Choosing Colors for your Home's Exterior
When choosing exterior colors and materials there are a few things to keep in mind. Going boring beige (unless that’s what you really want and love!) isn’t always the best thing to do. Going too wild might not be the answer either. It’s a big expense and decision, so take your time deciding or consult a professional who can help you. Finding a balance between loving your home and keeping others happy is a great place to be. But you can just tell when someone loves their home, right? And when a home has been unloved, abandoned or someone “played it safe.” While there is cost involved, everything can be redone and replaced if it doesn’t turn out the way you like it.
Consider the location, climate and overall feel of the neighborhood. You want to also consider your neighbors’ homes, especially if they are close together or you are in a townhouse, twin or other attached home. You can consider resale of your home, but I personally don’t recommend that being your driving factor in decision making unless you really know you want to sell in the next 5 years. If we’re talking about painting a door, that can easily be repainted. Homes with siding or surfaces that need to be repainted every 5-10 years, you can go more bold in your color choices. Keep in mind that darker colors may fade more, depending on your location. Consider your roof color or any other trims or fixtures that are unchanging (stone and/or brick areas, wood on porches, driveway material/color, etc), to be sure it coordinates with your new color palette. If you have shutters, it’s a personal preference if you want to contrast the shutters with the door. It usually looks best to have the shutters one color and the door a contrasting or complementary color.
Keep in mind that exterior paint colors will appear several shades lighter. You should do a test and keep a board painted outside with your choices to see how it looks at different times of daylight. Another thing to consider is the foliage, general vibe of the area, weather conditions and how the house will look in different seasons (if you have them). It sounds obvious, but ask yourself: “how do the colors look against the landscape?” Consider the style of your home and how the colors work with that. Lastly, consider your interior decor and colors. While they don’t have to match exactly, they should coordinate and they can enhance the overall feeling. Remember, when your front door opens in, it will be inside your house. You may also see your exteriors while inside your home, so you don’t want it to clash.
With these tips, you can be sure you’ll make the right decisions for you. If you are still nervous, consult a professional, like me. If you are doing it yourself, take your time, test test test and go more neutral on the larger decisions.