Even if you, unfortunately, don’t love your neighbors, at least you love your house. Exterior house paint color is one of the ways you can show love and is how you greet those who pass by. Your choice of color can affect the entire neighborhood. Unless you live in an area with a homeowners association or bylaws that dictate color, making your own exterior house paint color choice comes with a lot of pressure and a little fear.
Everyone wants their home to get the stares, the flattering kind that is. So how do you go about picking the right exterior house paint color for your house? Here are a few tips.
Honor your home’s architectural design/ history
Before you become part of the history of your house, think about what has preceded you. If for example, the house is traditional, go with subdued exterior house paint color. If the home is an old one, say a Victorian style one, you’ll want to be historically accurate and have about six colors. The simpler the house, the fewer the colors you’ll need.
Visit one or two similar houses to yours to get the hang of what you should be doing. Additionally, Thought.Co has a wide range of historical color chats and palettes at which you can look.
Get the feel of the entire neighborhood
Ever heard of that guy who mowed his neighbor’s lawn just because he thought it wasn’t cut to the right size? If you choose the wrong exterior house paint color, I doubt anyone will repaint your house though.
Choose colors that coordinate well with the surrounding homes but don’t copy. Also, don’t color clash unless you plan to move out quickly because you won’t be living harmoniously.
Consider your home’s exterior
There are several unchanging elements of your home that are best not to ignore. Bricks, mortar, stones, and other exterior features are not going to change, and it’s best you take them in as much as possible when figuring out your exterior house paint color scheme.
Even if you do want to copy your neighbor to make the task more comfortable, the chances are that your houses are not identical. Find the correct tones that go with your unchanging elements because they dictate a lot of what you can do.
Borrow from nature
Nature does extend an olive branch after all. It’s just a matter of if you’ll take the cue and incorporate it into your exterior house paint color. The natural landscape around your house is filled with color. A beach setting, for example, may suggest shades of pink, blue, or even turquoise. Trees and front yard gardens, on the other hand, tend to compliment natural earth color tones.
Light is an essential element of nature and color needs light so that it is viewable. How is your house positioned? You should know where or how the sun shines on your home. Then you can go ahead and stun everybody with the help of the sun.
Borrow from your home’s interior for your exterior house paint color
It’s very comical to have a house where the exterior house paint color and the interior one including furnishings do not match. The entire point is to live in harmony with nature, your neighbor, and even yourself. Most of the time, the interior and exterior influence each other. You can also decide to pick an exterior house paint color based on the pattern of your curtains. It may sound weird, but sometimes it works.
If you feel overwhelmed, hire the experts
Messing up on your exterior house paint color is a costly mistake. If you lack confidence in your ability to pick the best exterior house paint color, you should hire an expert.
Painting your home should be like going on a blind date. You get to know where you live and all about colors. Treat it as an opportunity to make your statement and certainly enhance curb appeal.
Asking for professional help in exterior house paint color makes all the difference. Moreover, some experts offer free valuations, checklists if you are looking to sell a home, and will even help you in the search for your ideal home.
About Steve Lehmeyer & Transition Realty
Transition Realty owner Steve Lehmeyer specializes in helping people manage real estate transactions in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. His experience in the Minnesota real estate market spans 20 years. Steve and his team work with clients to buy & sell single family homes, townhouses, condos, lake homes, and investment property. Download a free home search app for your smartphone or search the MLS at TransitionRealty.com.
