Our shou sugi ban siding won’t just last a lifetime, it will enhance it.

We’ve seen a clear shift toward organic material palettes that feel more tactile, architectural, and connected to the landscape.

Authentic yakisugi, also known as “shou sugi ban,” is the epitome of natural beauty. Deeply charred, this Japanese cedar is transformed into rot, pest, and fire resistant siding that will last 80 to 150 years without using any chemical treatments. Available in 32 finishes, including 3 texture variations and a wide range of colors.

If you’re considering an exterior update in 2026, which direction would you take?

Featured Projects:
1 & 5. Seattle Boathouse ADU. Architect: @shedarchitecture, Builder: Whelbilt Homes, Photographer: @rafaelsoldiphotography
2. The Gorge House. Designer: @telfordbrownstudioarchitecture; Builder: John Bloomster Construction
3. Split Gable House. Designer: @kcsarchitects, Photographer: @morgan_karanasios
4. Silver House. Design & Build: @modernhabitat

A home’s black exterior doesn’t compete with a garden landscape. It frames it.

“It puts the garden into focus. A black backdrop also sets off plants in a way that really makes individual plants pop,” says @gardenista_sourcebook in their recent piece on why landscape designers love black houses.

Featured in the article as a prime example: @workshopapd’s East Hampton House, clad in our black Pika-Pika® yakisugi.

1-2. East Hampton House. Architect: @workshopapd, Contractor: @shoshibuilders, Landscape: @farmlandscapedesign, Photographer: @readmckendree/@jbsa.images
3-4. Franklin Lake House. Architect: @jordan_rosenberg_architect; Contractor: @m.harkinconstruction; Photographer: @christinaruthgrieco
5. F-R Garden Studio ADU. Design: @mgarchitecture, Photographer: @emaphotographi
6. Augsburg Retreat. Photographer: @naos_am/Johannes Zettel

Yakisugi, inside and out.

From exterior cladding to interior walls and ceilings, yakisugi brings depth, texture, and longevity to every surface. Its charred grain can define a facade, soften a room, and create a continuous material language between architecture and landscape.

1. Orcas House. Interior Photograph: @willaustinphoto, Architect: @syndicate_smith, Builder: WestCorp
2. Komorebi House. Architecture + Build: @assembly.ab, Photographer: @jrdnpwrs, Engineering: Dunn Structural, Interior Design: Amber Kennedy
3. Northport Studio. Architect: @mathisonarchitects, Contractor: @cooleycontracting, Photographer: @norsworthyscott
4. Hill House. Architect: @kcsarchitects, Builder: Niemela Design Builders, Photographer: @ryanbentphoto

Revisiting the projects that stopped your scroll to spotlight the yakisugi finishes used.

These designs set the bar high for how craftsmanship and character come together, with each yakisugi finish chosen a perfect match for its setting.

1, 2 & 3 – Lake Champlain. Architect: @studio.mma, General Contractor: @redhousebuilding, Structural Engineer: Artisan Engineering, Landscape Architect: @knauf_landscapearchitecture, Photographer: @ryanbentphoto
4, 5 & 6 – Seattle Lakehouse. Architect: @shedarchitecture, Builder: Whelbilt Homes, Photographer: @rafaelsoldiphotography
7, 8 & 9 – Octothorpe House. Architect: @morkulnesarchitects, Photographer: @jeremybittermann / @jbsa.images
10, 11 & 12 – Swift Cabin. Architect: @mentarchitecture, Builder: Andrews Construction, Photographer: Adam Lawler

Le Petit Théâtre de Nivelle in Nivelle, France.

Designed as an extension to an existing farmhouse where performances were hosted, this angular building is home to a 161-seat private theater, transforming the property into a fully-fledged cultural venue.

Its clean geometry and textured material palette imbues a modern identity, while the yakisugi cladding brings the warmth, texture, and depth with contrasting finishes: lightness from sealed Pika-Pika® and dramatic darkness from black Gendai®.

Project: Théâtre de Nivelle
Products: Pika-Pika with transparent finish, Gendai with water-based protection Ebony
Architect: Kontext Architects
Builder: @edwood_construction_bois

Today’s scroll-worthy design inspo, hand-delivered to your feed.

1. Octothorpe House. Architect: @morkulnesarchitects, Photography: @jeremybittermann / @jbsa.images, Builder: Trevor Lee Downing
2. Seattle Boathouse ADU. Architect: @shedarchitecture, Builder: Whelbilt Homes, Photography: @rafaelsoldiphotography
3. Bainbridge Island House. Architect: @bc.and.j, Builder: Craftsman Building Fine Homes LLC, Photography: @davidwcohen.photos
4. Rockridge. Architect: Mattingly Thaler Architecture, Design: @cathiehonginteriors, Builder: @dimensionalconstruction, Photography: @margaretaustin_photo
5. Mountain Pool House. Architect: @eh_architect, Builder: @redhousebuilding, Photography: @ryanbentphoto,
6. Orcas House. Architect: @syndicate_smith, Builder: WestCorp, Photography: @willaustinphoto

Featured in Retrofit Home’s Summer 2026 issue, the Stowe House tells a story of intentional transformation through precision and timeless design.

Built in 1966 as a modest cabin, the home evolved over decades of uncoordinated additions into a fragmented structure with competing rooflines and a disjointed palette. Rather than replace it, @mbarchdesign embraced its history and transformed it into a durable, low-maintenance sanctuary for generations to come.

To unify the exterior and bring a more modern look to the home, the design team chose to clad the project in our Gendai® yakisugi. “It lends the house a sense of permanence, as though it has always belonged to the landscape,” says Mary Beth Childs, founder of MB architecture + design.

Read the full story on @retrofitmag at the link in bio.

Design: @mbarchdesign
Builder & General Contractor: @rootsbuilders
Photographer: @allliiibaba