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The exterior house colors are our way of greeting the world. It is the way to tell people what kind of attitude we have. A house is the reflection of the owner and its habits.
In turn, the best color combination for house exterior will allow us to highlight elements of our home, giving the viewer a visual guide of what they should appreciate.
If you ask an architect about the use of colors in construction, he will tell you that it is as important as any other detail. In fact, it is common to use them to hide unattractive pieces in the design, or to focus users’ attention on specific points.
That’s why we need a little skill with our home color selection. Today we will show you some of the best available options of exterior house colors, and the effects that may have on the perception of our home.
How to choose the best color combination for house exterior painting
General expert advice
Painting the exterior of our home does not have to be a race. It is an important decision that we must meditate on. We must not only select a beautiful painting, but also something that is durable since it will be exposed to the inclemency of nature.
Our home color would have to come from the following points:
Image source: Ana Williamson Architect
We cannot be stingy: If we are not prepared to take the investment it represents, we should not change our exterior house colors. The use of Premium quality paints like Behr Marquee Exterior Paint & Primer in One should be our priority.
Poor quality paint will not be good on the walls, and soon it is very likely that we will have to repaint everything, as it will begin to fall when burned by the sun.
Seeks to create combinations with the construction material: The surface where we will paint is an important part of the design. The colors and shades should match the brick or stone wall. Even with the last one, we can create patterns that help them stand out.
An idea of color combination for house exterior painting is to contrast the color temperature. For example, if we have a wall of bright red bricks, we can use a more opaque color for the paint.
Technology is a great ally: today it is easy to take color samples with you so that a professional can give you suggestions. Behr makes available programs to help us create colors combinations.
We could also take a picture of our house and edit it on the computer to see a preview of how it would look like.
The attractiveness of our home can be defined by its color
What color should I paint my house exterior? It is a complex question that depends only on what we seek to communicate. As we said previously, the exterior house colors are its presentation.
It does not matter if we opt for opaque/neutral tones or for more radiant and bright colors; the important thing is if we can highlight the virtues of our house with them. Here are some popular color combinations:
Play with perspective with the use of Navy & Paper White
Image source: Damian Farrell Design Group
The combination of a dark color like Navy and a light color like Paper White will allow us to play with the sizes of the elements. For small houses, the use of navy blue is ideal to create an environment of comfort. On the contrary, a paper White color, as Coronation, is perfect for entrances and porches, as it gives the feeling of being larger areas.
Highlight the colonial style with Chocolate Brown, Cinnamon & Beige
Image source: Michael Kelley Photography
If our home has a large number of profiles, construction details, and windows, then this mixture of light colors is ideal. We start with a base in Ancient Copper, which we will finish with lighter edges in beige.
Finally, we will outline some details with a darker tone like Dark Granite, which will help to create a 3D effect between the wall and the other elements it has, such as windows and doors. The result will be a natural transition between the blue sky, our home, and the green grass.
A more sophisticated style with Garrison Gray & Cream
Image source: gr home
Use as exterior house colors a combination of opaque blues and soft whites will create a sense of tranquility in the viewer. We recommend the use of Garrison Gray to create very soft wave effects, similar to the waves of the sea.
If the result is too old for our taste, we can add an additional layer of Antique White to give it a more modern touch.
Something nice to look at with Peach, Rose & Beige
Image source: Mintconstruct Pty Ltd
Maybe we do not look for our house to stand out by using loud pallets. A pastel combination is also pleasing to the eye and results in a warmer sensation.
A personal recommendation is the Shrimp Boat color with orange mixtures, creating a subtle canvas, but at the same time with style.
Call nature with a chocolate brown
Image source: B St. Design
Browns are traditional and excellent options as home colour. They are excellent for natural combinations through the use of greens and whites.
The best thing is that we do not have to limit ourselves to natural colors. The brown is quite similar to black, but it does not become as solid as this, so it shares its properties for mixtures.
Sky blue is always a safe option
Image source: RTG CONSTRUCTION INC
The blue in almost all its shades is a universal color. It is strange that someone hates it, especially because it reminds us of things as awesome as the sky or the ocean. Additional points to its color psychology, since blue has tranquilizing properties.
Create a Vintage atmosphere with a Warm Green
Image source: Lands End Development – Designers & Builders
The more traditional rustic spaces made use of green to create a great effect with the countryside. If we seek to feel the soft autumn breeze throughout the year, this green may be the best option.
Break the rules with a Brick Red
Image source: Kevin Daly Architects and Bruce Damonte
One of the boldest options in the combination of exterior house colors is to amplify the red color of the bricks. We will draw the attention of the whole neighborhood with this strong color, more if we do it contrasts with patterns such as those created by joining clay blocks.
Dazzle everyone with Off-White
Image source: Cambuild
A mixture of colors in the grayscale starting from white. We will decorate the most extensive facades with lighter colors, which will allow us to use darker colors for the main entrance and the windows. Always remember the advice of Erika Woelfel, marketing director of Behr Paints: “Exterior house colors can create or destroy the public’s perception of your house”.
Another alternative of blues, the light blue
Image source: 787 Developers
Reminiscent of the coasts, the light blue used as a house outside colour will create an aura of happiness. It can also be used in more specific points to create highlight areas in some construction elements.
The Taupe is the neutral complement of every house
Image source: Cella Architecture
This comes in the form of statistics from the director of marketing of Sherwin-Williams, which ensures that of all the neutral colors available, Taupe is the most popular among users when choosing outdoor paints.
The color of wheat will fascinate your neighbors
Image source: Carla Aston | Interior Designer
A mixture of white with a touch of yellow. We obtain a slightly warm color with pastel touches that can be combined with darker options such as browns, blues or greens. A whole forest in paintings.
It’s time to call the contractor who will be in charge of painting the exterior of the house
Image source: Siena Custom Builders, Inc.
However, before we give the starting light, we must consider some final details. The first thing is that you have noticed that, in the previous list, we always recommend that you use different colors to paint and create combinations. This is because a single color would have a very boring result.
So that this does not happen, usually 1 or 2 additional colors are used to a lesser extent that will help us to create visual points of interest in our home. We must consider what these points will be. Among the common options are:
Door and window frames: An opaque or neutral color is ideal for these elements. In the case of shutters, we can also use the same neutral color, but here we have a little more freedom if we want another tonality.
The main door of the home: This is the most important door of the whole, so it must stand out from the rest. The use of stronger colors will help.
Handrails and supports: Like the frames, these work very well with opaque colors.
Once these small details are decided, it is time to evaluate more technical aspects of the painting work.
Evaluate your budget
Image source: Flagg Coastal Homes
Once we have a clear idea, it is time to look for prices in paintings and labor. The way to do it is through calculations of square footage that we have thought to paint, and from there we will determine how many gallons we will need.
The average cost when making full changes of paint tends to be $2,490 but could range between $1,926 and almost $3,000. If, on the other hand, we will only do minor jobs such as painting moldings or shutters, our budget will not be so high.
But wait, I want to sell the house!
Image source: Tom Hurt Architecture
If our real intention is to renew the painting because we seek to attract the attention of potential buyers, then we are not so derailed from this guide either. Exterior house colors can make a difference between inviting future owners or scaring them.
To know what colors attract people, think about what you would like to see each time you arrive at home, and use that base. Another option is to ask real estate sellers for advice.
Choose what suits your personality
Image source: Stephanie Gamble Interiors
The best advice is that, although we should have some perception with respect to the architectural elements of our house, we should also let ourselves be taken a bit by our tastes.
As we said before, take pictures of the parts you are going to paint and start making editions. Test patterns, color combinations and everything you can think of. Go limiting the ones you like and finally you will get a design that you love.
Release all your creativity. If you have children, ask them to give their opinion or paint one of the walls. You will be surprised what they can do.
Remember how colors work. The light tones will expand the spaces, while the dark tones will reduce them. However, the dark ones will create more details, so we must find a balance between both tones.
It is preferable to keep with the same color and simply vary the hue a bit. The light-dark they generate are very good contrasting.
You can get more advice if you research about Feng Shui. In general, the harmonies created by this discipline can be applied in almost every case.
If you enjoyed reading this article about these exterior house colors, you should read these as well:
- What colors go with blue? Blue paint ideas for your interiors
- Kitchen Designs – Colored Kitchens For You
- Open Floor Plan Colors and Painting Ideas