Thinking about changing your home’s exterior, but can’t decide on a color? You’re not alone. There are over 10 million colors visible to the human eye. With so many options, how does anyone ever choose?
Picking a new exterior paint color is tricky, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. If you need help selecting that perfect shade, check out these four tips for choosing an exterior paint color. By asking the right questions, you can narrow down your options and find the best color for your house’s facade.
What Do You Like? What Do You Not Like?
To start, make a list of colors you like and colors you don’t like. It’s fine if you have a long list of loved colors as long as you also have a list of colors you aren’t as passionate about. You can eliminate these colors from your list to make it shorter and easier to work with.
Consider Your Location
Where do you live? What does your home look like? What do the other homes in your neighborhood look like? Location is a huge factor that most homeowners overlook. You want your home to look nice in your eyes, but you also want it to look nice in the eyes of your neighbors. Otherwise, you’ll have a hard time selling it in the future.
If you live in a high-end neighborhood with classy Victorian homes, you may want to avoid flashier, bolder colors and stick to neutrals. But if you live in a colorful coastal town, feel free to play around—the last thing you want is to have the drabbest house on the block.
Borrow Inspiration
Painting is an art, and all artists need references to create their artwork! The next tip for choosing an exterior paint color is to borrow inspiration from the other homes in your neighborhood.
When you have the time, take a walk or drive through your town. Bring along your smartphone or a camera and snap photos of any exteriors with color palettes you like. You should also keep an eye out for any homes that look like yours and take note of the color palettes they’re using.
This walk or drive will give you a better feel for the kind of colors that are popular in your neighborhood and that will suit your home.
Look Around
While you’re at it, take the time to examine the exterior of your own home. What color is the door? The window trims? The roof? The foundation? What about your patio furniture and the colors of the flowers in your garden? Unless you’re planning to do a full repaint, choose a shade that complements the rest of your home.
You should also consider your home’s size when choosing a color. Dark colors tend to work better with smaller homes because they ground them and make them stand out, while light colors make grand, imposing homes seem more inviting.