Hello World! Welcome Friends! The exterior of your home is as crucial as your interior design. While the latter is mostly seen only by you, the former impacts the property’s curb appeal and the first impression left on anyone who sees it.
As another year draws to a close, people start thinking about refreshing their homes. And while you may already have your mind set on specific interior design changes, you probably need a bit of help with your home exterior.
One of the most straightforward updates you can do is repainting. But with the vast range of color options, the task can be a tad overwhelming. The key? Choose colors for your exterior wall paint that will match both the outdoor landscape and the architectural style of your house.
The exterior elements of your property create an impression before people see the inside of your home, so it makes sense to decide wisely. Below are five color schemes to consider:
1. Shades of White with Blue
One of the safest options for exterior paint is neutral colors, and white is the most common choice. This is especially true for symmetrical architecture that evokes a sense of heritage, elegance, and formality.
However, the white paint you use doesn’t necessarily have to be one-note. Instead, choose shades of white with undertones that match the rest of your house exterior.
Avoid combining bright white with beige. When you use white, match it with cleaner and crisper colors, like yellow and turquoise.
Consider this: white siding with cerulean undertones, melding gracefully with powder-blue porch furniture, a turquoise front door, and pendant lights. Every color here is distinct but still comes in perfect harmony because of their commonalities.
The white walls soften into the surrounding landscape, while a more vibrant-toned blue highlights the front door architecture. This is a smart choice if your 21st-century home is built in a historic neighborhood.
2. Olive and Other Earthy Greens
Before choosing colors for your repainting project, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. What colors do you see?
From the foundation to the roof to the window trim, the hues already present in your house should help guide your color scheme decision. You can also use the landscape design to guide your exterior paint choices.
For example, if you live in a craftsman-style home, you’ll find some deep natural shades on the walls and roof. Build upon these and allow your home to recede into its surroundings, like a natural part of the landscape.
If you have a brick façade, choose a paint that comes with natural textures and shades for the trim. For brick walls, you can use cream with sage green to complement the dark red of the walls.
The idea is to add character to the front door and subtly draw attention with a brighter (but not too bold) tone than the rest of the house.
3. Primary Colors
The most gorgeous home color combinations implement three different hues: one dominant shade and two accents (one brighter than the others). The secret? They always follow the rules of the color wheel.
Red, blue, and yellow – these three are the primary colors in the original color wheel. Thus, they are naturally complementary.
However, not many paint their houses these colors for one reason or another. Still, these three shouldn’t be set aside as a bad choice because they’re definitely great ones. You just need to select shades with the right depth and brightness to create a profoundly satisfying color scheme.
Don’t forget the unwritten rule in color combinations: Choose one color that will pop and another to be used sparingly. For exterior wall paint, blue could serve as the neutral of the three primary hues. Hint: Try aqua blue with mellow yellow for that quaint but charming effect.
4. Red and Black
Never forgo sampling the colors you like for exterior paint and choose shades that are at least one to two times warmer than what you ultimately want. This is because sunlight can turn any color two to three times cooler, leaning on a blue undertone.
Because of this and the fact that sunlight intensifies color, always consider which parts of your house get the most sunlight at specific times of the day. If it gets a soft shade, you can use more saturated colors like red, resulting in a beautiful look.
Red is a classic color and is an excellent material you can try. This color is especially recommended for smaller homes since the structures handle the color quite well. Add some black accents on the shutters and front door, then set them off with white trim.
Another idea is to use ruby red and black (or dark brown timber for a more natural effect) on the main door and trimmings. The rest of the house can be painted white to create a Tudor-style home.
5. Black and White or Taupe
Make use of tone variations if you want to highlight architectural details of your house. This means using dark and light hues to build visual interest. And what better way to show contrast than by using black and white?
Black and white is a classic and timeless combination that will never go out of style.
If your house has a dark-colored main body, use white paint on the trims, shutters, and window frames to make the structure pop out against your green lawn.
Of course, you can also add a twist to the traditional version of this color scheme. Crisp white and flat black exudes elegance and sophistication, but if you’re after a cozier appeal, switch the lighter color with taupe. This hue adds a warm touch to the entire look, making your home look more homey and much more welcoming from the outside.
When in Doubt, Get Expert Help
Tips and ideas found online help guide you in choosing the color scheme of your home’s exterior. Remember the basics: get samples and view those under different lighting conditions.
If, after this, you’re still not sure what to go with, get an expert’s opinion. It’s better to spend on professional fees than on a costly full repaint.
AUTHOR BIO
Ralph El Eid is the Business Development Manager at COLORTEK – Wall & Floor Fashion. EQUIPAINT is the franchise owner of COLORTEK in Dubai (U.A.E.) and Doha (Qatar); an international paints manufacturer specializing in the widest range of decorative paints and seamless concrete & resin flooring, with a unique showroom concept, and thus an ideal destination for homeowners, consultants, architects, interior designers and paint applicators.
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