How Good Bones' Mina Gives A Home A Modern Upgrade With A Monochromatic Look

Vintage homes can be some of the most beautiful and distinctive on the block, whether they are stately old Victorians or low-slung mid century modern ranch-style homes. HGTV "Good Bones" host Mina Starsiak Hawk recently showed off her own Indiana lake house, a stunning midcentury abode that once bore a rather dated brown outdoor color scheme consistent with the period of its construction, a color that neatly blended in with the impressive stone work at the base and corners of the home. By painting the exterior of her lake house a deep matte black, however,  Hawk was able to form a beautiful contrast that both highlighted the stonework and personalized it to Hawk's aesthetic. It also firmly brought the home into the 21st century with a cleaner, less dated monochromatic color scheme.

While black exterior paint may feel like a dramatic home choice, here, it does wonders, not only allowing the natural stone to shine, but maintaining the midcentury feel. Accents like sculptural spherical planters and brass lions flanking the walkway bring in some personality and style. The result is still consistent with a casual, nature-driven lake retreat, but still feels very contemporary. 

The key to success lies in the high contrast between the black-painted doors, roof, and exterior walls versus the home's more natural materials, including the abundance of lighter stone, the pebble garden, and the surrounding trees. While black could be dark and too overwhelming elsewhere, the large plate glass windows on either side of the entryway, as well as the oversized lanterns that Mina Starsiak Hawk installed beside them, keep the front of the home from becoming too gloomy. While the original brown paint color led to dim, shadowy corners, adding black actually feels lustrous here when combined with the light stone. The black roof and brass painted door further carry the monochrome look that almost makes the home disappear into the surrounding tree line. The stonework is allowed to shine and bring brightness and texture without getting swallowed by the color behind it. 

Is a black exterior right for your home? There are many stunning black exterior paints available in deeper shades like Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black and Benjamin Moore's Soot, as well as softer blacks like Benjamin Moore's Graphite and Sherwin Williams' Iron Ore. 

There are many things to consider before painting your home black. While a wall of solid black may be too much for some houses, the color may be perfect for midcentury modern style homes, particularly for abodes that involve a lot of textures like stone, wood, glass, and glass on the exterior walls that provide contrast and interest. The home's surroundings also play a role in the suitability of black as an exterior hue. Black may be a house color to avoid using in warmer climates due to its heat retention. While it may seem strange out of place in a subdivision of new homes dominated by beige and gray, a more natural wooded or rural setting can make black feel like a part of the organic landscape.