Having the exterior of your house painted will freshen up the façade. However, an exterior paint job is a big commitment. It represents a big investment of both money and time. What's more, your house's façade will help set the tone for your entire property and even part of the neighborhood. Therefore, you'll want to approach this decision with care.
Your color scheme will consist of several working parts - between two to four colors working together. The palette starts with a foundation color which will serve for all your exterior walls. This color will be the most visual.
Next, you'll choose up to three accent colors for the doors, shutters, and other trim. Some homeowners choose just one accent color for all those parts, while others choose a different color for each.
Basic knowledge of color theory can help your decision-making process. One basic principle relates to the intensity of colors. Tints have white added to them to lighten a color. Adding black to darken a color creates a shade. Adding gray to the color to remove some of its intensity results in a tone.
Knowing about color intensity will help you pick among common color harmonies. For example, a classic color harmony for making a statement is the complementary palette, which features colors directly opposite on the color wheel. Using these colors at full intensity would create a jarring effect, so you could tone the base color down and tint the accent color.
Certain parts of the house, such as the roofing and hardscaping, aren't going to get painted. Therefore, your choice in paint colors should complement those areas. Give a good look at your roof and hardscaping to discern if they're overall more cool-hued or warm-hued. Try to stick to that temperature range when choosing paint colors.
Your house is also part of a larger body - your neighborhood. Decide if you want your house to stand out or blend with the neighborhood. You can even use neighboring houses for inspiration - just don't copy the palette exactly or you'll have a cookie cutter effect. For example, you could lighten or darken your neighbor's colors so that your house blends but doesn't match.
There's no need to reinvent the wheel. Classic color schemes have stood the test of time, so they'll work for your house's façade, too. For example,
Better Homes and Gardens describes a classic color scheme with warm beige for the foundation and white for the trim. Such a palette will give any style of home a cohesive appearance.
Along those lines, certain styles of houses lend themselves to specific color schemes. For example, Victorian homes often feature creative, even whimsical palettes with colors at full intensity. Greek revival houses, on the other hand, are usually white with maybe some yellow or beige. Cape Cod houses are often a subtle color such as gray with dark shutters and white trim.
It may sound obvious, but choosing colors you like will help you be happy with your paint job. To that end, what's your favorite color? When you factor in tints, hues, and shades, any color is possible for your exterior paint job.
Additionally, look at some paint swatches that have been premade into color combinations. Examine ones that create the effect that's most pleasing to you. Again, you can customize it with different color combinations in the same intensity levels as those found in the premade scheme.
Be confident about your choice in paint colors by following the above tips. When you're ready for an expert painting service, call the professionals at Diversified Painting.
