5 Tips for Picking Exterior Paint Color

February 3, 2020

person holding paint samples up to the exterior of a house

Even though picking out paint may seem fun and easy in theory, it can be an incredibly overwhelming process. The last problem you would want is to choose paint that looks great on a small scale, but odd as soon as you begin covering your entire home. A little bit of pre-project research can go a long way. Read on to learn five tips for picking exterior paint color, and how you can achieve beautiful curbside results the first time around.

Consider The Surrounding Permanent Fixtures

Most homes have permanent materials and features that surround them. Whether those are outdoor light fixtures, brick, or patio accent pieces, it’s important to choose exterior tones that compliment these features instead of clash with them. A good place to start is by choosing opposite color temperatures of paint and seeing if those are appealing to you. For example, a house that has warm red brick will look great with a siding color that has cool-colored undertones, such as gray/blue instead of warm tan or peach.

Don’t Forget To Choose a Color For The Trim

It can be easy to forget to choose a paint for a small exterior detail such as the trim of your home. However, choosing a color that either blends or contrasts with the rest of your home can help bring your project to life. You can choose a modern monochromatic finish, use neutral tones or a bold color, or create a high or low contrasting trim.

Test The Paint Before You Buy Enough For Your Entire Home

Although swatches are a great way to narrow down your exterior paint choices, always be sure to purchase a small test-sized paint can to use on a small area of the outside of your home. You may be surprised to learn how different the sample looks from the swatch, especially when it’s illuminated by different lighting. Paint a sample on the north and south side of your home and revisit the area during different times of the day to get an idea of how your finished results will look.

Take Advantage Of Color-Pairing Technology

Today, you can visit your local paint supplier or even go online and use neat color-matching technology to help get some ideas about what colors look good together on a home exterior. These are great tools to use if you’re unsure of where to start or have countless ideas floating around in your head and need to eliminate some of them.

Always Consult a Professional Painter

To make sure that you don’t have to complete this project more than once, it’s important to always consult a professional painter before you make any huge decisions. Many services even offer free color consultations and estimates! Instead of throwing away time, effort, and money on a botched DIY project, be sure to contact your local professionals the first time around.

About Platinum Painting of Dallas

At Platinum Painting of Dallas, we guarantee that our quality of work will meet your standards. We offer free in-home estimates as well as professional consultations with our exterior painting experts to make sure that you achieve the results you envisioned. For questions or to schedule your free estimate, you can visit our website or call  214-347-7269.