Tuesday, November 27, 2007

How to choose exterior home colors



Transcript
How to Choose Exterior Paint Colors
Hi! I'm Jackie Craven, a Guide to architecture at About.com. Grab a color wheel or some paint swatches. Today were gonna pick new colors for your house.
Choose Paint Colors That Compliment the Roof
Begin with colors suggested by your roof. Your house doesn't have to match the roof, but it should harmonize. Also consider other features you don't plan to paint, such as masonry or vinyl windows.
Coincide the Colors With Surrounding Houses
Choose colors that coordinate with buildings around you. My neighbor's house here is golden rust. I need colors that don't clash.
Consider Matching Outdoor Paint With Interiors
The colors you've used for interior room may suggest ideas for colors outside your house. I like the green in this sofa cushion.
Use a Historic Paint Color Chart
If you're painting an older home, you may want to select colors from a historic color chart. Or you can try to find out what colors were used on your house before you moved in. According to old photos my house was painted dark green and white. For a while, it was boring beige final siding.
Try Painting With Various Shades
Most houses use at least three different colors: one for the siding, and two or more for trim and accents such as doors, railings, and window sashes. Darker colors are great for accenting recess spaces and window sashes. Lighter colors will highlight details that project from the walls surface.

Don't be afraid to experiment with color combinations. You can use a virtual painting program to preview your house colors. Or, you can photo copy a sketch of your house and try different color combinations.
Test the Paint on Your House
Before you buy gallons of paint, test a spot to see if you like the color. I don't know, this looks pretty blah to me, I need a darker color for this house. Be sure to look at the colors at different times of the day.
Choose Paint Sheen
You thought you only had to pick colors? Sorry, in addition, you'll also have to decide on the sheen of your paint. Glossy, semi or soft gloss, or flat. I like to use a glossy finish for columns and window sashes and a soft gloss for siding. Its so easy to clean.

And here it is! Thanks for watching. To learn more visit us at about.com.
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2 comments:

Richard Boles said...

Choosing a right paint for your home adds beauty and elegant effects to your interior and exterior designs. But, we should also be aware on the chemical content of the color paint that we will use to make sure it doesn't affect our health. When I built my home, I preferred to choose tile roofs because I want to minimize the use of color paints. Before I installed the tile roofs, I asked my contractor if I chose the right roofing. In Miami FL, finding roofing materials are very easy.

October 26, 2010 at 5:02 PM
Katie said...

That would be a dilemma if the color you've chosen for the outside of your house clashes with your neighbors. But what if the colors of your interior clashes with the complimentary color that you have with your neighbor?

What would be the step undertaken in that scenario? I'd probably repaint my exterior when I'm done with window replacement. In Los Angeles I think, houses are mostly either white or gray, so they won't have any problems clashing with their neighbor's house colors.

Thanks for the informative video. I hope that Color preview program is still available in the market. I gotta get my hands on one of those.

March 7, 2011 at 7:50 AM

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