Colour is the key to designing an attractive home. When people look at the outside of your house, the exterior paint is the first thing they are going to notice. Paint can be used to highlight the best features of a home while hiding the imperfections that you don’t want to be seen. However, exterior painting projects can cost you a lot of money and time. That is why it is important to choose the right colour scheme that you will be happy with for many years.
Which area gets painted first?
There are numerous factors which need to be considered for the colour scheme of your home exterior. The setting of your home is one important factor. Pick colours which reflect your home’s surroundings. If your neighbour’s home is close to your home, their exterior colour may influence yours. This doesn’t mean copying their exterior colour, but rather using tones which are similar.
Think About the Permanent Features
Your home has permanent colours and features, such as the brickwork, aluminium window framing, roof, and/or timber joinery. You should also consider the colours of your driveway too. When you go to pick your colours, they need to have tones which match these larger permanent features.
Long-Term Solutions
Since you will be spending a lot of money to paint your home exterior, you will want to use colour schemes which you won’t mind looking at for the next 10 years. That is why you shouldn’t get too fashionable with your colour choices. A style that is contemporary might be more appropriate.
Below are three colour palettes for the exterior which are recommended.
1) Dramatic Monochrome
This is a scheme with black and white colours which creates a facade that is both modern and classic. If you want this scheme to provide a more modern treatment, apply a lot of each colour to the blocks. The colours are 30/70, 50/50, and 40/60. The different colours can be used to highlight the important architectural features.
Another technique which is not so difficult is to have black accents and white walls. This will be intense contrast that will highlight the architecture of the home beautifully. But if black and white colours are too dull or grim for your tastes, you can use timber or stone to soften things up.
If you have a weatherboard house or one with a heritage architectural style to it, then black and white will be an attractive look for the exterior. Some people like to use a dark grey colour as their main colour. Then, all the features, trims, and windows will be a crisp white colour. If you want to go a little bit more contemporary, add a little bit of red colour to the scheme too.
Here is a tip: Be aware of the undertones on the exterior. Natural light can make external colours look more vibrant. For example, black exterior colours may have a red or blue undertone on bigger walls.
2) Pastels
A palette with two colours will give your home a classic and timeless appearance. The walls can have a muted pastel and the trim can be white. If you have a weatherboard home, these colours will make it look fresh, unique, and clean. If you want your home to feel like the Hamptons, apply a crisp white colour to the window frames and fretwork.
If you have a country or coastal style home, then you should try this colour scheme. Draw inspiration from the environment around you. Use soft blues and light colours to give it that classic feel. If your weatherboard home is by the beach, the undertones can be blue to match the ocean and the sky. For those out in the countryside, try some green shades to accommodate these surroundings.
Here is a tip: It is better to use darker colours on the exterior because the sun tends to wash out the exterior colours. Also, the trim colours and wall colours should have some contrast between them.
3) Earthy Hues
Earthy hues in your colour palette will reflect the countryside and landscapes around your home. Use colours like brown, ochre, or grey for your layers, while applying physical elements like stone, timber, and brick. People naturally love to look at this colour scheme because of its earthy hues. If your home has contemporary architecture, these colours will make it more pleasant to look at.
There are no set rules which define the number of colours that you should use on your home exterior. Most experts would recommend three or four colours at the most. However, you will also include the colours from permanent features like your roof and driveway. The colours of substrates, like your timber joinery or brick walls, need to be counted as colours too.
Here is how to make choosing colours easier
With all the colour options that are available out there, it can be hard to decide on one particular colour scheme for your home. Some experts recommend that you try out exterior colours on sample pots. A lot of homeowners forget how much the outside lighting can impact the exterior colours of their home. To test out your colour scheme under the sunlight, place painting boards around the outside of your home. Keep shifting them around to see how the colours become impacted throughout the day. If you have tiles, brick, or other materials around the exterior of your home, you will see how much they impact your colour scheme too.
The samples should be kept for up to four days. This is enough time to understand how the colours will be impacted not just by the sunlight, but from other weather conditions too.
In the beginning, you may only want to worry about your one main colour. This will make it easier during the selection process because you don’t have to concern yourself with contrasting colours yet. If you can get the correct tone chosen, then you can experiment with different contrast colours that are light and dark.
If you are planning on painting your home or doing any home improvements but don’t have the time or would rather get someone in why not call us at Men Behaving Handy and utilise one of our many handymen. We quote honestly and without pressure or hidden charges. Contact us today and find out how we can help!
