6 Home Exterior Mistakes Designers Are Tired of Seeing

From outdoor entertaining to improving curb appeal, it’s that time of year when a home’s exterior is front and center. But before you embark on any exterior updates, learn what the pros have to say when it comes to home exterior mistakes, so you can avoid making them in the first place.

We’ve rounded up six home exterior mistakes designers instantly notice.

Newer Isn’t Always Better

When it comes to cladding, many homeowners would prefer low-maintenance and cost-effective options that rarely need to be re-finished such as vinyl siding. But David Mann, founder and principal of MR Architecture + Decor, points out that these modern-day materials are not nearly as attractive or environmentally friendly as old-school wood, brick, and stone.

If your home was originally built in such a material and is now covered in siding, he recommends stripping it back down to the original and repairing as needed. With regards to maintenance and long-term costs, here are a few things to keep in mind: while vinyl siding can typically last decades longer than wood siding, wood is no slouch.

When maintained properly, especially to avoid rot, wood siding can last anywhere between 20 and 40 years. Brick, on the other hand, can potentially outlast vinyl if installed well to begin with. It requires minimal maintenance and can handle harsh weather conditions even better than siding.

Less Is More

With outdoor living remaining a popular feature of homes today, it’s easy to overdo it with patio, deck, or poolside furnishings and decor.

Carola Pimentel, founder of Assure Interiors, recommends that you avoid overdecorating with too much furniture and striking a balance between outdoor spaces and nature.

“Decide your priorities: if you love to cook, then create a curated outdoor kitchen with a dining set. If you prefer relaxing by the pool or on a terrace, invest in sun lounges, sturdy umbrellas, and side tables,” she says.

If you happen to have a large enough yard to incorporate both, she advises both spaces don’t crowd each other.

“Create a complementary dialogue between the styles of each outdoor space,” Pimentel says.

Painting an Old House Dark

Many paint-color forecasters predict that dark neutrals on home exteriors will remain popular for some time, perhaps possessing the staying power of whites and light neutrals. But one of our design experts doesn’t agree when it’s applied to older period homes in particular.

“The trend of painting older homes black or dark charcoal as a modern update will only serve to be a costly mistake when the trend moves on,” Carter Averbeck, owner of and lead designer at Omforme Design, says.

Not Lightening Up

Exterior sconces and motion-detecting lights at doors and entrances are a common sight on most home exteriors. But, according to Pimentel, some ambient and landscape lighting can also be beneficial.

You may want to consider adding path lights to ensure a safe walk up to the door, for instance, or just creating some visual interest and drama by lighting up certain trees, plantings, or a garden sculpture. If the idea of installing new wiring outdoors makes you cringe, Pimentel reminds you that it’s easier to implement lighting almost anywhere with the slew of battery-powered and rechargeable outdoor LED lights offered by top manufacturers.

There are even solar-powered spike-style lanterns that you can DIY set into the lawn beside walking and driveway paths.

Random Additions

If you’ve ever passed by a house and noticed that a portion of the home looked oddly tacked on at a later date, chances are you correctly spotted an alteration not original to the house.

While most thoughtful renovators—be they architects, interior designers, contractors, or homeowners, themselves—will do their best to expand a home while respecting the original design intent, they’re not always successful.

“Additions that aren’t copacetic with the original architecture are just an eyesore,” Averbeck says.

He warns that rectifying such mistakes takes a lot of resources and money to make them aesthetically appropriate. So if you’re determined to make some changes, be sure to fully research and discuss the options with a professional.

White Furniture

Returning to the topic of outdoor living, Pimentel advises against using white outdoor furniture. It doesn’t stand up to harsher weather, gets dirty easily, and wears out quickly. That’s not to say that lighter-hued high-performance outdoor textiles are the problem, however.

But you might find that certain white furniture frame materials, such as plastic, begin to yellow after just weeks of use. She suggests opting instead for darker neutrals such as grays and blacks, as well as considering woven manmade materials for added texture and natural teak for more warmth and character.