Southern Designers Predict These Will Be The Biggest Exterior Home Trends In 2024

From paint to plants, here's what the experts say.

As we look to 2024's most anticipated home exterior trends, it's clear that some of these ‘trends’ aren't necessarily new: We’ve all heard the age-old debate of whether or not you should paint your brick house. And favored colorful front doors are here to stay—though perhaps, they're more popular now than ever, according to Laura Williams, owner and lead designer of ATX Interior Design. “In 2024, I think the ever-popular wooden front door is going to become less prevalent and homeowners will want to play with color a little more to create more charm and individuality,” she says.

On the other hand, some of these new paint and landscaping trends might have you considering a few ideas you hadn’t thought of before. So whether you find these to be new insights or simple reminders, these are going to be the biggest exterior home trends in 2024 according to Southern designers.

An Appreciation for Traditional Style

“We are continuously focusing on the classics,” says Richmond, Virginia, designer Elly Poston Cooper, who turns to traditional Southern architecture when looking for inspiration. "The longest lasting formula is usually the simplest. The paint colors, landscaping, and materials [of your house] should reflect wherever it is you are lucky to call home.”

More Selective Painting

“I see a move toward 'less is more' on the exterior [with an emphasis on] layers and surprises in the interior,” says Atlanta designer Katie Wolf. She predicts fewer painted brick exteriors with more attention given to selecting interesting front door colors. “Finding that perfect door color is a lot less daunting (and costly) than finding the perfect white for the entire exterior. And the maintenance is a lot simpler as well,” she says. When picking paint colors, consider shades with underlying tones to add interest. “A classic black is always a fantastic option for a front door, but a deep earthy green can really offset a red brick,” says the designer, whose personal favorite is Benjamin Moore's Deep River (1582).

Customized Outdoor Living Areas

“Homeowners are looking to elevate exterior spaces so they truly function as part of the home,” says Daniel McCurry of Father Nature Landscapes. This means finding a way to more comfortably create a way for people to connect with their outdoor spaces as a part of their daily routines. This includes custom features like kitchens, fireplaces, and wood-fired pizza ovens and even unique carpentry (doors, partitions, columns) and masonry features (columns, markers, steps, garden walls), as well as technology like automated lighting and sound systems.

Landscape Design With Entertaining in Mind

"I think we're going to see more and more English-inspired, garden-like spaces with clean sight lines and thoughtful seating arrangements," says Dallas, Texas, designer Lisa Henderson. "Whether a space is large or small, we all crave outdoor spaces that are timeless and designed with entertaining options in mind.”

Color on the Trim

"I'm seeing a move towards changing up your trim from the typical white or black and introducing a color,” says Atlanta designer Laura Jenkins, who notes she particularly loves a verdigris green color on trim against red brick homes. Founder and principal designer Shelby Van Daley of Daley Home in Cedar Park, Texas, echoes Jenkins, noting a move away from expected tones. “In 2024 we are saying 'see you later' to black windows and instead going with warm, or even lighter taupe, window frame colors. We are going to be seeing a lot less contrast and more soft colors for doors and windows,” says Daley.

Easier-to-Maintain Features

“We're finding that permeable synthetic turf takes much less labor, chemicals, and fuel (to maintain) and looks and feels natural and comfortable to lay on,” says McCurry. Similarly, he sees homeowners rethinking pools for smaller alternatives. “More economical pool settings include plunge pools (small garden pools), splash pools, and spas,” he says. They are far less expensive to operate and use fewer chemicals than traditional options.

Edible Gardens

McCurry also foresees working more fruiting plants into the ornamental landscape of a front or back yard. This includes incorporating raised veggie beds and container gardens.

A Variety of Materials and Textures

“We are expecting to see a mix of materials like stone and brick with heavy mortar in between,” says Daley. She also predicts more use of texture while keeping the exterior feeling soft and inviting.

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