Choosing Exterior Paint Colors

Foolproof Your Selection!

Choosing exterior paint colors can not only be very stressful, but also expensive! The thought of having to repaint a bad color choice is a nightmare! Here are the key considerations to making your selection foolproof! The two most important considerations in choosing an exterior paint color scheme are:

• the architecture of the house
• the neighborhood & geographical context

Next, consider the fixed elements of your home, or the things that can't change. For example, elements such as roofing shingles, and brick, slate, stone accents or features, and even the color of the vinyl windows. Use these elements as color resources because there are numerous shades and hues in building materials. A charcoal gray shingle for example could have flecks of gray-green or gray blue that could be found on a paint color strip or incorporated into the color scheme.

Examine color samples outdoors, at various angles and different times of the day. Consider buying small quantities of desired colors and paint a section of the house where body, trim and accent colors can be viewed together.

Start by picking a color scheme, or several colors in a pattern. An exterior paint scheme should be made up of at least three colors: the field, large areas such as walls or roofs; the trim, corner boards, window trim, fascias, rakes, etc., and accent, specific elements including doors, shutters, and other architectural features.