How to Choose the Best Exterior Paint Color for Your Home

But if you're struggling to choose the right color, we have you covered. Stick around for a guide to help you find the best exterior paint color for your home!

Determine What You Are Painting

Before you start buying gallons of paint, assess the scope of your job. Are you painting the entire house? Or are you only painting sections where you have siding?

If you're not coating the entire house with paint, look at the other materials used in your home's exterior. They'll have a significant impact on how your paint color will look.

For homes with masonry, determine if the stones lean toward warmer brown tones or cooler gray tones. If you have bricks that you won't be painting, size up their color, too.

You might get too much contrast pairing white paint on siding with deep red bricks. This could have the effect of making a home look choppy and uninviting. When in doubt, choose a neutral color that will hold broad appeal in case you ever need to sell your home. 

Consider Your Roof's Color

Is your roof light brown? If it's a lighter color, then you don't want to choose a paint color that matches it too closely. You'll end up with an exterior that lacks contrast and vibrancy.

You do, however, want to pick a color that matches the sense of warmth or coolness of your roof. For a blue-gray roof shingle, you should consider choosing a cooler gray for your paint color. Likewise, for a warmer roof color, keep your paint colors warmer, as well.

You'll get a more consistent look. Aim to choose a house paint color that is lighter than the color of your roof's shingles, too. If your shingles are more of a dark gray color or black, you'll have the flexibility to choose warm or cool colors.  

Yes, it's critical to factor in the roof color before committing to a paint color. But don't forget about the trim and other accents. Much like your roof, they will impact how the main color of your home reads.

White trim paired with a deeper gray or tan will create a sense of contrast that enhances your home's curb appeal. But if you have off-white trim, remember that you'll need to paint it, too, if you paint the rest of the house white. 

Look at Other Features Around Your Home

Consider landscaping, walkways, and other aspects of your property when you're investigating paints. Don't forget about fences, decks, and patios, too. If you don't have plans to change these parts of your property any time soon, it's worth choosing a paint color that works well with them.

Further, your setting may influence the types of colors on your property. Stucco homes in a warm desert setting, for example, may be surrounded by sandy tones in the fences or landscaping. You'll want to choose a warm paint color that provides enough contrast or go with white for a refreshing change.

And if you just recoated your deck in an opaque redwood color, compare your house paint swatches with it. Painting your house blue will play up the level of contrast. Opting for a warmer color will offer a softer transition if you're planning to keep your deck that color for years to come. 

Evaluate the Lighting

If you've painted interior walls before, be aware that colors won't behave the same way outside. Inside spaces don't receive as much light, and what they do receive is much less intense light. You'll need to compensate for that difference when you head outside.

Bright sunlight at midday can have the effect of washing out colors. In other words, you might think you've found an ideal blue that will provide more depth on your siding. But you might be shocked when you see how much bright sunlight dilutes the intensity of the color.

A good strategy is to choose a slightly darker color, or at least one shade deeper than your preferred option. This is particularly true if you don't have a lot of trees on your property to filter the light.

Make a point of looking at your top color choices at different times of the day. You may notice, too, that colors skew warmer if they're surrounded by other warm colors from the landscape. On the other hand, if you live in a wooded area, the colors might look a little cooler. 

And if you're feeling overwhelmed, experienced painters can help you pinpoint the best paint color for your property. A color consultation can help clarify why some colors won't match and how undertones can impact the result. And you'll be able to steer clear of choosing colors that won't help the resale value of your home down the road. 

Find Photos for Inspiration

Sometimes one of the best ways to determine a good color is by looking at other homes for inspiration. The internet is home to lots of real estate and design blogs featuring home makeovers. Look for professional photos that show off the latest paint color trends.

Search for homes that share similar architectural features to your own, too. This will make it easier to envision how a particular paint color may look on your home.

For instance, if you have cedar shake siding and a gray roof, look for homes that match this aesthetic. Or if you're going to paint your beige brick ranch, look for other examples of homes with painted brick. 

And it never hurts to copy the latest paint color trends. If you want to keep things neutral, greige might strike the right balance between gray and beige. If you're trying to summon the courage to make a bold change, you could find a home in forest green or baby blue that motivates you to move forward.

Test Different Options

Before you invest in gallons and gallons of paint in a particular color, test it out. You might be surprised by how the color looks on your siding or brick. Sometimes the paint samples don't translate to the actual materials. 

Create a small painted section in an area of your home that sees a full range of light. For instance, maybe the west side of your home catches a lot of evening sun but not as much in the morning. It should provide a good representation of how the color looks and changes throughout the day.

Monitor what you see to determine if the color meets your expectations. The textures of brick or shadows of overlapped siding may change the way the color looks in surprising ways!

Keep It Simple

If your home has lots of architectural embellishments and materials, don't go crazy with paint colors. For instance, your roofline may change directions frequently or have shutters on every window. Adding too many different colors to your home's exterior will make your home look busy.

Instead, settle on one main exterior color and a limited range of trim and accent colors. Avoid choosing a different color for each section of trim. Doing this will allow the architectural features to have more presence while looking cohesive. 

Consider choosing a contrasting color for your door if you want to make a splash. You could paint your home in a deep blue-green, keep the trim white, and then go with a cherry-red door. You'll make a statement with the fiery door color but the rest of your home will feel unified. 

Hire Experienced Residential Painters

When it comes to exterior painting, your best bet is to hire a good painting company to tackle the job. They'll have the experience and equipment to create a professional finish. And they'll know what prep work is needed to give your home long-lasting coverage.

For starters, professionals will powerwash and scrape away flaking paint to prep the surface. They'll apply primer to secure exposed wood and fill in any gaps. Doing this repair work is an essential first step before painting even enters the picture.

Do you have landscaping around the perimeter of your home? The last thing you want is for the paint to drip on it and ruin it. A professional paint company will protect landscaping and handle clean-up duties efficiently. 

They'll also provide a timeline that's far faster than what you could achieve juggling the job yourself. You'll save time and be happier with the results when you enlist the pros. 

Choose the Best Exterior Paint Color

The right exterior paint color is one that makes you happy and creates stronger curb appeal. Determine which portions of your home you want to paint and consider trim, walkways, and the impact of lighting. Test out options and aim for a cohesive color scheme that offers enough contrast. 

When you're ready to update your home with a fresh coat of paint, contact us and we can help!