such as NewTechWood’s Beech, Maple, and Canadian Cedar, to bring that coastal or Hamptons style vibe.
Factors to consider when choosing decking or cladding colour
Location
Warmer climates lend themselves to lighter, cooler colours, such as NewTechWood’s Antique, Beech, Maple, Teak, and Canadian Cedar.
Cooler climates might attract the darker, warmer colour palette, like Ipe, Walnut, Aged Wood and Ebony. The same principle might apply depending on whether you live by the coast, or further inland nestled among the trees.
Existing colours of your home and environment
What colour is your home? Look at the colours you have on your walls, window frames, doors and roof. If you have light cream-coloured bricks, you may find a matching light deck a tad boring, and should consider something that provides an interesting contrast, like Walnut, for example.
Perhaps the most difficult colour scheme to match a complementary deck with is grey, which is still very popular in Australia. Fortunately, NewTechWood offers three modern grey shades in Australia: Silver Grey and Antique in decking, and Silver Ash and Silver Grey in the cladding range. The grey shades also look amazing with red brick.
Style and mood
Modern, coastal and tropical style homes attract a different colour range than the more traditional federation style home. Colour choice can also affect the mood of a home. Some colours shout ‘party time’ (think vibrant reds, pinks, greens, blues and yellows) while others suggest more sedate activity, promoting tranquillity.
Consider the mood you want to create in an outdoor entertainment area around a pool, compared to a peaceful garden nook with a hammock for quiet reading or snoozing – and allow that to help drive your decision when it comes to decking colours.
Fashion trends
While keeping up with fashion trends is a passion for some, bear in mind that constructions like decking and cladding are going to be there for a very long time. So, while the idea of a bright orange deck might be fun today, in two years’ time when it is out of date, you are no longer going to be a fashion icon, but a fashion eyesore. For long term investments, your money is best spent on popular but time-honoured shades as opposed to the latest fashion trend.
Placement
If your deck is going to be attached to your house, ideally you want it to complement the house itself, as well as any interior flooring that is going to be visible. With many houses now having large sliding doors and moving glass wall systems, interior and exterior flooring has never been more noticeable from inside and out, so it makes sense to choose a deck colour that is complementary to the interior flooring.
Landscape
Match your deck colour to suit your landscape. What might look amazing with a verdant and colourful English country style garden, might not work as effectively with a desert and rock style garden. For example, a Silver Grey deck works perfectly with red pebble pathways and lots of greenery, whereas a deck that matches the pebbles too closely would not provide such an attractive contrast.
Practical issues
If you have children and/or pets, you must consider all those muddy feet and general mess. Beech is a beautiful light colour but perhaps you would be better off with Walnut, Ipe or Teak. Darker colours hide the dirt better, after all.
Colour trends for 2022 and beyond
Industry colour experts all agree that choosing the right colour scheme is more than just good aesthetic sense. It is crucial for creating a home where we feel secure, comfortable, and happy.
Comfort colour palette is still the best choice for cosy ‘outdoor living rooms’. Warm, timber-like tones can soften any outdoor space, no matter how small it is.
Homeowners are interested in colours that reflect optimism, hope and happiness. So, we may see more ‘happy colours’ like muted yellow shades, peach tones, and earthy colours that mimic nature. This includes all shades of calm greens, blues and greys, from soft pastel mint shades through to jungle greens, and pastel sky blues through to deep ocean blues.
Also, pinks and reds are becoming popular, but in more natural shades as might be found in nature and not in lollypops. Think raspberry and plum shades, not fire engine reds.
Neutral shades for your sanctuary of calm
Neutral shades that presented themselves in 2021 are expected to continue, such as pastel earthy colours like light browns, beiges and tans that on their own might appear boring but work well with other colours.
Whites and off-whites are always a favourite and with a subtle hint of colour are easy to work with as most colours will complement them.
In 2022 onwards, we will be choosing colours that reflect our personal need to take life at a slower pace, enjoying our less than significant moments, stopping to smell the roses, and generally to take better care of ourselves. From the madness of the outside world, coming home we want to enter a sanctuary of calm, where we can shake off the stresses and anxieties.
NewTechWood’s range will complement all these colour choices, with a diverse range of popular fashionable colours that won’t make you cringe in the future, whether you want a coastal/beach effect, match a federation style or a country cabin, or something super modern.
Why not visit a NewTechWood reseller and organise some samples in the shades you like, then take them home for visual reassurance that your planned colour scheme will work. If you are an architect or if you live too far from a reseller, contact us about samples.
Urban Direct Wholesale is an exclusive distributor of NewTechWood in Australia.
