The other day on one of my morning walks with my wife, we passed yet another house being repainted black.

“Is that a trend?” my wife asked. We decided to start counting the black exterior homes on our route and came up with four before we finished.

Then we googled it and yes, everyone from Better Homes & Gardens to HGTV are calling black one of the new hot trends in home exteriors.

Why?

Black exteriors make a bold statement, especially when set against the natural surroundings of much of Lake Oswego. And admittedly, painting a home all black adds a bit of drama and a great contrast against many of the white and crème homes being built. Which means that it works best on some homes and not others. A low-lying modern home with lots of glass—yes! A Victorian—probably not!

What other exterior house trends are we seeing in Lake Oswego?

Two-tone paint colors. There is a new home being built across the street from us and it’s painted both light and dark gray. Other combinations I’ve seen on our still-daily Covid walks are black paired with brown wood, dark brown and tan, and white with gray. While interior walls have been receiving the two-tone treatment for a while, it is now catching on outside of the home. As with the monochromatic black treatment, two tones provide contrast and architectural interest and can add to that all-important curb appeal.

Mixed roofing materials. If you drive around town, you’re likely to see new homes featuring composition shingles on the main part of the home and metal roofing on the garage. Metal roofs have a lot going for them from longevity and durability to safety and environmental friendliness. However, they can also run two to three times more expensive than composition shingles. By mixing the materials, homeowners get the visual appeal and other benefits of a metal roof while keeping costs low.

Creative House Numbers. This has to be one of the simplest ways to update your curb appeal and show your creative side. And Lake Oswegans are doing it—not settling for the tried and true address numbers you pick up at your local hardware store and hang on your garage. Instead, they are creating custom metal signs, posting their numbers on trees and incorporating metal digits into their landscape.

Outdoor Living Spaces. Being outdoors took on a whole new meaning thanks to Covid. And especially here in Lake Oswego when being outdoors in summer is one of the things we do best thanks to great weather and bug-free evenings (something my daughter who spent a cicada summer in Washington DC really appreciates now!). So, it should come as no surprise that there were hundreds of homes in Lake Oswego that have sold in the past 12 months that featured covered patios and/or decks, many with outdoor kitchens. According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, 60% of homeowners were looking to add outdoor kitchens to their backyards and Lake Oswegans were included in those numbers. I’ve also had several clients who have either bought property with room to add a pool or sought out homes that already had one. There were 40 homes sold in Lake Oswego within the past year with pools in their backyards.

What features are you looking for in a new home? Let me help you find one that checks all your boxes. Give me a call at 503.939.9801, email me at costellok@hasson.com and/or check out my website. I’ve lived in Lake Oswego and been a Realtor in Lake Oswego for over 30 years and would love to put my experience to work for you!