Choosing paint colors for a home’s exterior can be a difficult decision. It takes a lot of time and effort to decide which colors will look good together. Choosing the wrong paint color can be a very costly mistake that you will likely have to live with or spend a lot of money to repaint. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Determine how many paint colors you will choose. Newer homes sometimes have metal-framed windows that don’t need painting, but will have eaves that may need to be painted in a contrasting color to the siding. If you have window trim and shutters that will need to be painted, decide how many colors you want to work with. Typically, homeowners paint their exterior siding one color, their exterior trim another color, and their exterior shutters and doors a third color. White is the most commonly used color for exterior trim. Create a beautiful contrasting look.
If you have brick in your home, choose a color for your siding that works well with your brick. You should consider the color of your roof when deciding on paint colors. Make sure the exterior paint colors you choose go well with your roof color as well.
Look at the colors of your neighbors’ houses. This is a crucial, but often overlooked, factor in color selection. Most homeowners want their home to be distinctive, but it also needs to be pleasing with the colors used in the neighborhood. So take a look at nearby houses before you decide on your paint color.
Before choosing any paint color, check to see if your homeowners associations restrict the colors you can use. This is particularly important if you live in a newer subdivision or townhome community. It is very common to find this type of restrictions in these communities.
When deciding on a paint color, keep in mind that most colors tend not to look exactly the same as those found on color swatches or paint store color swatches. Types of paint formulations, paint gloss, and lighting can influence how a color will or will not look.
Once you’ve narrowed down your paint color choice, paint a small section of your home. Most paint companies or hardware stores will sell you a small sample of the color you want, or you can just buy a quarter. Be sure to test the exact paint you will be using to paint your house. It’s the only way to really see what the painting will look like. Paint can look different at different times of the day, so be sure to take a look at your swatches a few times. Be sure to test the colors of the trim next to the color of the siding as well.
Exterior painting can be done in any color you can think of, and these are just a few tips to help you make the right choice. By considering all of these things mentioned in this article, you should be able to choose colors that will not only look fantastic, but also hide any flaws and emphasize the best features in your home.