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What does 2023 have in store? In Design Psychic, ur community of editors, experts, and tastemakers predicts the trends coming soon to a house near you.

Our decks, roofs, and front doors have never looked better. Over the past two years, homeowners focused as much on enhancing their exterior as they did the kitchen and the basement, but they weren’t just copying and pasting their neighbors’ white farmhouse facade. From cladding a house entirely in eco-friendly cork to rigging a giant ship sail in the backyard, renovators have gotten more creative than ever. We suspect 2023 will be no exception. So to get a better idea of what curb appeal will look like in the New Year, we asked 10 designers to predict which materials, paint colors, and more will make it big on the block.

Softened Up Steel Frames

“Steel doors and windows are here to stay. People love [them] because of all the light the glass lets in,” shares Zoe Feldman. However, the Washington D.C.–based designer along with Katelyn Pascavis and Alexa Lameiras, cofounders of Two Muse Studios, share that if the look is too harsh for you, you can always soften the look by painting the frames. “Think: creamy and parchment-y whites. It gives you that same minimalist, modern look but with a romantic twist,” notes Pascavis. 

Dark Green Paint

Home stager and designer Kirsten Blazek of A 1000 X Better doesn’t see dark houses going anywhere anytime soon. “We rarely ever paint a house a light color unless it’s a new build,” she notes. Still, she’s forecasting a shift away from true blacks. “For character homes, we love to go with an almost-black or a dark olive green,” she shares. Kele Dobrinski, one half of Colossus Mfg., agrees. “Moody greens, blues, and browns are going to make their way onto more home exteriors in 2023,” he says. 

Going Local

Portland, Oregon–based pro Jessica Hansen knows that the most important factor to consider when designing a home exterior is the local climate. “If you live somewhere wet and cold with heavy winds, smooth trowel stucco is not for you,” says the Tandem Design founder, noting the same can be said for using wood siding in a tropical environment. “But adding a statement brick or stone can work in both locations, and pairing it with vertical siding in colder locales or smooth trowel in warmer is something we are very excited about.” 

Embracing Patina

Molly Sedlacek, principal and creative director of Orca Living, a landscape design and outdoor product studio based in San Francisco and Los Angeles, suggests materials with a warm, rugged quality are on the horizon, like “darker woods, red clay, and galvanized steel,” she shares. She foresees a move away from blond oaks and an embrace of clay brick pavers. In terms of her latter suggestion: “Its matte gray wears and pairs beautifully with plant material. We also love using it in combination with oxidized brass and copper,” she says. 

Unexpected Window Placement 

Photography by Stephanie Füssenich and Nathalie Mohadjer | © Coming Home to Nature: The French Art of Countryfication by Estelle Marandon, Gesa Hansen. and Charlotte Huguet. Flammarion, 2022.
Photography by Stephanie Füssenich and Nathalie Mohadjer | © Coming Home to Nature: The French Art of Countryfication by Estelle Marandon, Gesa Hansen, and Charlotte Huguet, Flammarion, 2022.

So long, stacked squares. Liz Hoekzema of KLH Custom Homes is leaning into fresh window placements and sizes. Peep this home in France (pictured above) that features an extra-large window right next to the front door, as well as a stand-alone one on the overhang. 

Doors That Rival Your Kitchen Cabinets

“We’ll see more statement doors and hardware in daring colors in 2023,” says Young Huh. She already got a jump-start on the trend by collaborating with Modern Matter on a hardware collection (coming January 31).  

Play Structures That Grow With Your Family

In addition to board-and-batten siding, architect Anand Sheth sees custom play structures in our future. “I’m working on a few with my landscape architect and friend, Anooshey Rahim of Dune Hai, that are designed to grow with your kids and provide fun hangout spots for adults, too,” says Sheth. It’s time to swing into action.