Once you paint the
exterior of your house, it should be such that, you
need not bother about it for the next 10 years. So
think carefully before you choose the color
combination for the paints of the exterior of your
house. Given below are a few tips on how to choose
colors for the exterior, depending on the type of
house you have.
For traditional houses:
For a Foursquare house do not use the usual
colors of white for the walls with green for the trim. You can
get ideas from various history books. You will find that the
top and bottom of these houses were painted in different
colors. Choose colors that were historically used for these
houses.
Queen Anne Victorian style houses. For this
house you can use as many as 10 colors to paint the exterior.
You can choose to use fewer colors but try to contrast the
colors. You can use subtle or stark contrast.
For tropical cottage do not use bright colors
for the shutters. Use your most dramatic color for the door
and complicated window mullions. If the mullions are ordinary
blend them into the color of the house.
For an English Tudor house, the color of the
roof of the house, determines the rest of the color scheme for
the exterior. So you may not be able to experiment with
colors. Use colors that compliment the surrounding of the
house use natural colors on the exteriors.
For houses that have a Classic style:
For a Ranch the color of the exterior walls
will depend on the color of the brick used in the Ranch. If
the brick is tan, white or copper try to blend the colors that
you use for the exterior wall with the color of the brick. If
the brick is red use a contrasting color for the walls, as it
is impossible to get the exact red color. Blend the color of
the trim with the color of the wall. Using one color for the
house will give an illusion of height. Use any dramatic color
for the door.
For a farmhouse people prefer a color like
yellow that emphasizes the farmhouse mood. For the window trim
and roof trim use an earth color that will off set the bright
yellow color. Use a different color for the porch
ornamentation. Use teal for the front door and windows for
effect.
For a Craftsman Bungalow the classic
combination of green and brown is the best to use. The roof of
the bungalow is normally heavy and attractive; therefore a
brown trim will emphasize the roof. If the trim is in poor
condition then blend it with the color of the house. If it is
in good condition highlight it by using some light shade.
If your house is Split-Level you can bring
the different levels together by using dark colors. Use a
combination of warm and cool colors. Blend the garage door
with the exteriors. Use bright color for the entrance door.
For houses with an Exotic style:
For a Spanish Colonial house use dark color
to highlight the tiles. Hence for the exterior walls use a
light color. Highlight the fence, path, steps etc., as they
are part of the landscape.
For a Colonial Georgian house use three or
four dark colors for the exteriors. Do some research to find
out what colors were used historically and then choose your
colors.
For an Eclectic Suburban house use a few
neutral colors to bring together the uneven design. Try dark
neutral shades for the walls and light shades for the trim.
Blend the garage into the main structure and use the brightest
color for the door in front. Using neutral shades is a sign of
sophistication as well.
Art Deco style of house is normally set in
warmer climates where it is easy to use bright colors. Paint
the exterior walls in neutral colors so that you can use
darker shades to highlight other details like trims, railings
etc.
