How to Choose the Best Paint Colour?

One of the best ways to make your home stand out for the new year is by updating the exterior colors. If you’re considering an upgrade to the exterior of your home, a new paint job is a great place to start. There’s no need to replace all the siding or choose an entirely new exterior surface for your home when the one that you have is in good shape. A simple coat of paint can go a long way in giving your home an update that will increase your curb appeal, improve your own love of your home, and even add to the property value.

1. Select the Right Shade of Paint

There are a few steps that you can follow when choosing the right colors for your home. The first is selecting a shade. By shade, we’re not talking about choosing between eggplant, avocado green, or lemon yellow. First, you want to consider whether you want something dark, light, or middle tone for the majority of the home exterior. This alone will give you insight into what colors fit and which do not.

The reason this is the first step is that most people find it simple. You probably know whether you prefer a dark or light-colored house. If you aren’t sure what shade is right for your needs, the Internet can help. Search for home exteriors and see what appeals to you. Look up the style of home architecture that your home utilizes for the best results.

Check our detailed guide about How to Pick Your Paint Colours?

2. Think About Accent Color Options

Before you delve into the exact color you want for the home, think about the color of your roof. Those who have a neutral roof color (like gray or black) can choose nearly any color without worrying about any clashing. If your roof has more color to it, you’ll want to stay away from shades that will look jarring against the roof. This is especially true if the roof has tones of blue, tan, red, or green.

It’s also important to think about other accent colors you need to work with. For instance, if you have a brick or stone home, the trim color you choose should be a match for one of the tones already found on the house exterior. If the home only has partial stone or brick, you have additional options. Add a hint of the brick or stone undertones and clashing shouldn’t be an issue.

3. Don’t Neglect the Usefulness of Paint Samples

Once you have an idea of what color you want, paint samples are a good option for narrowing the options down further. The truth is that there are tons of variables that come into play when choosing exterior paint colors, from how much shade the home gets to what direction the house faces. Get paint samples and check them out at different times of the day to make sure they look good at all times. Sometimes a hue might look entirely different in the morning sun than it does in the late evening.

So how should you work with the samples for the best results? Test out several paint colors to make sure that you have options. One option is to place a splash of each paint on a piece of poster board, but you can also choose to directly add small bits of paint to the home to ensure the color is exactly what you are looking for.

A Few Reminders

If you’re planning to sell before you paint again, don’t go too unusual with your paint job. You can definitely choose a bolder trend if that’s what you like, but remember to choose something with good resale value. Take the time to look at popular colors for home buyers specifically to help you gain insight into what people want in their next home. That way, you can paint accordingly and if you decide not to sell, you’ll still have a stylish new coat of paint that makes your home look great.

You should always paint the trim when you paint the siding. It doesn’t make sense to update one and not the other, after all. Make sure that you choose cohesive colors, no matter what you decide, so that you don’t have a color clash. One of the best ways to do this is to stick with complementary colors, or to choose one neutral color and one non-neutral. Whether you do the trim or the base of the home in the neutral is up to you, but you want to keep it relatively simple.

The Bottom Line

While you are considering your options, think about what kind of personality you want to impart, what colors are your favorites, and how the paint looks under different conditions. Whether that means going with something pretty standard or painting outside the box is entirely up to you!

If you’re not entirely sure what you want, consult the professional painters at Elite Trade Painting to get their opinions on the perfect new house paint color, and let them do the work for the best results.