The exterior trim of a house can make a huge difference to its look and feel. The trim forms a big part of your exterior design and directly influences your home’s curb appeal and value.
In this blog post, you’ll get all the details on house trim, including its placement, popular materials, attractive designs, and stunning color combinations. Plus, you’ll understand how this home improvement project can upgrade your home’s value. It’s a valuable guide for homeowners who are renovating or replacing damaged trim boards.
Let’s begin!
A Brief Overview Of House Trim: The Features You Can Upgrade
Trim is the decorative and protective molding that forms a border around various exterior elements, such as windows, doors, roofs, and the eaves. It provides a finishing touch to your home’s exterior and protects it from moisture and pest intrusion.
You can find pieces of trim on various parts of your home’s exterior, including the following areas:

Window Trim
Window frames and shutters are the trim pieces that serve as a practical barrier against the elements and a visual frame for the outside world. Carefully crafted, they enhance your home’s architectural beauty.
Door Trim
Door trim is best used for amplifying your home’s entrance statement. From classic to modern designs, they set the tone for what lies beyond, creating a welcoming focal point.
Roof and Eave Trim: The Fascia, Soffit, and Barge Boards
Eaves and roof trims include the barge board, soffit and fascia. They contribute to overall home protection and ventilation and add elegance to your home’s upper portions, completing your home’s visual narrative.
- Soffit boards cover the lower portion of roof eaves and can carry lights, vents, and other decorative elements.
- Fascia trim is installed on the narrow upper portion of the roof eaves, covering rafter ends and providing support for gutter installation.
- Barge boards cover the roofline of a gable. They come in various creative designs, larger and thicker materials, and can be an eye-catching feature.
Cornices, Columns and Pillars
Whether supporting a porch or gracing an entrance, cornices, columns, and pillars become architectural statements with the right design. Choices range from classic to modern, complementing diverse architectural styles.
Balcony Railings
Railings are designed for safety, but they also become a canvas for artistic expression with ornate trimwork. These transform functional elements into decorative pieces of your home, boosting its curb appeal.
Gable And Siding
Gables, with their triangular peaks, catch the eye in an instant. You can use a scalloped design or intricate latticework along your gable roof and exterior house siding to draw attention.
So, which material, color, and design will form the best pair? Let’s start by exploring some sturdy and popular trim materials.
Popular Materials To Create The Trim Of A House
Wood and vinyl are currently the most popular choice for exterior trim, but there are many more materials you should explore!
Natural Or Composite Wood Trim
Wood has been a traditional choice to make trim pieces for homes, valued for its natural beauty and versatility. From moisture-resistant composite wood to durable cedar, wood trim offers a classic look that complements various architectural styles.
Vinyl Trim For Homes
Vinyl has gained immense popularity for its affordable and low-maintenance nature. Resistant to moisture, insects, and rot, vinyl provides a durable and cost-effective trim option. It’s also easy to find a particular color or paint to match.
Fiber Cement Trim
Fiber cement is a highly durable, weather-resistant, and low-maintenance material that comes in various styles that resemble natural wood, slate, tile, and stone. These qualities make it a sought-after choice for trim on a home.
Metal Trim
Metals like galvanized steel, aluminum, and copper are widely preferred for their lightweight, weatherproof, durable, and luxurious nature. Galvanized steel offers high durability at a lower cost, aluminum trim is glossy and long-lasting, and copper trim can last for a lifetime and develop a beautiful patina over time; so no matter which one you choose, you’ll enjoy a high-end appearance!
Now, let’s look at some jaw-dropping color combinations that’ll make your home worthy of a magazine’s cover page.
Stunning Color Combinations For House Trim
The trim looks perfect when its color matches the roof while striking a contrast with the siding color. Let’s look at some catchy combinations.
1. White House With Black Trim

The classic combination of white and black looks exciting on a house. The contrast creates visual interest, making the architectural details stand out.
2. White Trim On A Blue House

White trim on a blue house presents a charming and visually appealing exterior. The white trim not only accentuates the architectural details but also adds a crisp, clean contrast to the blue, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal. This colored trim also helps reflect sunlight, adding a bright and airy feel to the home’s exterior. This combination will fit perfectly with a grey roof.
3. Red Brick House With Black Trim

Classic red brick accented with black trim outlines key features such as window frames, doorways, and the roofline. The black trim contrasts with the warm tones of the red bricks, creating a visually striking and elegant look. This combination of red and black adds depth and character to the house, making it stand out with a distinctive style.
4. Black House With White Trim

White trim, black siding, and a dark-colored roof will create a bold, majestic, and dramatic appeal. It makes a strong and modern statement speaking to your personal taste and home improvement efforts.
5. Brown Trim On A White House
Brown house trim on a white house gives off a warm and cozy feel. This soothing combination is perfect for homes with brown-colored shingles such as wood shakes, or a copper roof.
Once you’ve picked a color for the trim, it’s time to explore some creative architectural designs to use.
Catchy Designs For House Trim
From tiny details to sharp edges, there are many stylish patterns and architectural designs to choose from.
1. Gingerbread Trim
Gingerbread trim, with its surprisingly unique patterns, is pleasing to anyone who looks at it. It’s perfect for those who appreciate playful details that lift the overall aesthetic of a house.
2. Crown Molding Trim
Crown molding is a famous architectural detail that originated in ancient Greece and Rome. Since then, it’s been a popular trim for Victorian, Georgian, and many revival architectural designs. Its clean lines and historical value are appreciated everywhere!
3. Craftsman Style Trim
Craftsman style trim is unique. Its understated beauty, simplicity, and elegance complement multiple traditional and modern architectural styles, providing versatility and lasting appeal.
4. Modern House Trim
Modern trim is characterized mostly by a minimalist design with sharp edges and sleek lines. Black or white are common colors used for this trim design as you’ll find it on contemporary architecture with a dark color scheme or completely white exteriors.
Such elaborate exterior concepts may seem expensive, but the truth is, they not only turn heads but also offer monetary benefits to homeowners over time! Let’s see how.
The Monetary Benefits Of Stylish House Exterior And Trim Upgrades
Every homeowner would want to invest in an exterior upgrade that lasts for a long time without being too expensive or demanding in the future. That makes sense, which is why we’re here to let you know what to expect from new and improved exterior house trim.
1. Increased Property Value
One of the immediate and tangible advantages of investing in a thoughtful exterior trim concept is the boost in property value. Homes with well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing exteriors tend to sell higher on the real estate market. This elevated value converts to a higher return on investment when it comes time to sell.
2. Faster Home Sales
Homes that stand out due to their carefully crafted exterior often spend less time on the market. The curb appeal created by striking color combinations and attractive trim designs can attract a lot of buyers when your home is more desirable. In a competitive real estate market, this can be a game-changer, leading to quicker sales and a smoother home-selling process.
3. Reduced Maintenance Costs
Choosing stylish, durable, and low-maintenance materials for the trim not only enhances the longevity of your home’s exterior design but also reduces ongoing maintenance costs. With materials like composite wood and fiber cement, you’ll spend less time and money on repainting, repairs, and replacements.
4. Home Insurance Savings
Surprisingly, well-maintained exteriors can also lead to savings on your home insurance premiums. Insurance providers often view homes with creative and protective features more favorably. By investing in trim that serves both a decorative and protective function, you might find yourself eligible for discounts on your home insurance, further adding to the monetary benefits of your exterior upgrades.
The right way to get started on your home improvement project is by consulting a renowned roof and exterior contractor in your area.
Discuss Your House Trim Project With The Experts!
At ReNew Roofing, we’ve been upgrading roofing and exteriors for many years! We take pride in our strong team of creative, experienced, and dependable professionals who about your time, money, and personal requirements. If you are looking for home exterior renovation in Wisconsin, Minnesota or Missouri, you can trust ReNew Roofing for outstanding results! Call us at (833) 715-7663 for a free consultation and discuss your project with one of our home exterior experts.