How to Pick the Perfect Exterior Paint Colors

How to pick the perfect exterior paint colors- Part 1

Choosing the right exterior paint color can be daunting; it’s not just about personal preference but about making a choice that the entire neighborhood sees! Plus, a misstep can be pricey to correct. Why is exterior paint selection so challenging?

First, determine your purpose: are you painting to sell or are you refreshing your home’s look for your own enjoyment? If selling, you’ll likely lean towards universally appealing shades rather than personal favorites. On the other hand, if you’re painting for yourself, choose a hue you’ll adore for years to come.

Next, consider any fixed elements like your roof. If you’re not updating these, your new paint should complement them. Additionally, take a glance at neighboring homes. You don’t need a carbon copy of their colors, but you also don’t want your home to clash or be overly conspicuous.

Lastly, think about the natural surroundings. Will your chosen color vibe with your garden or the broader environment? Decide if you want your home to stand out or seamlessly blend with its surroundings.

 

When it was time to paint my own house,   I knew I planned to stay in my house for a long time. Here was my method for picking my paint colors. It started with determining what options I liked, and what limitations I needed to consider to narrow down some options.

 

Alaska color consulting with Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
My house before painting. See Part 2 to see the final reveal!

Determine What you Like

During a leisurely drive around my town with a friend, I paid keen attention to house colors, aiming to understand my preferences. Interestingly, it was the combinations I didn’t like that offered the most insight. For instance, there were numerous homes where the colors seemed at odds with the roof. Others had trim or door shades that didn’t harmonize with the primary wall colors. A surprising number opted for neutral hues for their walls, trim, and doors, resulting in a forgettable facade—just a splash on the front door would have made all the difference! Then there were those homes that went the other extreme: they were so vividly colored that they’d be blindingly bright on a sunny day. Such saturation seemed too intense for long-term appeal; I was more inclined towards deep, rich colors.

Among the vast sea of colors, a few schemes did stand out for me: a charcoal/blue home with white trims, a gray/green one also with white, and a house that sported a light teal/gray combination. To ensure my choices were not just passing whims, I viewed these homes under varying light conditions. It’s fascinating how light, whether from a clear sunny sky or a cloudy one, can alter the perception of color.

Consider Your Limitations

I took into account my “fixed finishes,” particularly my roof, which resembled Benjamin Moore’s “November Skies” with its blue-gray hue. Given its relatively inconspicuous appearance, this color wouldn’t significantly influence my overall palette. Additionally, I had wooden decks and railings, initially stained but now requiring a decision: should I continue with staining or opt for paint? Ultimately, I chose to paint them. Had I gone with staining, I would have needed to regard this color as one of my enduring design elements.

Visualize How Your Choices will Look

I decide to try some of the color combinations I liked using the visualizer on the Benjamin Moore website. I selected some body and trim colors I liked. I also considered colors in my landscaping and flowers for inspiration for a front door color. 

Test Your Colors to See How they Look in Different Light Conditions

Next, I tested these colors on the back of the house, assessing their appearance under different lighting conditions. Curious about the results? Discover what happened in “How to Pick the Perfect Exterior Paint Colors Part 2!”

If you’re gearing up to sell rather than stay, grab your free report on the “Top Paint Colors for a Speedy and Profitable Home Sale” to guide your color decisions.

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By Mary Ann Benoit

President- Northern Lights Home Staging and Design Owner- Arctic Paradise Bed and Breakfast Artist- Stained Glass, Jewelry and Alcohol Ink Art Wildlife Biologist Director- Kaleido World Percussion and Dance Company Director- Tavus Dance Company of Alaska Lover of music, art, dance and animals.

16 comments

  1. Exteriors can be such a challenge. Great tips! Thanks for a great post!

    1. Thanks Wendy! Yes, they can be challenging, as paint colors often look much brighter and more saturated than people expect. Thanks for reading:)

  2. Great choice in choosing the dark teal. I think it will make the home stand out as being more unique (than the gray).

    1. Thanks Sheri. Yes, the teal is much more bold and unique than the gray. Although I liked it too, the teal is definitely more me!

    1. Thank you Janet! I think the teal works great, especially in a coastal area like I live in. It is really nice with the color of the surrounding ocean.

    1. Thanks! In the end I did change the door color (See Part 2) but I think the yellow would still have looked great. Thanks for reading!

  3. Mary Ann – What a fantastic topic to cover. This will help so many people avoid the typical frustration and disappointment painting exteriors without a plan.

    1. Thank you Leann! I hope it gives people a good idea of all the things they should consider so they love the end result! Picking paint can be so stressful for people. Thanks for reading.

  4. Thank you for pointing out that you need to pick colors that you will like for a long time and that compliment each other. About a week ago, I decided to start my spring cleaning. I noticed that the exterior of my home is pretty dull and could use some help. I will have to follow your advice as I look for the right colors and residential painters!

    1. Wonderful! Painting your house will make a world of difference. I was so happy after I did mine! Don’t forget to consider your fixed finishes. That can really make or break how the end result looks. Best of luck and happy to help if you need a color consultation online.

  5. Thank you for reminding me to choose a color that can harmonize and fit well with the landscaping design within my property. I take landscaping very seriously and spend most of the time gardening, so I don’t want to ruin it by choosing colors for my exterior walls that will not fit its theme. I’m thinking of choosing neutrals, but it might be a good idea to consult professional painters and see what they think.

    1. You’re welcome! Yes! Especially if you have done lots of work on your landscaping you can totally highlight that and tie it to your home color. I would suggest consulting with a color strategist rather than a painter. Just because they are great at painting does not mean they are good with picking color. Working with a color strategist, you can actually measure some of the colors from the actual plants in your landscaping to find something that could work perfectly for you. I do online color consultations if you need help. Best of luck with your house painting project!

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