Few have failed to notice that the dominant color scheme of new construction is a universal beige, usually paired with white trim. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a real unpainted wood door or porch columns. How do you go about choosing the color scheme that is right for you without accidentally painting your house an over-saturated color so bright it aggravates your neighbors? How do you balance expressing some personality in a sea of beige without sticking out like a sore thumb? Here are some color scheme ideas for your home’s exterior that are anything but beige to inspire you to break out of the monotonous mold.

This scheme pairs dark neutrals with a rusty red trim, pale green accents, and natural mahogany-stained wood front door and garage door.  It’s fresh and contemporary while the red and green pairing gives it a woodsy feel. Try it on a heavily-wooded lot surrounded by trees.

This scheme brings sunny yellow into your life without going overboard. Pick a few surfaces to pop with brightness and the rest can be a medium tan. Give the trim a deep brown coat or leave the wood unpainted with a dark stain and paint the accents forest green. Add some personality with a pop of turquoise on the front door.

If your home has a Victorian vibe with lots of details, give it a pop with a dark teal body with contrasting ivory and burgundy trim and accents. You’ll be glad you paid extra attention to the little things.

If pale colors and a more traditional scheme are more your thing, try  a pale green body with white trim, dark green accents. Throw in a few pops of rusty orange, especially on your front door. You can also achieve this look using unpainted wood stained with a warm finish.

For a cool look, go monochrome! Use blueish-grays for the body of the house, white trim with dark teal accents, and pops of turquoise in the pediments and on the front door. This can also make a nice contrast to tan stone foundations.

Another dark, woodsy scheme uses natural wood browns that can be stained dark for the second story, front door and garage door, and then a lighter, warmer color in pediments for contrast. The first floor can be painted tan or be built as natural stone, while the trim is a dark teal-blue with goldenrod accents.

The recent drought in California has turned our attention to one of our most precious resources: water. According to the EPA, 40 out of 50 state water managers say we will have water shortages in the next decade.  Between our lawns, gleaming cars, and daily hygiene, we are each using, on average, 100 gallons of water per day. It’s easy to cut back on your water use at home, which is good for the earth and for your wallet. We’ve provided you with 4 ways you can save water, save money, and save the environment.

SUN Custom Homes is an Oklahoma City custom home builder with more than a decade of experience. Their true passion is designing in a wide variety of styles, sizes, and price ranges. Their slogan is

Affordable Homes of Distinction

They are dedicated to good design, and bring vast knowledge of old world style and craftsmanship learned from extensive European travel to your custom home. They are a state Certified Professional Builder, and use experienced craftsmen and suppliers in the construction of your home. They use Energy Star rated construction for “green building.”

This living room by SUN Custom Homes will have you snuggling up to the stone fireplace.

The SUN Custom Homes team leads your through, step by step, all the way through making sure every decision works for you without letting you get lost in the process. There are many decisions to make when building a custom home, but the SUN team will guide you through and make the whole experience easy and enjoyable. Whatever you dream is, whatever your budget, the SUN team is there to listen and make it happen, giving you a beautiful, truly custom and well-built home at your price.

For more information call (405) 641-2154 or fill out the Request Info form which you can find in the upper-right corner of their website.

While building your dream home is an exciting decision, it can also be stressful. From the beginning stages of choosing a home builder, to designing a floor plan, to the construction process, it’s difficult to know what to expect. Though every home builder’s process is different, we’ve created a guide to give you a better understanding of the custom home building process.

About the Builder

Since 2000, Southwest Homes has been building custom homes throughout the South, including Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. They build on your lot, which allows for great flexibility for the customer. They currently have offices in Corpus Christi, Houston, San Antonio, and Springdale. Since they also build on your lot though, they have built homes in many different cities. They offer a large variety of styles and floor plans. They offer both one-story and two-story floor plans with many different styles to choose from, including traditional, craftsman, farmhouse, lake homes, and more. They will also build a home from your own floor plan. They’ll actually even work with you to design a unique floor plan to fit your needs. As family owned company, Southwest Homes works with their client throughout the entire home building process, while focusing on the clients wants and needs.

About the Southwest Homes Process

The first step of the custom home building process is deciding what floor plan you’re wanting built, whether it’s a floor plan already offered by Southwest or a plan you designed, or a combination of the two. Next, you’ll meet with your Construction Manager on your lot to determine placement of the home as well as anything else they may need from you before construction. Once the plans for the site are finalized, you’ll meet with the Construction Manager and Building Consultant to make sure you’re in the loop. They’ll give you a timeline of construction, as well as answer any additional questions you may have. Once your new custom home is built, Southwest Homes will even deliver your new keys to you!

Get More Information

For more information about building a custom home with Southwest Homes, you can visit their website or call their office at (866) 625-3030.

About the Builder

Fischer and Frichtel has been building new and custom homes in the St. Louis metropolitan area for over seven decades. As a family-owned and operated company, they focus on superior customer service as well as award-winning homes that reflect changing tastes, lifestyles, and architectural trends. They build everything from low maintenance condominiums and town homes, to top-of-the-line luxury and signature homes. Every floor plan they offer can be customized to suite your tastes and preferences. Some plans even offer options to add on additional living spaces. Their homes have a classic flair that will make you proud to show off your home for years to come.

About the Communities

Fischer and Frichtel builds new homes in over 20 communities, each offering diverse amenities and features.Whether you’re looking for a quiet, scenic community or a family friendly location to raise your children, F and F will likely have what you’re looking for. Their home office is in Chesterfield, MO, but they have communities spread throughout the St. Louis area, including Cottleville, Eureka, St. Charles, Wildwood, and more. With so many options, they truly make it easy to find something that will work for you and your family. One of their communities, Pevely Farms, is even located on a golf course! If you already have a lot in your ideal location, Fischel and Frichtel will work with you to build your dream home there too.

Get More Information

To learn more about Fischer and Frichtel and their homes and communities, you can visit their website or call them at (314) 576-0500.

Canyon Stone offers a wide offering of high quality stone veneer for both residential and commercial projects. Their main offices are located in Olathe, KS and Youngsville, NC, however, their products are easily accessible through dealers across the country. Canyon Stone provides their clients with superior stone veneer to create a beautiful facade to accommodate many styles and budgets. Their website contains photos highlighting their products and projects, which include stone fireplaces, outdoor living and stone patios, and residential and commercial buildings. Whether you’re hiring someone to install stone veneer or are looking to tackle a weekend DIY project, Canyon Stone has the cultured stone you’re looking for.

STONE FIREPLACES

Adding stone to an existing fireplace is a great way to change your space without the cost of making drastic changes to an entire room. This small update can refresh your space and can even be completed as a do-it-yourself project.

OUTDOOR LIVING & STONE PATIOS

Canyon Stone also looks great featured on decks, patios, and outdoor grilling built ins. Canyon Stone offers each stone type in a collection of colors and shades to help you create an aesthetic that works for you.

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL STONE

Adding stone to the facade of your building, whether it be a home or commercial building, can add curb appeal. Different types and colors of stone can be used to make your building appear more rustic, natural, modern, or traditional based on your personal preferences.

You can see all of the products and stone veneer offered by Canyon Stone on their website.To find a Canyon Stone dealer near you, check out their dealer map. For more information or questions, you can reach out to them by contact form.

Bravo Custom Pools is making a splash in Fort Worth, Texas with their stunning custom pool designs. Serving both the residential and commercial markets, Bravo was created by Joshua Wilson, who has built and designed over 1600 pools.

Bravo is the leading custom pool builder in Fort Worth and they’ve worked with many local homeowners to transform their backyard into a work of art. Bravo’s pools are seen in the backyards of many custom homes in the area. Each pool is unique and designed to complement your unique home design and landscape.

Joshua will help you conceptualize the perfect custom pool for your backyard retreat. Using state-of-the-art computer software, they are able to render your pool design in 3D so you can view what your pool will look like from every angle.

If you’re interested in getting started with your pool project through Bravo, Joshua invites you to set up a free in-home appointment to go over your wish list and create an estimate for the project. Bravo’s custom pools start at $35K and are built with quality materials that will last. All of Bravo’s pools are made with gunite, known in the industry as the premier building material for in-ground pools.
Joshua has built relationships with several lending institutions to provide you with financing options for your pool project. Some projects can be completed in as little as 21 days. If you’d like to know more about your options building a custom pool with Bravo, visit them online at www.bcustompools.com.

Riverwalk is a unique new-home community located minutes from Rock Hill and Charlotte, SC along the Catawba River. The sprawling community is designed to promote an active outdoor lifestyle and is made up of 3-and-4- bedroom homes in a range of styles, including popular ranch home plans.

Evans Coghill is one of three builders in the community, which features a Giordana Velodrome Bicycle Race Track, an outdoor center, a BMX track, over two miles of river frontage, and upcoming plans for a River District with shops and restaurants, including a microbrewery set to open in 2015.

Evans Coghill is excited to be featured in this unique microcity within Rock Hill. Their seven available floor plans are exclusive to the River Walk Community.

The Riverwalk Villa is a townhome-style plan consisting of 14 units with two units in each building. Each villa contains three bedrooms, three full baths, hardwood flooring, granite countertops, and nine-foot ceilings in 1950 square feet of living space. Each unit comes with bike and kayak storage.

Evans Coghill is also offering a larger plan with the Magnolia II at 2,626 square feet. The two-story home features a detached 2-car garage, four bedrooms, and three full bathrooms. The plan is designed with the active Riverwalk family in mind, with an open floorplan and a guest bedroom on the main level.

Students living in Riverwalk attend schools in the Rock Hill School District 3, including Independence Elementary, Sullivan Middle, and Rock Hill High.

To learn more about this exciting and active community, contact Evans Coghill agent Tara Davidson at 803-366-4588 or visit Evans Coghill online at www.evanscoghill.com.

You can always tell which home is a Streetman. Streetman Homes is a new home builder in Austin, TX that doesn’t shy away from unique architecture. From stone facades to cascading windows, each Streetman home is as unique as the family that lives in it.

Step into a Streetman home and you’ll notice the high-end quality of design and materials. No matter the size of the home, or whether it’s one story or two, every Streetman home feels high-end.

Aside from their impeccable, modern design that complements the Texas landscape, Streetman is also known for building in desirable locations. A great deal of thought goes into their communities.

Sendero Springs is designed for residents with a natural, active lifestyle and is located conveniently close to wooded parklands. The community itself contains a playscape and biking trail. Residents enjoy discounted access to the Brushy Creek MUD amenities, which include a year-round heated pool and fitness center.

Greyrock Ridge is perfect for families, being located within the highly regarded Austin Independent School District and conveniently close to several playscapes, soccer fields, parks, and a swimming pool. Homes in the community are open and airy, promoting family communication and togetherness while still allowing everyone room to grow.

Families will appreciate the bonus rooms included in many of Streetman’s floorplans. Several plans put mom and dad on the main floor and the kids upstairs with their own game room. Parents will love having a designated space for the kids—a place to store toys and games when they’re young, and a place to entertain friends when they’re teens.

If you’re interested in learning more about Streetman Homes in Austin, TX, contact them at 1-888-448-4053 or visit them online at www.streetmanhomes.com today.