systems are more customizable than ever. In the early 1900s, there was pretty much one choice: steel half-round gutters. But today, you can pick the size, shape, material, style, and, of course, the .
While we’ve already written about the different options by size, shape, and material (you can find that guide here), we have yet to talk about how to choose the for your home. Can you guess today’s topic?
Thankfully, have not even broached the complexity of interior colors. For example, there are only 2 white , not 150,000. Thank goodness. With that in mind, choosing a for your can be straightforward and headache-free.
There are multiple routes you can take when it comes to picking a . In this post, we’ll discuss the different ways to decide on as well as some helpful tips to keep the process painless & stress-free.
What are the different gutter color options?
The number of choices depends primarily on the material.
, for example, only come in their natural . But, depending on the supplier, you can request different material finishes such as burnished finish, satin finish, or brushed finish.
Likewise, zinc gutters can typically only come in the standard zinc , but they also have different finish options.
Comparatively, both steel and gutters offer a wide variety of . There is a typical set of colors available, regardless of the supplier. However, the colors go by different names and vary in availability by the supplier.
Common gutter color choices
- Black
- (Terra/Dark) Bronze
- (Musket/Royal) Brown
- Clay
- Wicker
- Ivory
- Cream
- Cameo
- Eggshell
- High Gloss White
- Low Gloss White
- Gray
- Green
- Red
- Copper Penny
As you can see, the most common and overlapping is cream. Most suppliers have at least 3 to 4 different cream and off-white options for . Why all the cream? Because cream and off-white colors are very common with and . Naturally, suppliers want to provide that will match the various colors on a house.
The most common we see in North Carolina is High Gloss White, with Black and Cameo being the second most common colors. The least common colors include penny, green, red, and gray.
As a final note regarding the choices, some companies that will new or to match the of your home. While this is a viable option, the will be less permanent than if it was the original applied by the manufacturer. For standard colors, manufacturers use polyester and enamel primer that is baked onto the metal, creating a lasting and finish. If you opt to your gutters, the is likely to chip and wear down over time.
Now that we’ve reviewed the , let’s dive into the different ways to choose a for your home.
The Matching Approach
The simplest and most tried-and-true way to select a is to match it to another major part of your home exterior. Why? Because you don’t need to introduce any new colors to the house. Typically, this would mean matching the , , or . Let’s take a look at each option.
Unless you have a large, steep , the takes up most of the exterior. We say , but we really just mean the exterior walls of your house. So this could be , stone, or . Gutters that match your will blend in and act as a smooth border around the house. They don’t stand out, and they allow other parts of your home to remain the focal point.
There are multiple scenarios where it’s best to match the .
First off, if you like the and look of your , why not have your gutters match? This way, the gutters do not detract from the overall and look. They blend in.
Secondly, this option works well for homes with neutral-colored or stone.
Thirdly, consider matching to if your gutters aren’t necessarily going to follow the trimline of the house. For example, some homes have downspouts that run down along the side of the home instead of the corners.
Lastly, you can match the gutters to the when you have very little or narrow and fascia.
First off, what is ? It is the woodwork around the house that acts as a border or outline, rather than wrapping the house. You’ll find it on corners and edges throughout the house as well as on windows, doors, and some chimneys.
White is the most common . Along with the fascia, it acts as a natural border and accent to the rest of the house.
to is the most straightforward approach to picking a , and for good reason. The usually runs parallel to and along the and fascia. Therefore, by matching the gutters to the fascia, you are guaranteeing a seamless look and allowing the gutters to blend into the accent already on the house.
Finally, you can match the gutters to the . This is a less common, but fun approach. By matching the , you bring the themes and of the down to the rest of the house. Additionally, this method creates a nice border along the eaves of the roofline.
If you have a darker with lighter walls, you can match the gutters to the to add some extra contrast to your home without overdoing it. It’s also a good option if you want to add a little pop and boldness to your house without overdoing it.
To match the , you don’t have to pick the exact . Instead, you can pick a that is a close match or that brings out some of the hues and accent colors of the .
The Design Approach
Accent
If you want to use the gutters to add a nice outline to the house, consider picking a that is found in small quantities on the rest of your house. This could be a shade in the , the of the shutters, or the hue of your . You’ll add vibrance and contrast while still keeping it subtle. A common choice for an accent is brown, bronze, or gray.
Pop
If your home has a lot of gutters and you are interested in making an eye-catching or fun look, consider picking a altogether than the rest of the house. Just be sure the at least matches the other colors (don’t pick cream gutters for a white house and silver , for example). Some examples of this include adding green gutters to a lodge, red gutters to a white cottage, or even to a white house (can you say modern farmhouse?).
Blend in
Here, you are simply matching the gutters to another major part of the house so that the gutters don’t take the stage. As discussed in the last section, it’s most common to match the gutters to the , , or .
This is a good idea if you already have a complex or vibrant house, or a house with nice or stone. In these scenarios, there is less need to have the gutters stick out and provide an accent.
The Goes-With-Everything Approach
Last but not least, we have the goes-with-almost everything approach. By that, we mean high gloss white, the option. High gloss white is more common than low gloss because the gutters naturally fade over time, so people prefer to start with a brighter white. will look good on 99% of homes, even if the home is primarily cream or brown. This is because white is a neutral , and because most homes have .
When in doubt, go white, even if it’s after Labor Day.
Some questions to consider when picking a
If you’re still not sure what is best for your home, consider asking yourself these questions.
Do you want the focal point of your house to be your gutters or something else?
What is your interior decorating style? How can you apply that to the exterior?
What are the accent colors of your house?
Are you looking to keep or change the current exterior aesthetic?
By asking yourself these questions, you should be able to decide what’s most important to you and narrow down your options.
Home Visualization Tools
As a side note, many suppliers have tools where you can actually upload a photo of your house & test out different exterior colors on the house. While these are somewhat helpful, we have yet to find one that allows you to specifically try out different .
Instead, they tend to combine & gutters, so when you pick a to test out, it displays the on all the house’s . This is fine if you are looking to or match the . However, if you want to pick a unique that matches the or acts as a pop of , chances are you aren’t planning on painting all the that , too.
We recommend using these tools to test out different and options, but probably not the gutters.
Stress-reducing tips to choose the perfect :
Now before we go, let’s go over a few additional tips that can help you decide what for your new project.
Ask if there is a price difference or longer lead time on different colors.
Consider the potential need for repairs if it is a rare .
Check with your HOA to see if they have any regulations.
Ask to see samples onsite so you can see the colors against your house.
We hope you found this guide helpful! Be on the lookout for more home improvement guides coming your way soon!
Interested in , or just need help choosing the for your house? Contact us for a free estimate or inspection. We offer installations, replacements, , & cleanings.