Neale Whitaker brings drama and luxury to the country with a black façade

Choosing black for the exterior colour of your home can make for a striking exterior feature. While it might seem a dramatic design decision, there is no doubt black brings a sense of drama and luxury, it pops against foliage with its contrast in tones and will make your house stand out.

Like white and grey, black is a neutral colour. It contrasts well with other materials, hues, and textures plus you don’t need to do much to dress it up. It is a colour that works well with most architectural styles and landscapes, yet if you are considering a modern renovation or build, black painted façades will make the lines of your home the hero. The angles become crisper; the architectural details more visible.

Television personality and style afficionado, Neale Whitaker’s recent guest house build on the south-coast of New South Wales, perfectly showcases how stunning a black façade can be. “We knew black was the colour for our barn-style guest house from the beginning. Black buildings tend to disappear into the greater landscape, yet with our own farmhouse being white, we loved the idea of a contrast. The black is quite sensorial and depending on the day it throws incredible light and shadows that creates interest.”

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Neale chose Stria™ Cladding by James Hardie for the exterior of the guest house. Being a fibre cement product, Stria™ Cladding is durable and adheres to Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) requirements up to BAL40, which is essential with the property being surrounded by bushland. Neale was looking to achieve a specific aesthetic in the choice of cladding, the shiplap panels of Stria™ provide the horizontal lines expected of a barn-style build. Stria™ Cladding panels come primed, and are able to withstand harsh weather conditions and are resistant to warping even when painted in dark colours.

“Considering the colour palette surrounding a black façade is a key step in achieving the right look for your home,” says Neale. “Knowing that black can be a harsh colour on its own, we introduced a mix of warmer browns and greens to the palette through the use of brick, timber and foliage, to soften the look.”

Incorporated into the exterior landscape design of the guest house is a mix of raw materials including herringbone laid worn brick pavers in a warm brown tone, olive trees in planters that contrast well against the Stria™ Cladding painted in Wattyl’s black shade of Colorbond® steel Nightsky®.

Black is a bold choice, however, no matter what style of home you’re looking to renovate or build, it goes without saying that painting it a shade of black will accentuate its best features and make it stand out from the crowd.

Before you take the plunge and paint your house a shade of black, we’ve compiled a few pointers you may want to consider first. Head to Hardie™ Home Guide for all our tips when it comes to choosing a black facade.