If you’re planning on adding a deck to your home, one of the first questions you’ll likely ask yourself is “what color should my deck be?”. The right house and deck color combinations don’t simply complement one another — they make a design statement. Whether that statement is subtle or bold, your entire home exterior should reflect a unified aesthetic that showcases your personal style.
Benefits of Coordinating Home & Deck Colors
✓ Gives your home a unified, polished façade.
✓ Helps your deck feel like a natural part of your home exterior.
✓ Gives you an intentional, curated home exterior that is uniquely you.
But where to start with home and deck color schemes? First, think through what factors affect deck color schemes and then explore curated outdoor living spaces to get inspiration for your design.
What Is the Best Color for Decking?
In short, there is no single best color for decking. The “best” for your specific deck project will depend on what you value most in terms of aesthetics, performance, and function.
Factors for Determining the Best Color for Your Deck
Materials
Certain deck materials fade far more than others. While wood will inevitably fade and discolor over time, engineered decking is designed to retain its colorfor the long-haul.
Home Aesthetic Style
Deck color schemes should complement the aesthetic style of your home. Looking to remodel your home soon? Keep your new color scheme in mind when designing your deck.
Landscaping
Landscaping will affect which deck colors pair best with your yard. Lush green lawns pair well with rich brown decking, while a colorful garden may pair best with neutral gray decking.
Sun Exposure
What level of sun exposure will your deck receive? Lighter colored decking, like light grays and tans, will be cooler to the touch in direct sunlight.*
Interior Flooring
Choose to either coordinate the colors of your decking and interior flooring for a seamless transition from indoors, out, or contrast them for a defined line.
Home Color Palette
The most eye-catching homes are those that feature a color palette of a primary, secondary, and tertiary color, with primary being the most prominent color.
*TimberTech® AZEK® decking stays cooler in the sun, so you can enjoy outdoor lounging without the scorched toes. Note that although TimberTech AZEK decking products are cooler to the touch than many other deck board products, all decking products will get hot in the sun. Additionally, the darker the decking color, the hotter it will feel. For hotter climates, consider choosing a lighter color.
Curated House and Deck Color Combinations
Explore curated house and deck color combinations, based on your home’s primary color. Keep in mind that a polished home exterior often comes from a thoughtful mix of hues.
Many visually striking homes feature a prominent primary color, a less prominent secondary color, and an accenting tertiary color.
For Example
Chicago-based design enthusiast Casey Finn of The DIY Playbook partnered with landscaping innovator Yardzen for a TimberTech makeover in her backyard.
Her Home’s Color Palette
Taupe Siding (Primary)
Natural Brick (Secondary)
Crisp White Trim (Tertiary)
Completed Project: A Bold Complement to a Neutral Palette
The final backyard build stays in the neutral color family, but brings dimension to the lighter palette of the home thanks to complementary, darker decking and railing.
Pictured: TimberTech® PRO® Legacy Collection decking in Pecan and Contemporary Railing in Black with stainless steel cable rail infill
For a Tan or Taupe House
Tan is a warm, inviting shade that ranges from sandy tones to rich golden hues. House and deck color combinations are numerous for this versatile siding color. Go for a cool contrast by choosing contemporary gray decking. Tie your home and deck color schemes together with a common accent color, such as white PVC trim, which can be used for both your home trim and deck fascia. If you have a second-story or balcony deck, white PVC column wraps can give your space a classic, stately feel.
Stick to Shades of Tan
Looking for a more chic, monochromatic look? Opt for tan decking that closely resembles your home siding for a continuous effect from home to deck.
Break up the solid color palette with a black metal or composite railing that contrasts your home’s white trim.
How Do You Pick a Deck Stain? You Don’t.
TimberTech decking captures the real-wood looks you love, no staining required — ever.
For a White House
White gives you a clean canvas that can support a variety of house and deck color combinations — including a bold, statement-making multi-colored deck. Get creative and show your design savvy with an inlaid deck pattern, such as a circle (as shown above). Other visually striking ideas include:
A Section of Herringbone Pattern
Made up of narrow-width deck boards of two or three different colors.
An Assortment Pattern
Made up of two or three deck board colors across the whole of the deck surface.
Consider your home’s secondary and tertiary colors when thinking through multi-toned deck color schemes and try to choose deck boards that echo those colors for a cohesive look and feel.
Capture a Cozy Scandinavian Feel
A white home is the perfect backdrop for a Scandinavian-inspired outdoor living space, which champions neutrals and warm wood tones. Choose sunny tan decking and white PVC trim for your deck for an inviting foundation. Complete your Scandi-chic design with black and white furniture to echo your home’s color palette.
For a Gray House
Gray is a cool neutral tone that gives your home a contemporary feel and works well with many different house and deck color combinations.
If Your Home Is…
CAPE COD in Design…
…Keep It in the (Color) Family
For house and deck color combinations with a subtle contrast, choose gray composite decking that’s either lighter or darker than your home’s siding. This keeps your overall palette light and airy — just like the locales that first inspired Cape Cod builds.
If Your Home Is…
CONTEMPORARY or TRANSITIONAL in Design…
…Go Bold
Opt for warm brown decking and a black railing to contrast your home’s cool exterior and crisp white trim.
For a Blue House
No matter which deck color family you choose from, your blue home will mean your house and deck color combinations achieve an eye-catching look. Run with the dramatic aesthetic by choosing richly-hued brown or gray decking paired with white PVC trim for your deck skirting and fascia. Outline your deck with a white composite railing and black balusters for a high-contrast perimeter.
Embrace a Coastal Look Feel
Blue is a defining color of coastal-style design. Embrace a cool coastal theme with light gray composite decking and white composite railing for a neutral foundation. Then work warm tones with natural fibers into your furniture and décor to polish off your seaside-inspired design.
For a Multi-Colored House
While many home color schemes have a balance of a primary color, a less prominent secondary color, and a tertiary color that serves as an accent, you might live in a more creatively designed build. A multi-colored home has two or more colors that vie for dominance, creating a highly unique façade. The best deck color schemes for these kinds of homes? Neutral gray or light tan decking that lets your home exterior be the star of the show.
Use Composite Decking as Exterior Cladding
Using composite decking as cladding adds a unique textural element to your home’s exterior.
Create a seamless transition with the same deck boards used in both your cladding and deck, or go for a sharp contrast with different deck board colors in each application.
Deck Color Schemes: Make Your Color Selection at Home
What better place to decide on house and deck color combinations than in your own home? Order free samples of your favorite TimberTech decking colors to be delivered right to your door and examine your options up close.
Be sure to place the samples outdoors next to your home to see the colors in different lighting throughout the day to help you decide which is best for your space.