How to Use Multiple Siding Types

Assemble pictures of your home, taken from all sides. If working with a contractors to build a new home, or remodeling an existing building, start with pictures or drawings of all four elevations.

Identity architectural elements of the home which you want to draw attention to, or that could be used to draw accenting colors into the homes design. For sample, a Cape Cod home typically has dormers which protrude though the roof line for upstairs rooms. Victorian homes often have large gables, big porches or a round turret which accents the home's exterior.

Arrange the siding options which are available for your area of the country. Stucco is suited for high temperatures of the Southwest, while vinyl siding may perform poorly in that climate. The opposite is true for northern regions. Talk to a local builder regarding his recommendations for siding in your area of the country.

Identity the largest unbroken areas of siding. These areas should receive plain, or traditional siding styles.

Choose which areas of the home will be accented with alternate siding styles. For example, cedar shakes on a dormer draw attention to that area of the house. Fish-scale cedar shakes or an alternative color vinyl siding look great on the gable on the end of a tall home. White lattice applied over colored fir plywood is an attractive way to seal off under a large outdoor porch or deck.

Tour your neighborhood to see what other homeowners are using. Some of the best ideas come from seeing how other homes are decorated, and then applying those ideas to your own home.