My Strategies To Getting the Perfect Exterior Paint Colors

As you consider paint colors for your home's exterior, keep in mind that the best paint colors are those that highlight the most beautiful features of your home.

That's one reason a color consultant knows a bit about architecture since history can tell us a lot about what colors have worked for various house styles over the years.

Also skillful use of color can on occasion disguise design flaws, boosting the curb appeal and market value of your home.

No city in the USA has more beautiful Victorians than San Francisco and this is one of them! This historic home had not been painted since the 70’s and now it was time to elevate it’s stature with COLOR!

Honor History

If you're planning to paint an older home, you'll probably want to use a historically accurate color scheme. The simpler your house architecture, the fewer colors you'll need. For an elaborate Victorian house style like the one pictured here,with ornate trim work, you might plan on using four to six colors like I specified above. My specifications for this Victorian in San Francisco are 2 green colors for the body for depth, one purple color for pop and definition and a gold color to highlight the home’s most intricate details.

While this client knew she wanted a dark color for the body she didn’t know just how deep a blue would work. After a lot of testing with large color boards this navy seemed to satisfy the both of us. I specified a high reflective value white for the trim and used it on the undereaves to reflect more light. And the client’s idea of a yellow door was nothing short of genius.

Consider Reviving the Past

In some neighborhoods, it's common for homeowners to fly in the face of history. Instead of choosing historically accurate colors, they paint with modern colors to dramatize architectural details. Using bright colors on old architectural details can produce startling and exciting results like the one above.

This home was a “disaster” color wise. The first painting contractor this client hired not only painted it the wrong color but also did a horrific job at it! Upon hiring new painters the degree of prep work needed was extensive. When I came on as the Color Consultant the first thing I noticed was that beautiful Jerkinhead Roof. A soft palette of grays to blend with the roof seemed best and the white trim color had a nice gray undertone. The homeowner wanted a quiet presence to the homes exterior, not a bright turquoise green. Mission accomplished.

Check the Roof

Your house is your canvas, but it is not blank. Some colors are already established.  Roofing materials have their own colors and shapes. Your exterior siding paint color doesn't need to match the roof, but it should harmonize like the home colors above.

Go Darker For Drama

Dark siding or dark bands of trim will make your house seem smaller, but will also draw more attention to details. For exteriors, accent the recesses with darker shades and highlight details with lighter tones.

Two colors were all I needed when I heard the client say “simple craftsman”. The color idea came when I saw how tight this home sat ton the lot. Close to the sidewalk and flanked by two other buildings which were spaced near it as well. Green is always a good choice when the home is in a city setting as opposed to a suburban neighborhood. It adds to the landscape nicely.

Large surfaces always make paint colors look somewhat lighter, so consider selecting slightly darker shades for expansive areas, rather than relying on the apparent colors of paint samples.

Selecting house paint colors isn't just challenging; it can be terrifying! If you choose colors that are boring and blah, your house will seem flat and featureless, but if the paint colors are too bold, they can overwhelm the style or might even tic off the neighbors. The potential rewards are substantial, though. Getting it just right by choosing the perfect exterior house color and trim combinations can change your life and I’ve had my clients tell me that over and over again!

All the residential homes above were painted by MB Jessee Painting Company. I chose the color and sheen, specified the placements and also in some cases recommended architectural additions to the building where needed.

If you find yourself at a loss for exterior color ideas, don’t worry, I can help. We got this!