Sapling, strawberry fields, guava jam ... While these may sound like the latest color offerings from Crayola, this pastel palette actually is a sampling of the vinyl siding colors at Bimini Bay Resort and Casino, a 760-acre project under development off the coast of Miami.

Architects and developers say Bimini Bay's developer, RAV Bahamas, has the right idea. Colorful siding is an easy and inexpensive way to set properties apart from the competition by making a bold visual statement, regardless of whether your property is located in Boston or the Bahamas.

And people are tired of the traditional white, beige, and gray colors, says Lori McCreary, director of marketing for Alcoa Home Exteriors, a vinyl siding manufacturer. “There's an enormous pent-up demand in the marketplace [for more color choices], especially among architects and specifiers who want to have a custom development that has unique character,” she says.

DREAM IN COLOR: These condos at Bimini Bay Resort and Casino feature siding from Alcoa's DreamColor line, a new set of exterior products available in a baseline palette of 700 colors. The island hues were custom created to match local flowers. The DreamColor line includes siding, soffit, fascia, and accents to shutters and window treatments.
DREAM IN COLOR: These condos at Bimini Bay Resort and Casino feature siding from Alcoa's DreamColor line, a new set of exterior products available in a baseline palette of 700 colors. The island hues were custom created to match local flowers. The DreamColor line includes siding, soffit, fascia, and accents to shutters and window treatments.

To meet that market demand, Alcoa just extended its color offerings from about 20 to 700 with DreamColor, a new line of exterior products that includes custom colors. “The color spectrum is virtually limitless,” says McCreary.

Pastels, like those at Bimini Bay, aren't the only hot colors these days. CertainTeed Corp., a vinyl and fiber cement siding manufacturer, is seeing a surge of darker, bolder colors. Its deep pacific blue, introduced two years ago, is quickly growing in popularity, says Barbara Dennis, director of marketing for vinyl siding products. And for developers looking to add just a touch of color, darker color trims and accents are a popular choice, Dennis adds.

Of course, colorful siding isn't just about making a fashion statement. Carefully selected colors can help a property blend into its surroundings, which is especially important for affordable projects, says Irix Rex, an associate at Mostue & Associates Architects. A prime example: Mostue's Linden Street, an affordable community in Somerville, Mass., sports a palette of sage green, gold, and purplish-blue to pick up on neighborhood colors.

“We want to work the building into the neighborhood,” says Rex. “By using color, we are able to make it less like a large development and more like a mixture of vernacular properties.”

For more information, call Alcoa Home Exteriors at 800-962-6973 or visit www.alcoahomes.com.