Black exteriors are a new exterior paint trend that has been growing rapidly in popularity over the last couple years.
Sue Wadden, Director of Color Marketing at Sherwin-Williams, says that during the annual Sherwin-Williams analysis of color data, it became clear that black and very dark colors have started dominating in popularity among homeowners.
“We have seen black trend way to the top of lists of the most popular exterior colors,” Wadden says. “Tricorn Black (SW 6258) has always, from a paint perspective, been a top color—usually somewhere in the top 50. We know people paint their front doors or their shutters black. But we can tell from gallons sold that homeowners are now painting their entire exteriors black. Among contemporary exteriors, we’re seeing a high-contrast trend take shape: people are either painting their houses white or dark. White houses are nothing new, but dark houses are a very modern trend that painters need to be aware of.”
Colors such as Tricorn Black, Iron Ore (SW 7069), and Urbane Bronze (SW 7048) were all among the top 10 most-purchased colors for exterior paint. The trend is even stronger among stain colors, where Tricorn Black was #1 and Charwood (SW 3542)—the second-best selling—sold significantly more than the next most popular stain color. (You can order free chips of these colors and more at swsamples.com.)
Going Dark
While black exteriors have been around for roughly a decade, but it only became mainstream in North America following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were on the tail end of the Scandinavian influence—which was prevalent for the last decade,” Wadden says. “Homeowners were painting outbuildings—adjacent or attached structures like a shed or a garage—with these dark, rich colors, especially in forested areas. This trend—which began in Europe—came over the pond to North America quickly, and then it didn’t stop with outbuildings. The house itself is now being painted black or very dark.”
She believes this trend is here to stay, based on gallons sold and related industries experiencing similar trends.
“Our partners in the window coating space have also been seeing upwards of 40% of their windows sold are dark colors, even black,” Wadden says. “It’s not slowing down.”
Of course, using black or very dark colors as the primary exterior color can have major implications, particularly when it comes to heat and temperature control. Surprisingly, the data from Sherwin-Williams found that these dark colors were equally popular in hot climates like the Southwest as in cold climates.
“If a homeowner lives in Arizona and wants a black house, you need to walk them through the implications of that,” Wadden says. “There is a risk that this could increase their energy costs, because their home will be absorbing all that heat.”
It’s not just a little bit of extra heat. A study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that dark-colored home exteriors absorb 70-90% of the radiant energy from the sun that strikes the home’s surface. While that might be convenient in cold climates like the Midwest or the Northeast, a homeowner in the South should be prepared for a larger air conditioning bill.
“To address that, you could recommend a color that’s dark but not fully black, such as Charcoal (SW 3063),” Wadden suggests. “You may also want to recommend a paint that can withstand extreme temperatures and offers UV protection, such as Latitude™ Exterior Acrylic or Emerald® Rain Refresh™.”
However using dark colors can also have implications for other aspects of the painting process, including trim color and sheen selection. Wadden says the rise in black exteriors correlates with a larger color shift toward monochromatic, high-contrast exteriors.
“In the past, you would paint a dark color, and it would almost always be paired with white trim, facia board, and gutters,” Wadden says. “Don’t just assume the trim will be white these days. We’re seeing dark colors sell even for trim. Many homeowners want a monochromatic palette, so they’re doing dark wood siding and dark trim as well. A flat sheen also pairs great with this. A reflective black just shines in your eyes, but a flat sheen absorbs the light into it and creates a gorgeous sense of depth. When done well, all of this comes together to create a really sophisticated look.”
Conclusion
Dark houses might be a relatively new trend, but Wadden says she expects it to stick around. And for painters who know how to tackle these trendy projects—prepared with premium products and knowledge of how to handle the color implications—that presents an exciting new opportunity.
“I don’t see this going away anytime soon,” Wadden says. “This trend is taking exteriors to a whole new level.”
Original Blog – Professional Painting Contractor – 03/13/2024
