We’ve finally come to the third and final installment of House Painting of Colorado’s tips for choosing exterior home paint! Take a look at Part 1 and Part 2 for the rest of our guide, and read on for our final tips:
Match Existing Colors
What colors are you already working with on your home? How about the roof? Any siding like stone or bricks that shouldn’t be painted? Do you want the railings and doors to remain the same color? Identify colors that won’t change and consider them when choosing.
Some materials contain complex hues. A gray tile might have blue flecks that could be introduced to your palette. Your paint doesn’t have to perfectly match, but it should complement your other textures and colors.
Preview Colors
Most modern paint stores offer computer programs to help visualize the appearance of a given color on a house. If you can load up a photo of the home, these programs will ‘paint’ it. These colors aren’t quite what they will be in reality, the printout will give a good idea of what to expect.
With your palette chosen, use paint samples to test colors on your home exterior. Observe them at different times as the sun moves. Give yourself some time to evaluate these samples and their visual impact.
Selecting Sheens
Along with choosing colors, you need to choose fitting paint sheens. Flat is dullest, then satin or eggshell, followed by semi-gloss and finally gloss. Glossier surfaces will show more imperfections such as touch ups and brush strokes, but are easier to clean than flat surfaces. Homeowners typically use flat paint on walls and glossy for columns and railings.
Stay Balanced
As you apply your chosen colors, keep the house balanced. Adding a strong accent to only part of a house will give it a lopsided appearance. Your goal is to balance color across the entire home.
All of us at Zenith Painting hope you’ve enjoyed this series of posts. When you’ve got your colors selected (or if you’d like help with your choice), give us a call at 800-381-4601 for a free consultation.
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