Choosing the "Perfect" Colors for Your Home's Exterior

Many years ago, I was helping a customer choose colors for her home's exterior. The poor lady was practically breaking out in hives trying to choose the perfect color. I had six various shades of gray painted in test areas on her house. She tore a piece of bark off an adjacent tree and held it up to each test area to make sure it matched. She canvassed neighbors for opinions. She spent a week looking at the colors in different lights. She emailed photos to her sister in Florida asking Rain Shadow or Dove Wing? She slept poorly. She was a mess.

Finally she made the Big Decision. She chose Rain Shadow. I went to the paint store to buy the paint, she went to work. At noon she called me on my cell how does it look, she wanted to know. Wonderful, I replied. By 3 pm I had painted the house all the way around to the west side and then...

I had bought the wrong gray. Her house was Dove Wing.

My customer was going to come home and have a heart attack in her driveway. I was toast. I finished spraying the house because I was almost done anyway and waited for her arrival, feeling a bit ill. I would tell her I would of course repaint it the correct color.

She pulled into her driveway. She took one look at her house and screamed. I LOVE it! I can't believe how great this looks! I didn't say a word. I finished up her house with creamy white trim, charcoal shutters and a deep red door. Wonderful and very classic.

The moral of the story? Don't get too hung up on the details. Think of the big picture.

Look at the fixed colors on your home roof, masonry, or anything you're not going to paint. The main body color shouldn't clash. Warm taupe will look great with a terracotta colored roof, but celery green won't work so well. Find a color that complements these elements rather than matching them or your house will look like a blob.

Think about blending your colors with the surroundings. If your setting is rural, earth tones will look best. If you have an urban Victorian style home, you can get away with a much more adventurous palette.

Remember lighter colors will make your home look larger. A darker color can look wonderful though and if you have a little house, no color in the world is going to make it look big! Smaller homes can look adorable and cozy in richer shades.

Pay attention to other houses as you drive around. What color schemes resonate with you, seem inviting? While you don t want to copy-cat your neighbor's colors, this is a great way to get some ideas.

Bring some paint sample cards home and see how they feel. Keeping in mind that paint chips tend to look darker on the card than up on your house, pick up some quarts of paint and paint large test patches. Live with your choices for a few days because colors can change dramatically in different lights.

If you are planning on using white for either the body or trim, consider off whites instead of pure white. A creamy or warmer white adds interest without losing crispness, especially when paired with rich shades.

And finally no matter what colors you choose, pick a punch color for your front door. Deep charcoal or brown for a more classic look, deep red for warmth, or consider something fun like celery green or bright copper.

Remember think of the big picture and have fun!

-Carina MacDonald

Carina MacDonald has been a painting contractor since
1979 and has tackled everything from large commercial buildings and Victorian homes to faux painting a child s room and wallpapering a bathroom. If it stands still long enough, she can figure out a way to paint it correctly!