Month: February 2022

Outdoor renovations, especially in Calgary, tend to take the backseat next to interior renovations. The outside of a person’s home and the backyard is oftentimes not prioritized as much as upgrading or reshaping the interior to dramatic effect. However, exterior renovations serve multiple purposes and can seriously amp up your living space making it a great option on your home improvement wish list.

Trends in outdoor living and the constant evolution of home exterior fashion demand a serious look at your options; it’s good to consider what you can do to make your home look like the one in your dreams, inside and out. Exterior renovations can also strengthen your home’s curb appeal, so house guests are impressed before they even walk in.

Exterior Renovation Trends in Design

Outdoor living spaces top this trends list. Calgarians are getting wise to the expansive opportunity that creating an outdoor living space provides. An outdoor living room provides not only outdoor seating but a full complement of other outdoor living elements. Imagine a wood fire oven, a barbecue cooktop integrated with tiled stone, brick, or cement countertops, overhanging trellises or a fully roofed shelter surrounding a patio with seating.

This type of exterior renovation requires serious thought because it’s such a dramatic transformation. Plus, like any renovation, it’s also an investment in your property. But the kind of patio living and entertaining you dream about is possible with outdoor living spaces. Moreover, with the right mix of design features and materials, you can even enjoy it throughout all four seasons of Calgary weather.

Mixed materials design is also a burgeoning trend, providing 2022 renovations with the chance to be unique. Merged or composite styles can come from a novel combination of complementary materials.

When coordinated with the colour trends mentioned below, you have the potential to craft a breathtaking exterior aesthetic for curb appeal or for a trendy backyard living space. Declining trends include the farmhouse look, on the exterior and interior alike. Thematic trends, in general, are taking a back seat in 2022. It’s all about mixing quality materials for delightful textures with moving colour contrasts.

Exterior Renovation Trends in Materials

Painted brick is one of the more visually striking aesthetics on the rise, especially in light or white shades. Brick exteriors have a seemingly everyday look—but painting them in trendy colours brings a rich texture out, visible even from afar. One advantage it affords is coordination. You can keep to a strict colour scheme by painting the brick in a complementary or supplementary colour aligned with emergent styles.

Stone exteriors, including rough-hewn cladding, have enjoyed popularity for years, and it looks like this is a great year to go for it. But rougher textures are less popular, so you may want to opt for smoother cladding if you go this route.

Warmer colours are gaining traction, so you may like copper accents for outdoor living spaces. Flashes of gold or brass do best for indoor spaces. Still, with Calgary weather, copper or bronze would better weather the elements—as long as you don’t mind the resulting patina from oxidization of these metals. Brass or gold would just flake off in the outdoors, so it might be better to opt for bronze.

Finally, natural wood siding has a unique texture that you might want on your siding or overhanging trellises. This material stands out even without a coat of paint, but it can undoubtedly compliment your chosen colour palette if you elect for painted wood.

Exterior Renovation Trends in Colours

Darker accenting is becoming quite trendy, notably with the look of black, navy blue, or charcoal soffit and fascia. Black, navy blue, or charcoal bannisters, door trim, or window trim can further complement the colour scheme to create a rich aesthetic. And that touches on an overwhelming trend for 2022.

As for the dominant colour palettes emerging this year, there’s a clear trend towards those of the earth or those of the sky. Rich, dark browns with verdant greens and stark patinas are growing strong. At the same time, black and charcoal accents are pairing with navy blues nicely.

But the night sky is also serving up some inspiration as we’re starting to see contrasting shades, with the whites favouring warmer tones  rather than cooler ones. Warm white exteriors with black trim are beginning to define trendy curb appeal just as much as palettes inspired by earth and sea. If you look for inspiration in the most meaningful places, you can create your own trendy colour palette. Give us a call and ask to speak with our designers about your possibilities!