Blog, Exterior painting, Paint Colors

The Dos and Don’ts of Choosing Exterior Paint Colors.

Carefully selected, eye-catching home exteriors colors can boost the curb appeal and instantly transform the look and value of your home. You can use paint color to complement the surrounding landscape, emphasize special design features, or simply make a style statement. 

 While the above is true, making wrong color choices can make your home look a little out of place and even reduce its value in the long run. The process of choosing a paint color needs to be thoughtful, well-planned, and strategic. All aspects surrounding the house should be put into consideration. Here are some dos and don’ts you should consider when choosing your exterior color. 

 The Do’s Of Choosing Exterior Colors 

 DO Get Color Imaginative

 There’re really no hard rules when it comes to exterior color choices. It’s ok to incorporate some lighter shades of bright colors if that’s your area of preference. Many homeowners worry that a unique color scheme will end up costing more, but fortunately, that’s not the case. Feel free to apply a little imagination to your color selection. As long as you’re not doing more than two colors, it won’t cost you any more than choosing a neutral shade would.

 DO Play With Texture.

 Mix a bit of shiny and flat finishes to add visual interest to your exterior and achieve some contrast even if you’re using the base colors from the same family. You can use mate on the walls and glossy hues to highlight/accent decorative features such as the millwork. This way, the light will reflect off high-sheen paint and draw the eye to architectural elements that you want to show off. 

 DO Consider Trends

 Exterior paint color trends move at a rather slow pace. So chances are the color you choose now will still be trendy 5 or even 10 years from now. But still, you need to keep in mind what is happening in the market and around you. A few years ago, painting the exterior white was a “safe” option. However, more homeowners are now experimenting with tinted neutral and bold colors. So look around you to get a sense of the current trends. 

 The Don’ts of Choosing Exterior Colors 

 DON’T Ignore the Landscaping

 Other than highlighting special features on your house, one of the tasks of your exterior colors is to complement your home’s landscaping and its surroundings. You can maximize the curb appeal by ensuring that your house and yard are in harmony. A green-painted exterior would get lost in a heavily vegetative plot, while a bright color might appear too brash if your yard has sparse landscaping. 

 DON’T Coordinate Excessively

 A little coordination is excellent when choosing your exterior color. However, coordinating excessively will make your house look featureless. To avoid this, pick a color for your front door that contrasts with the primary siding color but still ties back into another prominent element. Whichever your color choice, the bottom line is you should try and contrast at least two of these items; the door front, wall, trim, and the roof. 

 DON’T Ignore the Neighbors.

 While we earlier mentioned that you should get creative, it might be a bad idea to pick colors that clash entirely with your neighbor’s exteriors. It’s always good to have an exterior that in harmony with the neighborhood. So feel free to stand out, but don’t make your house conspicuous. 

 Bottom Line. 

 When repainting your home’s exterior, chances are you will be stuck with that color for some years, probably 4-7. With that in mind, you should make all the effort to choose a color that you really love –that’s the most important consideration. 

If you’re looking for a trusted and reliable residential painting contractor in Moorestown, Mt Laurel, Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Voorhees, Evesham, Medford, Tabernacle, Shamong and the surrounding areas, we can help. 

 Contact The Painting & Wallpapering Co. today at 609.953.0944 for a FREE, no-obligation estimate.