Choosing paint colors for your home is one of the most exciting yet terrifying things you’ll do when it comes to fixing up your home.
If you choose “blah” colors, your home will look featureless and flat.
Meanwhile, if you select colors that are far too bold, the hues may overwhelm your home’s architecture. On top of that, you may quickly turn your friendly neighbors into enemies.
The best exterior paint colors are those that highlight your home’s most attractive features. Here’s a rundown on how you can choose the best colors for your home’s exterior — the first time.
Let’s get started!
Keep in Mind the Past When Choosing Exterior Paint Colors
If you plan to paint a home that is older, you’ll likely need to utilize a color scheme that is historically accurate.
A professional — for example, the professionals at Textbook Painting, a provider of exterior painting services — could easily help you to analyze some old chips of paint and recreate your home’s original color.
Alternatively, you can look at a historic hue chart and pick shades that may have been applied to your home when it was first built.
Keep in mind that if your home’s style is relatively simple, you won’t need as many colors. On the flip side, if you have a Victorian house that is relatively elaborate, you should use between four and six colors.
Take the color-selection process seriously, as the choices you make will end up becoming part of your home’s history.
Take Your Neighbors into Consideration
If you’re looking for inspiration for your home’s exterior colors, don’t overlook what your neighbors have done — or have not done — to their homes.
Whatever you do, do not copy your neighbors exactly. Instead, pick hues that will make your home stand out without necessarily clashing with your neighbors’ homes.
For starters, take a good look around you. Is your home close to your neighbors’ homes, or are you closer to trees than you are to another homeowner in your neighborhood?
Select hues that will coordinate with your surroundings.
Pay Attention to Your Roof
Take time to examine your roof before you choose colors for your home’s exterior.
What material is your roof? Clay? Slate? Terracotta? Metal? Shingle? Asphalt?
The answer to this question is critical because your roofing material has its own distinct color. Your exterior paint doesn’t necessarily have to match your roof’s color, but it certainly should complement it.
Look to the Living Room for Inspiration
Don’t just look above for exterior-paint-color inspiration. Look inside, too.
Your interior color schemes should be taken into consideration when you choose an exterior home hue, as you want both the inside and the outside to harmonize with each other.
You may be asking, “Do I really need to choose my exterior paint color based on my pillowcase pattern?”
Sure, this may seem silly on the surface. But it absolutely makes sense if you want your home’s exterior and interior to look like they actually go together.
Utilize a Light Hue to Make Your Home Look Bigger
When you see grand estates, you’ll oftentimes see them painted white.
There’s a reason for this.
A light hue makes any building look bigger. Plus, white remains the hue of choice for classical architecture.
Think about it — what’s one of the most famous houses in the United States? The White House, right?
There you go.
Pale cream or white hues can be used to make your home look more dignified and grandiose. Meanwhile, while darker hues can come in handy for emphasizing shadows.
Explore Color Families
Have you ever thought about choosing contrasting colors for your home’s exterior? It’s an excellent idea — if executed correctly, that is.
If you go with an extreme contrast, the colors you choose will end up clashing and detract from your home’s details.
For the best results, try to stay within one color family.
In addition, try to use a lighter or darker shade rather than a completely different color for certain accents. Various parts of your home could benefit from accent colors, such as your shutters, doors, brackets, porch deck, moldings, window sashes and columns.
Even screens and storm windows are now available in various colors to complement your home’s exterior.
Of course, when choosing accent colors for your home, try to avoid using too many hues, as this will overwhelm the house.
Familiarizing yourself with differences among shades, tints and tones will go a long way in helping you to choose the right exterior paint colors.
Look at Nature
Mother Earth can serve as a wonderful source of inspiration for your home’s exterior color as well.
For instance, trees on your property might point to the beauty of an earthy painter’s palette of browns and greens. Meanwhile, if you live near a beach, some pink, blue or turquoise shades may be excellent options.
Also, if you have a garden in your front yard, you may get some beautiful color ideas when your tulips bloom.
Another thing to consider is where the sun shines onto your home. Follow the sun, as colors need light to look their best.
Consider Parts of the Home That Will Not Be Painted
Take into consideration the areas of your home that won’t be painted as well.
For instance, perhaps your home is brick, stone or a combination. Maybe it has a wooden door, vinyl windows or a prominent chimney.
Also, maybe railings and steps will stay their current colors.
Like your roof, all of these items and construction materials feature their own colors, so you can’t ignore them. Choose exterior paint hues that will harmonize with them.
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