July 22, 2016

A Guide to Choosing and Matching Exterior Colors for Your Home

Choosing the exterior colors for your home is a big decision. Whether it’s because you’re simply repainting it or you’re building a new house, the colors you choose will have the biggest impact on the first impression people make about your home. That’s why it’s so important you put lots of thought into the choice and make sure the colors you decide on coordinate well. To help you through the process, we’ve put together this helpful guide.

House with matching garage door

Basic Elements That Govern the Look of Your House

First, there are some basic elements that make the biggest contributions to how your home looks. They are:

  • The material your exterior is made from. This could be:
    • Brick, stone, wood, stucco, vinyl siding, wood siding, etc.
    • A combination of products (e.g. brick and vinyl)
    • The exterior covering is a major surface area of the home
  • The color of your garage doors, entry doors and windows.
  • The decorative elements on the exterior of your home. These could be things like:
    • Shutters
    • Railings
    • Cornices
    • Soffits

These days, manufacturers offer no shortage of colors which means there’s also no end to your options. Just be sure to think about how they’ll work with the unique features of your home. Furthermore, if you have the option to pick any of the above features at the moment, make sure you think about how much time it will take to properly maintain them.

Consider the Style of Your Home and Those in Your Neighborhood

Obviously, you need to take into consideration the architecture of your home when choosing colors and making sure they coordinate. For example, if your home is a classic style, like Colonial or Victorian, you probably won’t be able to consider many bright colors. Brick is featured on the exterior which limits your options. On the other hand, if your home is, say, a country style, you’ll have a lot more colors to consider.

Landscaping must also be taken into consideration. Trees, flowers and shrubs are all going to affect which colors will work best for your home, both in terms of their own colors and how many of them there are. Even the way the sun faces your home throughout the day must be thought about. A color combination that looks good at noon may suffer when the sun is setting.

Finally, it’s a good idea to look at the architecture of your neighbors’ homes too. Your town may also have laws regarding which materials you’re allowed to use so check on that as well.

Putting Everything Together

Generally speaking, vibrant hues are never advisable for the outside of your home, unless that’s the overall motif of your neighborhood (this is rare). Usually, you’ll need to find contrasting colors that are more harmonious.

Unless you plan on repainting the exterior of your house, try to stick to just two or three colors – a main one and one or two that coordinate well. Often, natural and organic colors are ideal for the exterior of your home as they will be compatible with its preexisting elements.

It’s also a good idea to visit paint companies websites as they usually devote a lot of space to helping people understand which colors work best for the exteriors of their homes. You can experiment with a lot of combinations for free.

Don’t Forget About the Doors

Do not overlook how important your front door and garage door are to the overall look of your home. Again, pick the dominant color for the exterior of your home, but then make sure you find a complementary option for the front door that contrasts with it nicely.

When it comes to picking a color for your garage door, you need to think about its location and size. For example, pale colors are better for double-door models that are placed in the front. Don’t go too dark, though. Also, if your garage door has windows, they must coordinate well with your home’s front door. A great way of visualizing this is by using Garaga’s Design Centre and get a free quote.

Now you know everything you need to craft an exterior that will make your home stylish and welcoming. If you would like the help of trained professionals to ensure the end result is perfect, please feel free to contact us.

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