Exclusive: Kate Lawrence’s top 10 exterior paint colours

Colour is one of the key elements of design, and choosing the right exterior paint colours is crucial to bringing your dream home to life. That’s why the expert advice of an interior designer like Kate Lawrence is worth its weight in gold.

In this article, we’re going to tap into Kate’s expertise on the following topics:

• What are the top trending paint colours for exteriors?

• Tips for making your colour selection

• How to create show-stopping modern exteriors with Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding

To access even more of Kate’s expert paint advice, explore our beautiful and helpful Paint Guide.

Meet design and colour expert Kate Lawrence

Sydney-based interior designer Kate Lawrence has an elegant, thoughtful design aesthetic which has captured the attention of clients and social media followers alike. Interesting, textured finishes and beautiful earthy palettes are Kate’s signature style, with a preference for natural shades that contribute to calming spaces.

From renovations to new builds, family homes to duplexes, Kate has delivered projects that inspire lovers of modern design.

After sharing her four-step approach to a Box Modern design in the Hardie™ Fine Texture Cladding Look Book, Kate was inspired to adopt the textured cladding product for her current project. Now, she has embraced the new Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding, partnering with James Hardie on a helpful and inspiring Paint Guide.

With an embedded texture reminiscent of softly brushed concrete, this Hardie™ fibre cement cladding brings a warmth that’s clean and uncluttered to modern facades. Crisp, smooth and monolithic from a distance, it transforms with light and proximity, with a closer look revealing unexpected and beautiful brush stroke details.

How to choose the perfect paint colour for you

Selecting paint colours is one of the most important parts of a home renovation or new build. Your exterior paint colour is crucial to achieving unmissable street appeal, with the right shade delivering on the vision you’ve been working towards.

In our downloadable Paint Guide Kate has identified the top 10 trending exterior paint colours that bring the finishing touch to the new Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding, or any cladding in Hardie™ Architectural Collection.

From the classic white neutral of Taubmans Cotton Sheets to the striking deep black of Dulux Black Caviar, via a selection of natural beiges, greys and greens, Kate’s Top 10 tap directly into current modern aesthetics. All of these hues work to beautifully hero the cladding’s subtle texture, which transforms with light and proximity. Order sample pots of your chosen shades in a low-sheen exterior paint – the velvety low-sheen finish is easy to clean and reflects just enough light to enhance textured finishes.

Also in the guide is Kate’s exclusive design advice on paint colour selection, and four perfectly curated colour combinations for mix and match cladding solutions from the Hardie™ Architectural Collection, including Axon™ Cladding, Stria™ Cladding, Hardie™ Oblique™ Cladding and Linea™ Weatherboard.

How to guarantee the perfect paint colour

One of Kate’s top tips is that paint shades should never be selected from online images – photo editing and variations in screen settings can drastically alter a colour’s appearance. How to overcome this? Pick up a paint sample pot and order a sample of the cladding you’d like to use – you’ll receive a 20cm x 20cm piece of cladding to paint and add to your flatlay. This will allow you to see how the paint colour looks in different light, on different parts of your home’s exterior, from up close and far away. It’s a great way to visualise your design decision.

How cladding maximises your paint job

With Kate’s design advice taking the stress out of paint colour selection, it’s also great to know that every cladding product in the Hardie™ Architectural Collection comes pre-sealed and paint ready. The cladding can be painted in any exterior paint shade, opening up endless possibilities to support your design vision.

Time saved on prep is a plus for your budget, and there’s also peace of mind to be had in the knowledge that Hardie™ fibre cement cladding is tough and long-lasting, resisting warping, swelling, shrinking and damage from moisture and termites. This durability helps to reduce the risk of paint cracking and deterioration, even when you choose the striking charcoal and black shades favoured by many modern homeowners.

For all of Kate’s colour tips, download our handy Hardie™ Brushed Concrete Cladding Paint Guide today.