6 Things Making the Exterior of Your Home Look Dated – and What You Can Do About Them

Just as interior design trends come and go, what's the look du jour can also affect the exterior of your home and how it looks in years to come.

While you can't go wrong with a warm white exterior paint that'll look timeless for years, other design choices can age not so gracefully over time. Whether it's a façade painted in a retro colorway or a front porch with far too many kitschy decorations, these are the six things interior designers and architects warn will almost always make the exterior of your home look dated.

1. 'Trendy' Paint Colors

'The most common design choice that dates a home's exterior is the wrong paint selection,' says interior designer Jennifer Hunter. 'I often see people paint their home too creamy a color or too cool a color. I have also seen colors that feel too trendy and not timeless.'

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Instead of choosing a paint color that leans too far towards one end of the spectrum, opt for timeless paints that have been proven to stand the test of time. Look towards historic architecture for inspiration, as long-standing buildings often feature colors that still look good today.

Warm white paints are usually a safe choice. Able to enhance almost any house style, they're unlikely to age badly or ever look stuck in time. 'I recommend selecting a classic, crisp color, like Farrow and Ball's Wimborne White,' suggests Jennifer. 'It carries enough warmth, while still reading clean against most architectural styles.'

2. Following a Theme Too Closely

A design mistake that makes the outside of your home look dated is selecting a specific 'theme' that feels inauthentic to your architecture.

A look that doesn't necessarily fit with your property's architectural style will quickly look incongruous and dated, reminiscent of a time when it was popular. Partner M. Damian Samora of Ferguson & Shamamian Architects explains, 'If you really want to avoid the exterior of your home looking dated, be skeptical of any combination of disparate words. “Modern Farmhouse” and “Shabby Chic” only work if their basic architectural proportions exist to transcend the trend.'

'A black-painted window with no divisions in bright white clapboard may be a “Modern Farmhouse,”' says Damian, 'but a window with well-proportioned panes in a warm off-white color scheme takes you further into the future. Get the window right first.'

'We recently renovated a house designed in the '90s – actually, it was a former project of ours – into a fresh and modern take for a new family,' Damian adds. 'Much of the house was still relevant because the windows, rooms, and trims used time-tested ideas of proportion and scale. Expanding these into the additions while editing and reconfiguring to suit the family yielded another version of the house that will hopefully do the same as the first – buck the trends of the next 50 years!'

3. Artificial Plants

Decorative details can quickly date a home and make your exterior feel tired, just as much as more permanent fixtures. Whether it's a potted plant that's seen better days or a faux floral wreath that you put out many seasons ago, it might be time to ditch the artificial accessories that once lent life to your home (and now do the opposite).

'New products on the outside of your home can also become outdated quickly- especially artificial plants, which may not weather well over time,' explains Michael G. Imber of Michael G. Imber Architects.

While artificial greenery lasts longer, it can almost make your exterior look a little cheap. Embrace the freshness of your garden and instead, pot plants that will last longer than your average seasonal bloom. A statement tree, like two bay trees, either side of your door, will bring grandeur to your entrance, or a potted lavender bush will last beyond one fleeting season and continue to provide a fresh breeze when you arrive and depart.

4. Following Fleeting Social Media Trends

Your home's exterior isn't supposed to change as the seasons do. It's supposed to remain constant and classic, outliving short-lived interior design trends. Michael says it's best to avoid 'Repeating something from social media, or worse, designing as a collage of images. The images are often the “like” of the day – and what’s liked today is out of date tomorrow.'

'A good example is the pure white paint phase everyone went through, explains Michael. 'It was such a flash, but people quickly missed the warmth and comfort of color.'

Instead, opt for paint colors to make a house look more expensive or invest in materials that will always look good. 'Natural, time-tested materials are always a win,' he explains. 'We may look at current inspiration, but it’s when we look at traction – that which we repeat because we love it – that we find a sense of timelessness. If it was good enough to be loved by our great-grandparents and it can be loved by our grandchildren, then it should be a keeper.'

5. Tired Lighting

While it might seem like a relatively small detail compared to paint color, outdoor lighting has more impact than you might think. Nothing says a dated home like a front entrance with a tired wall sconce or a no-longer-working lantern hanging from its arch.

Planning outdoor lighting isn't just about providing a source of light come evening. See it as a way to enhance your architecture, provide ambience, and really make your home come alive. The best homes don't limit their lighting styles. In fact, layering lighting is one of the most impactful ways to ensure your home stands proud (both practically and stylistically) for years.

Opt for a timeless antique lantern to grace the space above your front door, and elevate your outdoor seating set-up with some portable lamps on your deck or patio. Finish it all off with a practical solution like some built-in lighting with automated sensors dotted around your home's façade.

6. Dated Signage

Unlike kitschy door hangings or door numbers in cursive fonts, the most classic details are typically styles that have been around for a while. Think of these accents as 'door jewelry' designed to enhance your entrance and make your home's exterior just as appealing as its interior.

Sophisticated signage will update your front door quickly and give your home some gravitas. Whether it's an antique plaque with your house name or number painted on, or an aged brass doorknob that instantly injects a little character into your front porch, the most timeless homes feature understated but thoughtful details.

Dependent on your architectural style, you might want to consider vintage knockers, mailboxes, or plaques to give your exterior some lived-in charm. Alternatively, more modern property styles may appreciate a slicker design, like a bespoke plaque or an architecturally interesting doorbell.

From fleeting paint colors to kitschy decorations that date quickly, for a truly timeless home, avoid these six things that always make a home look dated.

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