Choosing An Exterior Paint Color Scheme

First of all you before you begin you should check local zoning ordinances. If you belong to a homeowner's association you may not be completely free to pick out any colors you like. Some associations will only let you chose from a narrow range of colors that have been picked out in advance. Others will let you chose the colors but reserve the right of veto power. In addition to home owner's associations there may be local ordinances that also apply. Call up your local government as far in advance as possible. You don't want to ever have to repaint your house.

Once you've checked with all governing municipal regulations you should think about other considerations. One of the most important is climate. Not all colors will work in all climates. Brighter colors like hot pink or azure look great in warmer areas. If you live on the outskirts of Miami lemon yellow stucco might be just the right color to complement the orange tree and lush greenery in your back yard. On the other hand if you have settled in upstate New York lime green might clash with the pine trees on the hill nearby. In general darker and softer colors are a good idea in colder climates.

Look at the area around your house and think about two things. Take your cues from nature. If your house is surrounded by maple trees consider how a light beige and forest green color scheme would work with the home site. The second thing to look at closely is the color of the neighbor's houses. If this is a new development that hasn't been constructed yet that option obviously won't work. If the neighborhood is already settled then walk around and observe the neighborhood houses very closely. This is an easy way to get an idea of what works and what does not. Houses in an older and established neighborhood have stood the test of time. A color that may not have looked good initially may have faded into a more pleasing palette.

Something else to consider is the style of your house. What works on a ranch house may not be equally applicable to a cape. If you have an older house try to find out what the colors of the house were originally. Older Victorians were often painted many different and often wildly contrasting colors. Some home owners have recreated these original looks. These "painted ladies," as the homes are sometimes called, often serve as much admired neighborhood showpieces.

Once you've narrowed down your choices a bit you may need to narrow them down a bit further. Think about picking at least a primary color and up to three secondary colors. The secondary colors can be from the same family or can be colors from the opposite side of the color wheel. For instance you might choose brown as your primary and then pick green and blue as secondaries. Or you might select white as a primary and then tan and beige.

The decision to go with a complementary or contrasting color scheme should be done after a close look at your house. Does the house have any detail you might want to serve as focal point? Is there a gorgeous front porch with great woodwork that deserves to be shown off to visitors? Or would you prefer that the entire house merely have the same feel to it?

If you do have a front porch using contrasting color scheme is an excellent idea. The detail work on the porch will stand out nicely against the rest of the house and create lots of curb appeal.

If you have a house with materials that aren't always painted like brick or stone then think about sticking to a very similar color scheme on painted surfaces. The brick and stone will look better.

Whatever colors you chose you should feel confident that with a little bit of forethought you'll have results you'll enjoy for years to come.