Blue? Brown? White? Gray? There are so many different exterior paint colors to choose from that it can get overwhelming fast. After all, it’s not something you do every day, so you want to be confident with the color you’re choosing.
Committing to a color will either add or distract from your curb appeal, so you want to make sure you’re picking one that really works for your house. If you’re finding yourself in a color conundrum, we’ve got some tips to help you choose the right exterior paint color as well as how Osborne Painting can help you with your exterior painting needs.
Tips to Choose Exterior Paint Colors for Your Home
Use a Color Visualizer
One of the best ways to decide on exterior paint colors to paint your house is to use a color visualizer. Companies like Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore use these to help people feel confident in the color they’re choosing. Just upload exterior pictures of your home so you can play around with different colors. This will allow you to see how many different colors will work with your home, not just one or two. The possibilities are endless!
At Osborne Painting, we use both Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore paint, so using these color visualizers will allow us to get the right color for you. Both paint brands are among the best in the country.
Think About a Color Scheme
We know that choosing one color can be overwhelming enough, but you really should have a color scheme in mind. This includes a dominating color, an accent color, and the trim color.
Test Paint Colors
Besides using a color visualizer, you can actually test different colors by using paint boards. If you paint boards with colors and move them around the exterior of your home at different times of the day, you can see how lighting will impact the exterior paint colors. This can give you more confidence in the color you choose.
Work with What You Have
You want the new color you’re choosing for your exterior to work with whatever you already have on your home’s exterior. If you have a brick or stone facade, you want to choose paint colors that will complement those textures. Your new color should make the other parts of your house look better, not worse.
Consider Your Roof
You want to choose exterior paint colors that match your current roof, especially if you don’t expect to need a new one for some time. For example, if you have red shingles, work well with earth tones like beige, green, or cream.
If you have a neutral-colored roof, you have more options to choose from, like brighter colors. Also, take a look at how your roof reflects light and if it will give off a brighter look.
Look for Opportunities to Add Splashes of Color
As you decide on exterior paint colors for your home, don’t miss opportunities to add pops of color. This can be done on porch columns and shutters. You can add pops of color there while keeping the rest of your home neutral.
Think About Your Home’s Interior
Although you’re choosing exterior paint colors, you don’t want to forget about the interior. The outside can reflect what you have on the inside. If you choose colors that complement your home’s interior, it can create better harmony. Plus, it can give you ideas about what types of colors you’ll want to choose for the exterior.
Check out the Neighbors
While you don’t want to copy what the neighbors have, it doesn’t hurt to check out what they have going on if you want to complement the neighborhood. Who knows? You could get inspired!
Don’t Get Stuck in Trends
If you decide to look around at what the trends are in exterior painting when you’re ready to paint, you may get stuck with something you don’t like in a year from now. Trends are trends for a reason; they come and go. You want to pick a classic color scheme that will last for years to come.
Don’t Forget Your Landscaping
If you have massive trees and shrubs, a green exterior is going to get lost in the background. In this case, you would want to choose exterior paint colors that really pop. You want them to contrast the landscape. This is why you don’t want to forget about the landscape as you focus on your colors.
FAQ About Choosing Exterior Paint Colors
How Does Exterior Paint Differ From Interior Paint?
There are many differences between exterior paint and interior paint. Exterior paint is made to be water and UV resistant as well as mold and mildew resistant. It also has a different formula and is capable of adapting to wide temperature variations.
How Long Does Exterior Paint Last?
If you’ve gone through the trouble of choosing a paint color, you want it to last! The typical lifespan of exterior paint is between 5 and 10 years. But the lifespan will depend on several factors, including weather and sun exposure.
How Long Does Exterior Paint Take to Dry?
This will depend on the weather. You want to choose a dry day to paint your house, so you don’t have the risk of rain washing it away. Latex paint survives the rain after two hours of drying time, but six hours is better, with fiving drying days being ideal.
Are You Looking to Paint the Exterior of Your Home?
If you’re looking to paint the exterior of your home, Osborne Painting is here for you. We have helped countless people in the Raleigh area transform their home’s appearance with a fresh coat of exterior paint. Our portfolio speaks for itself.
If you want to request a free estimate, contact us today at 919-878-6611 or reach out to us online.