Choosing Exterior Paint Colors?
Article By: Paul Bianchina
So the time has come to repaint
the outside of your house, but you're tired of the old color
scheme. If you'd like to try something fresh and new that suits
your style, some simple homework will help you get off on the
right foot.
First of all, you might be interested to know what the rest of
America is doing. According to a poll conducted by the Rohm &
Hass Paint Quality Institute, the most popular exterior color is
white or off-white, which was selected by 34 percent of the
poll's respondents. Way too boring? If you were thinking of red
or pink, you're at the other end of the poll, and can place
yourself among only 4 percent of the people. In between, in
descending order of popularity, comes beige, tan or brown (28
percent), gray (15 percent), blue (7 percent), and green or
yellow (6 percent each).
Whether you're going with or against the crowd, there are lots
of tips worth considering when selecting the perfect color
scheme for your home. Here are some questions you'll want to ask
yourself:
What color is it now?
You want to ask yourself what you like and dislike about the
current colors, and why. Are they too dark or too light? Too
bright or too dull? Between the body color and the trim, are
there too many colors on the house, or perhaps not enough? A
good rule of thumb in your initial thinking about color is to
decide what you like, and work from that palette of colors.
Are their restrictions to worry about?
Some neighborhoods have restricted color choices, and you may
need to check with your homeowner's association or architectural
review committee for approval before deciding on a color.
Certain historical neighborhoods also have restricted color
palettes from which to choose.
Keep the style of your home in mind:
Certain color schemes are better suited for certain
architectural styles than others. Southwestern stucco might do
best with monochrome whites or pastels, while your ornate
Victorian may look best with a coordinated set of three, four,
or even more colors. Most paint dealers can provide you with
color sample books that show coordinated groups of colors for
various styles of homes.
Look at your home's prominent features:
For some types of homes, color may be dictated by such highly
visible and unchangeable components as brick or stone veneers,
or by the color of the roof.
Large or small?
Remember the basic rule of color – dark colors can make a large
house look smaller, while light colors can make a small house
appear larger.
Dark colors:
If you favor dark colors, you need to keep in mind that in harsh
sunlight environments they are more prone to fading, and also
absorb and hold in more heat. Very bright colors are also much
more prone to fading.
Light over dark:
If your existing house is a dark color and you want to paint a
light color over it, you'll probably need to use a primer first
in order to get that lighter color to cover. While this alone is
not a reason to stay away from a lighter color that you like,
it's important to know that you'll probably be facing some
additional labor and material expense.
Break out the crayons:
When you have some color schemes in mind, a great way to test
things out is to sketch or photograph your house, then make
several black and white photocopies of the picture or drawing.
Using colored pencils, paints, crayons or other art supplies,
color in the photocopies and see what you like.
Copyright 2004-2005 Inman News.
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