Is your home ready for an exterior makeover? Whether your home is past due for new paint or you want to transform your curb appeal with fresh new design elements or architectural details, the Remodel-Design-Build Team at The Cleary Company in Columbus, Ohio is ready collaborate!
Project Developer/Designer, Jen Sommers, CR has reviewed exterior paint colors and has tips for you on choosing the right color for your home’s exterior. While the color options seem endless, choosing a color combines a bit of science and a lot of personal preference.
The science comes into play with the amount of light your exterior receives, the style of your home, what landscape surrounds your house, and the colors of your neighbors’ homes. Preference relies on your taste, the style of your home, any community restrictions, the landscape surrounding your home, and what your vision entails. There are some common factors between the science and preference, but it usually boils down to some combination of the two.
What colors are trending?
Nature-inspired color palettes are beautiful for the whole house or as an accent color. These tones usually have some brown undertones, and shades of greens, and blues. They invoke feelings of warmth and coziness. A good exterior color design plan becomes part of the landscape, complementing the yard and plants around the home.
Check out these favorites!
- Sherwin Williams – SW9130 Evergreen Fog
- Benjamin Moore – October Mist 1495
- PPG – Olive Sprig
Dark Shades, including black, are gorgeous, modern and timeless. Take nature one step further with bold yet neutral colors. Using dark shades can be tricky, as they don’t reflect much light. Noticing the trees and the direction of the sun will help determine if a dark shade is the right look for your home. An idea would be to use bold, dark colors for the trim and shutters, or color-block one area, instead of painting the whole home. With that said, a dark color exterior can be simply stunning! Check out PPG’s website for their Best Black Exterior Paint Colors.
Shades of Gray seem to always be on trend. Other than white they are the ultimate neutral. The options are endless from cool to warm and dark to lighter tones. Examples we love include:
- Sherwin Williams – SW 7029 Agreeable Gray
- Sherwin Williams – SW 7017 Dorian Gray
- Benjamin Moore – Ocean Floor 1630
Warm neutrals transform your home in a classic way. Bright whites continue to be a good option, as well as off-white and subtle yellows. You really can’t go wrong with a neutral color, as it reflects light and works with any landscaping palette. The following are our favorites:
- Sherwin Williams – SW7637 Oyster White
- Benjamin Moore – White Dove OC-17
- PPG – Most Popular Whites
How to choose the right paint color for your exterior
Different shades of paint can affect your mood and perception, so you should spend some time contemplating colors before painting your home’s exterior. This includes not only a color for the siding, but contrasting or complementary colors for the trim, shutters, doors, and roof. How they all combine will create your home’s unique style or aesthetic.
- What is your roof color? Start here so that the palette you choose will balance with the color of the roof.
- What else is part of the exterior that you need to consider? Is there stonework or brick?
- What is your goal with the main color of your home?
- Blend in vs Stand out
- Pop from the landscaping vs Complement the landscaping
- Follow HOA requirements or Show your personality
- How often will you need to clean it or repaint? Light colors can dirty and can show imperfections. Dark colors can fade quicker and absorb more heat.
- Accent colors – typically, 2-3 colors (trim, shutters and doors), work well together. Using more than that can get a bit busy.
- Drive around the neighborhood and look at homes. What interests you?
- What is the architecture of your home? You might want to adhere to colors that reflect the style of your home.
Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, we recommend getting samples to paint a few areas of the exterior. Look at them throughout the day to see how the color changes based on the sun and shade. Don’t be afraid to try several different paint colors until you find what will work for you. Remember, it’s your home that you’ll look at each day. Do what makes you happy and incorporate the colors that work for you.
Need more Inspiration?
Visit our website to view a portfolio of our exterior remodeling projects.
Ready to make an update to your home’s curb appeal? If you’re inspired by all of the choices available for your home’s exterior, contact us today to get started on your project!