What You Need To Know Before Choosing An Exterior Paint Color

Have you ever wondered what makes some house’s curbside appeal look so great and otherse2e more of a “what were they thinking”?

No one plans to be the latter. This can make choosing a paint color for your home’s exterior quite the daunting task. Afterall, it’s not exactly a quick project you can repaint if the color isn’t quite what you thought it should be.

Use these general guidelines to pick the perfect color for your home’s exterior.

You want to pick a color that goes well with your home’s surroundings. These are the things you don’t plan on changing anytime soon like the roof, stonework, the driveway, and pathways.

It’s important to understanding if the undertones of these elements is warm or cool as this can help inform your color decision. Warm colors would be browns, beige, and brick while cool colors would be blacks grays and blues.

Whichever the main undertone is for the surroundings choose the opposite tone for the color of your home. This will help your home feel like a natural placement without completely blending into its surroundings.

Another factor to take into consideration is to know your home’s architectural style and the colors typically used in that style and era. Sticking at least somewhat close to these color schemes when you choose your own shades will prevent your home from feeling “off”.

Once you have these two factors determined it’s time to do some research. Drive through your neighborhood and those that have homes which catch your eye. You can also take to Pinterest and pin images of homes that catch your eye to make an inspiration board. Take notes on those that are your favorites, have a similar style to your home or have a color you particularly like.

When it comes to choosing your color you’ll want to pick two or three colors. One for the siding, one for the trim and a third if you are looking to repaint doors or shutters.

Typically the trim work color contrasts with your main color. Think of the traditional white trimming that pops against most popular home colors. You could also select a lighter shade of your siding color for a monologous color palette that creates a serene peaceful feel.

Pick a good quality paint that will withstand time and weather. Painting exterior is a lot of work and making the investment means not having to touch up as often. It is also wise to pick a brand that offers sampler options for you to “try on” the paint color. Try just a few colors on your home as a swatch test to see how they look in different lighting your house receives throughout the day.