Selecting the right color combination for the exterior painting of your home, or even your business, can seem like a daunting task. Not only does color heavily impact your overall curb appeal, but colors set the tone for your home or workplace. Colors create different moods and environments and intent should be considered. For example, if your exterior painting is in preparation for the sale of your home, certain colors can increase appeal and sometimes value. So where do you start?
Because selecting paint for homeowners is typically the scariest part of the process, JMA Painters has put together a few tips to consider to narrow the choices and help you make the best decision for your project.
Exterior Paint Selection Tips
- Take a long look at the existing colors in the foundation of your home. Are you working with red bricks, neutral bricks, do you have a dark brown roof or black roof?, etc. The color you select should compliment the hues that will remain intact. Will your existing colors work best with a darker or lighter tone? This leads us to tip #2.
- Start with your main color first and then work in complementing colors. The first decision you need to make is what tone level are you looking for? Do you want the base (main) color to be a dark color, a medium color, or a light color? Once you have made this decision, it drastically narrows your choices. Be sure to consider tip #1 when making this decision.
- Take the style and structure of your home into consideration. For example, if you live in a ranch style home, pastel colors will take away from the overall style the home was created for.
- Another factor to consider is your neighborhood. If you are in your forever home, curb appeal may not mean much to you. But, if you are looking to sell your home, or plan to in the future, avoid anything too drastically different from the rest of your neighborhood.
- Get Ideas! Drive around and look for color combinations that you like and build your ideas from them. If you already have a vision in your mind but are not sure how it would look, turn to the internet. Websites like Pinterest are bound to have something similar to help you envision the look for your own home.
- Lastly, but probably one of the most important tips we can provide is to not forget about sunlight! Sunlight can drastically change the appearance of your chosen colors. If you have ever purchased a color from the store to get home and discover it looks completely different on your actual walls – amplify that times 10 with an exterior paint color. Oftentimes, you need to go several shades darker to achieve the lighter color you desire. We recommend getting a sample and applying to a small area to see how it will actually look in the sun.
Choosing paint colors does not have to be an overwhelming task! Have fun with it and get creative. If you are stuck and really do not know where to start in your color selection, do not hesitate to reach out to a paint contractor for assistance. If you are already working with a professional painter on the job, ask for their advice. Professional painters work with enough exterior painting jobs to understand which colors to stay away from, and which work best. If you are not currently working with a painter on your project but would like one, contact JMA Painters for all your commercial and residential painting needs.