At SurePro Painting, we are often asked for house painting color advice and tips. We have seen so many combinations that looked beautiful, it’s impossible to narrow it down to a few choices. It’s a little easier however to point out choices that can end in disaster. Keep these tips in mind when trying to decide on the final look of your house.
Keeping The Same Color
To be perfectly honest, the majority of houses that we paint end up being the exact same color. Many homeowners are diligent about the important maintenance and protection that painting provides. But oftentimes they will not even give color a second thought. We understand if you have a tried and true color combo, but at least consider trying out a new color.
We recommend driving around your neighborhood and looking for houses that are similar in style and construction to yours. For instance, limestone blocks and siding, or bricks with panel-board? Note the ones that you like the look of and take pics. It’s ok to steal your house painting color idea from someone else!
House Painting Color Wheels… Use Them!
A house painting color wheels is a very handy device for a painter. It helps you find complementary colors and helps you avoid color-clashing mistakes. This Old House has a good explanation of how the color wheel works.
Color fans or color books are also a helpful tool. These thick flip-books show every standard color that a paint store offers and are great when checking out different families of colors. You are probably also familiar with the standard color chips or samples that typically have one to five colors on them. These are best for when you already have your choice narrowed down to a few colors.
Be Bold… But Not Too Bold
We talk about bold colors a lot…. Do not be afraid of color! Don’t get us wrong, we love all the shades of brown and tan and cream that we get to put on houses. But a little color can go a long way. For example, Craftsman style and garden homes look fantastic in bright yellows and pale blues. Modern home designs can benefit from more colors in the siding to offset large concrete or stucco areas of the house exterior.
If you have a wooden deck area, keep it in mind when thinking about your house colors. A change in color for your siding might mean a new shade for your deck or porch as well. Front doors and garage doors are also a great place to add some color. Deep reds and baby blues are great choices for some extra pop on your entrance door. Check out this DIY portfolio of front doors for some inspiration.
The House Painting Color Police
Everyone has an opinion, don’t they? We paint a lot of homes, so we have gotten used to neighbors driving by and offering opinions on the house painting color choice. Your family and friends will be sure to offer input as well, and you can choose whether to consider or not. Be aware though that many Homeowner’s Associations regulate the color choices in their neighborhoods. You might really want that bright purple garage door, but the HOA will have something to say about it.
If you have an HOA, always make sure to check with them first before beginning your exterior painting project. They will most typically have an architectural committee or something similar to approve your color choices. Other neighborhoods will have a list of approved colors and their corresponding codes. We can then use those code to dial up a perfect match, so your house looks fresh and you stay in the good graces of the neighborhood house painting color police ;)
Paint makers like Sherwin Williams even keep an online database of HOA color choices. Check it out to see if your neighborhood is on the list.
Always Test A New Color
We can’t tell you how many disasters have been avoided using house painting color samples. A small $3 tester bottle might save you hundreds of dollars of wasted paint. When trying out a new color, we always recommended painting a small test spot in a couple different areas. This can save you the headache of making a poor choice and having to repaint a section or entire project.
And if you still need help with your color choice, we also offer color consultation to help you in the right direction.
