Creating a cohesive look between the inside and outside of your home can be tricky, but it makes such a difference once you get it right. For our cabin in Johanna, we’ve spent years transforming the interiors to feel warm, earthy and inviting. Now, it’s time for the exterior to catch up.
When we bought this home, we were drawn to its history and charm. Locals would stop by to tell us stories about the original family, show us old photos, and even share clippings from when the house was once featured in a magazine. It’s safe to say this little cabin has a few fans. But while the character remains, the exterior had definitely seen better days. Let’s just say there were a few too many patch jobs, and even a few unexpected furry residents in the roof.
It was time for a full exterior overhaul.
Connecting Inside and Out
I always start by looking at what’s already working inside. The interior of our cabin is filled with earthy tones, deep greens and warm neutrals, layered with lots of natural timber. We have blackbutt windows and doors, butter gum floors and timber-lined ceilings, so I wanted to carry those tones outside in a way that felt balanced with the surrounding landscape.
We also have our shed close by, which we finished in Colorbond Steel Woodland Grey®. I love this tone because it’s timeless and grounding, but for the cabin I wanted to create a subtle contrast. Something that still complemented Woodland Grey but added a bit of separation between the two buildings.
Narrowing Down the Palette
After a few rounds of testing, I narrowed my choices down to three Colorbond colours — Wallaby®, Gully® and Woodland Grey®.
Wallaby® is a beautiful earthy tone with plenty of depth, and I love how it pairs with timber.
Gully®, on the other hand, really surprised me. It has these gorgeous green undertones inspired by river stones and pebbles, which tie in perfectly with our coastal location and surrounding gum trees.
And Woodland Grey®, while an obvious choice to match the shed, just felt a little too safe for me this time around.
In the end, I chose Gully®. It felt like the perfect bridge between the shed and the cabin, soft but still grounded, with just enough contrast to make each building feel distinct.
How to Test Colours the Right Way
If you’re choosing exterior colours for your own home, I have two very big tips.
First, take your physical samples outside. Colours look completely different in natural light. Hold them up against your home, look at them in the morning and again in the afternoon, and check how they sit next to your landscaping and surroundings.
Second, use the Colorbond Steel Visualiser. It’s a free tool on their website that lets you test different colours and profiles on a house style that’s similar to your own. It’s a really useful way to see how everything works together before making your final decision.
Choosing the Right Profile
Colour is only half the story. The profile you choose can completely change the feel of your home.
For our cabin, I wanted something that felt authentic to the original structure, so I went with a corrugated profile. It’s classic, understated and has that easy charm that works beautifully in both traditional and modern designs.
If I were building something more contemporary, I might have leaned towards a standing seam profile for those sharper modern lines. But for this home, the corrugated finish just made sense.
Bringing It All Together
Bringing It All TogetherWith the colour and profile locked in, the exterior of our cabin will finally feel connected to the rest of the property. I can’t wait to see how it all ties in once we finish the landscaping and bring the timber details back in.
A huge thank you to Colorbond Steel for helping to bring this project to life. If you’re planning your own renovation, make sure you’re using genuine Colorbond Steel. You can find your local supplier at colorbond.com.
And if you haven’t yet, check out the full video on our Reno Goals YouTube series to see exactly how I pulled this look together.
WATCH THE VIDEO
🎥 How I Choose Colorbond Colours to Match Our Interior Style
Watch the full episode now on our YouTube channel Hunting for George.
