How to Choose an Exterior Paint Palette for Your Home

How to Choose an Exterior Paint Palette for Your Home

May 15, 2020

It may be time to repaint the outside of your house, but you’re at a loss for where to start. For one thing, you want a color palette that pops, and one that works for you, while at the same time staying similar enough to the colors of the neighborhood to avoid sticking out like a sore thumb. Consider this because exterior hues can affect the entire street. Other factors to keep in mind include your landscaping, hardscaping, roofing and other nearby features.

Making plans for exterior painting in Pensacola, FL doesn’t have to be stressful. Take things one step at a time, do your research and reach out to a professional residential painting contractor for help. Below are five tips for choosing a color scheme that matches your style, your home and the surrounding area:

  • Consider your home’s era and architectural style: The colors you choose for your home’s exterior should feel appropriate to its style. Some architectural styles include bungalows, cottage, midcentury modern, Victorian and contemporary. If you have an historic model home, contact a color consultant, historian or the city to find out what colors are the most accurate to make them pop. However, unless historical guidelines prohibit certain colors, you can paint your home’s exterior in whatever color palette you want.
  • Plan around elements that will remain in place: Even though you’re just painting the siding and trim of your house, other features of your property like roofing, driveways, patios and stonework will probably stay where they are. This means you need to consider their colors when making your paint selection. Look for a color palette that matches your style and the surrounding permanent elements to ensure everything flows together.
  • Consider the visual effects the colors will create: Before committing to a particular color palette, really think about the kind of visual effect you want to achieve. Consider how your home is seen from the street, and its relationship to your landscape. For example, your house might sit back from the road or be situated in a grove of tall trees. Since you’re a bit hidden from view, you might choose a brighter or lighter color to help you stand out. On the other hand, darker shades can make a house blend into these types of surroundings more.
  • Select several paint shades: There are three aspects to choosing exterior colors. You need a color that dominates (the main color), a color that accents (doors, shutters and other small areas) and a color for the trim (around windows, doors, overhangs and railings).
  • Paint test spots: You can’t rely on paint chips or paint swatches only. The color on the sample material will look different on your siding material. Buy samples and apply paint to an inconspicuous spot on your house as a test.

Repainting the outside of your house requires commitment. It also takes time and patience, which you may not have in abundance. If you are looking for a professional experienced in exterior painting in Pensacola, FL, look no further than Fresh Start Painting Inc. Call us today for a free consultation!

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