To aid you in making this important decision, we consulted an outdoor paint professional and gathered her top recommendations for selecting the exterior colour. We've also compiled a collection of the most attractive residential colour schemes to help you in your decision.
One of the most important tools for making a house a home is a good sense of colour. House paint, like carefully applied makeup, makes a great first impression by bringing out a building's best qualities and hiding its flaws. Painting the outside of your house is an expensive project in terms of both time and expense, so you should pick a colour scheme that will last.
Where To Start When Choosing?
While deciding on an external colour scheme, a number of variables must be considered. The first consideration is the surrounding area, since every house is a part of a larger ecosystem. Your colour selection should be influenced heavily by the surrounding space. Close proximity to neighbours means you could feel the effects of their housing choices. Not that you have to be perfectly uniform, but it helps if you stick to complementary colours and tones or even utilise a contrasting colour scheme.
You Should Think About Permanent Elements
You should then consider your home's roof, brickwork, timber joinery, and aluminium window frame, all of which are permanent elements that cannot be painted over. Large areas of colour, such as the roof and driveway, can be found in either warm-toned stone or cool-toned tiles. Your choice of colours should complement these. Finally, the home's style should be taken into account, especially if you're located in a historic district or other protected area.
Take the Long View
Painting the exteriors is an expensive endeavour, so you should choose colours with a longer lifespan than the ones you use inside. The results should be sufficient for at least ten years. This is why it's not always a good idea to choose colours based on the latest trends. A touch to modern aesthetics, however, can do wonders for a drab exterior.
FAQs About Choosing The Color Scheme For Exterior
While it’s hard to top classic schemes like a warm white, contemporary light greys or even monochromatic, you can easily dress up these safe choices with accent colours by updating the door, a bench or potted plants on the porch.
Helpful tips for how to choose the right exterior house colour:
- View the roofing colour – tiles or Colorbond with your chosen colours.
- Understand the window colour if existing (powder coat) and cannot be updated.
- Will the garden driveway or path pavers affect the overall colour scheme?
- What features would you like to focus on from the front of your home? Fretwork, front door, entrance?
- Are there dominant bricks or stones that you need to work with regarding undertones? Ie. Do they throw brown, grey or red?
- Does your fence colour need updating? You will consider the surrounding fence as part of the overall scheme.
- Do you have an entertainment space in your yard that you would like to highlight and add an accent colour?
Many think of colour in the home as a huge commitment, which is why so many of us opt to paint walls white or neutral shades. But colour is one of the easiest ways to add personality to a space. Whether it’s on the walls, in the furniture, or within decorative elements, colour is very easy to change around should you begin to tire of seeing the same hues.
Begin At The Bottom
When compiling a colour palette, it’s useful to first think about your flooring. Your floor will dramatically influence your colour choices and, in turn, impact how you use textures, tones, accents, and even artwork. Once you choose your flooring, you can work in complementary or contrasting fabric colours for curtains and furniture, tiling, rugs and other styling elements.
Then Move To The Top.
While the traditional white ceiling is really popular, there are no hard and fast rules on ceiling colour. A non-white ceiling can draw the eye up at once, but darker tones can also make a room feel enclosed. One solid tip for home colour schemes is always to use a matte finish when painting ceilings – gloss paint shows up with small imperfections, so it’s almost impossible to get a seamless look.
Bring The Walls To Life.
A good way to unify the colour selection for your house is to use one colour on all the walls. However, if you can’t resist using different colours – particularly for feature walls – then make sure they match tonally. It’s best to avoid clashing colours even if they are at different ends of the house.
Skirt Around The Issue
Skirting boards invariably take a beating over time, so use enamel paint for durability. White always looks great, but the same colour on the skirting boards is a good option if you are using light colours on the walls.
Ensure you don’t select the exterior colour under interior lighting or inside – this can dramatically affect the true colour. To get an accurate impression, selecting the exterior colour outside would be better, but not in full sun. Also, ensure that you look at the colour in a large A4 sample or sample pot and view the wall or fence colour vertically, as the light can affect how the colour appears.
Understand the undertones of any exterior elements of the home which cannot be changed, such as bricks, tiles or pavers. Then use Sample Pots to test your colour selections next to your bricks, tiles and pavers – it is critical to understanding whether the undertones work well together. Finally, and most importantly, don’t rush the process. Make sure you give yourself at least three days to make your final decision, so you get used to a potential dramatic colour change. So now that you’ve got the best advice in the business, here are some of the best exterior colour schemes to choose from.
Two-Tone
Pick a house colour you like, and go a couple of steps lighter or darker on the swatch card to find your coordinating hue.
Add A Pop Of Primary Colour.
Use vibrant hues to add personality and accentuate architectural details like the front door, trims, and letterboxes.
Shades Of Grey
From pale to opaque, warm to cool – shades of grey are a popular, modern choice for house exteriors. The colour has longevity and versatility, suiting almost every home style—highlighting architectural details with crisp white colour.
Go Green
Give your home a natural, calming feel with green hues like sage.
White And Bright
Keep things fresh and simple with a striking all-white exterior. Architectural lines are a must to add texture. You may think it is a safe option, but choosing white for your walls doesn’t guarantee chic. Why? Because there are just as many shades of white as there are any other colours, and they won’t all suit your place. Before choosing your shade of white, note the amount of natural light in your space and the undertones in your decor and furniture and then consult a paint professional for their advice.
Grey and Orange, Gray and White, Brown, White and Red, Golden Brown, White and Grey, and Light Terracotta and White are some of the top colour combinations for home exteriors.
You are ignoring the structural integrity of your house.
Your appreciation of the '70s aesthetic may be reflected on your Pinterest board, but it doesn't imply orange and brown tones will go with the icy blue rugs in your modern terrace home. When painting a large section of your home, think about how it will look against the existing structure. There are further, subtler methods to incorporate your prefered design era into your home.
Choose a Flat Paint Coating
Homeowners may achieve a variety of looks and effects with only a few different paint treatments. Light may be brought into darker rooms with the use of reflective finishes like Marmorino, while bright rooms can be toned down with the use of matte colours. Do your homework; today, every major paint retailer carries a wide variety of speciality finishes that can add depth and texture to your interior design.
Exterior Colour Scheme
You want your home look stylish and sophisticated from the street, but you also want it to stand out from the other houses in the neighbourhood. Use the guidelines below to select a colour palette for the outside of your home's front and back.
Never forget the importance of the personal touch.
When it comes to the outside paint of your home, there are no laws that must be followed. Outside paint colours are a matter of taste and can be influenced by features already present, such as white walls. Adding a splash of colour to the front door and experimenting with colourful pots on your deck or verandah are two simple ways to give your property a more unique look.
There Is a Three-Colored Rule
One colour for the walls, one for the trim, and one for the accessories is all you need for your home's exterior. There should be harmony in terms of tone so that they can work together effectively. You just need three colours to paint, outline, and accent your home.
Beige Is Not Boring.
Exteriors benefit most from neutral colours. When used properly, they may be wonderful additions to the neighborhood's aesthetic while also fitting in with the surrounding architecture. There are many exterior colour schemes that are based on colours found in nature or found in the earth. The bricks, stones, and greenery of the garden all look fantastic against the warmer greys and darker charcoals.
Totally Real
Sun-kissed hues like those that represent our home country are always a good idea. The hues of the local landscapes served as inspiration for a range of earth tones. Create depth with a colour palette of warmer ochres, slate grey, and deep browns, and add textural touches of wood, brick, and stone. This colour palette is pleasing to the eyes and can soften the clean lines of modern buildings. There is no hard and fast rule about how many colours should be used for a home's exterior, but most people find that three or four work well. Include the roof, driveway, and any additional substrates in your colour tally
This house in Newcastle, England, features a two-tone colour scheme, with the grey downspout and roof trim echoing the colours of the driveway. Create a muted colour scheme by selecting colours that are close in tonal value, or go for contrasting colours that are muted to the same degree. Both the Wattyl Red Centre palette, with its mix of desert red ochres, sunset purples, and deep browns, and the Dulux Plant Life palette, with its assortment of earthy tones, are excellent jumping-off points.
Harmonize Colors With Time Period
Cohesive colour schemes that complement the home's style and era are always a good idea. It's not hard to glean ideas from the web or your immediate environment. Yet, if you're looking for guidance on how to paint your home in the classic Victorian or Federation style, your city government should be able to help.
Exciting Black and White
A black and white colour scheme is timeless and cutting-edge at the same time, making for an impressive exterior. The most up-to-date way to handle this colour scheme is to apply it in large blocks using a 50/50, 40/60, or 30/70 split of the colours. Make use of the building's contrast in hues to sculpt its appearance, drawing attention to striking design details or contrasting materials. Using black accents on white walls is a less difficult but similarly bold option. The contrast in high definition really brings out the design of your house.
Hard surfaces like wood, stone, or even rusting metals can be used to tone down the starkness of black and white graphics. In addition to being a classic colour scheme, black or charcoal on a white backdrop creates a striking contrast that is especially appropriate for weatherboard or other traditional home designs. One trendy colour scheme is a darker grey for the weatherboards or major colour and bright white for the trim, windows, and other architectural details. A splash of bold red can be the finishing touch on the plan, giving the outside a more modern appearance.
A helpful hint: external sounds are best in black and white, but sunlight can provide a wide range of colours. Certain whites might be very hot and seem cream when you desire a warm white, therefore it's essential to give attention to identifying undertones. In many cases, it is only when black paint is used on big exterior walls that its underlying blue or red hue becomes apparent.
House Decorating Using Color Faux Pas:
You can do miracles with only a few paint chips when you're redecorating your home. Using some simple optical illusions, you may make your home appear both roomier and cosier than it actually is. So let me show you how.
Conceive of ways to increase the apparent size of a room.
Use bright color on the walls and ceiling when decorating a tiny room to make the area look more open and airy.
Create a Warm and Inviting Ambiance.
Dark colours don't have to make a tiny room feel like a cave if you know how to arrange your furnishings. Start by painting one wall a dark colour and the other walls a much reddish pink of the same colour.
Light Colour Selections For Your House
Using light and bright colours can have a dramatic effect on how large a room feels. Colors like white & pastels have a calming effect and are best used in rooms with lots of windows.
Pretty In Pastels
Using only two colours, like black and white, is the epitome of classic elegance. In particular, weatherboard homes benefit from the clean and crisp appearance created by the combination of a muted pastel just on walls and white trim. The same can be said about the choice of pristine white for skirting boards, fretwork, and other architectonic to get that "Hamptons" vibe.
Any home, whether it be coastal or country, can benefit from this design by taking cues from their natural surroundings. The Hamptons' colour schemes of airy neutrals and gentle blues appeal to our preference for a more ethereal aesthetic. Still, you may expect to see some blue in the background of any coastal billboards you come across. Yet, traditional country styles may incorporate earthy tones like grey-green eucalyptus into their colour palettes.
- As the sun will lighten the colours, you can choose darker hues around than you would want to keep in the house. Making sure the primary wall colour stands out clearly against the accent colours is also essential.
Know When To Use White
A space painted white feels more open and spacious, while also being more sterile and neat. Whites, on the other hand, can be either chilly or warm, ranging from a cream with a yellow undertone to a bluish arctic white. When in doubt, go with pristine white. It blends in beautifully with any setting and subtly imparts a touch of class. There's always the option of painting it over if you switch your mind.
Finishing Touches In Your Home Colour Scheme
You may now personalise your colour scheme by incorporating small amounts of complementary colours.
Busy Blackboards
If you have a young artist in the house, blackboard paint can be used to decorate a focal wall. For a masterpiece that can be easily erased with water, have the kids use coloured chalk. After then, they can start the process again.
Be Bold
If you've always wanted a wall painted bright red, by all means, do it! Follow your curiosity and go with your gut. After all, a weekend and few paint cans of white can restore walls to their previous condition.
Conclusion
The right coat of paint can highlight a home's best features and conceal its imperfections, making it easier to imagine yourself living there. The roof, brickwork, timber joinery, and aluminium window frame of the house, as well as the surrounding environment, must all be taken into account when selecting an exterior colour scheme. Like with many things, it's not always a good idea to choose colours based on the latest trends, so it's necessary to think long-term and pick ones that will last longer than the ones used indoors. Here, you'll find the most crucial information: rules to follow when choosing a colour scheme for your home's front and rear facades. An authentic colour scheme according to these standards would feature a flat paint finish, muted hues, the "three-color rule," and a limited palette of three primary colours.
Shiny rooms can be tempered by using matte colours, while dark rooms can be brightened by using flat paint treatments. Beige is not boring, and neutral colours can lend dimension to a room's decor. At the end of the day, it's all about you when picking out a colour palette. Exterior paint choices that reflect the warm tones of the sun, like the colours of our country, are always an excellent idea. Roofs, driveways, and any other substrates should all be painted one of three or four colours.
Use colours that are near in tonal value to one another, or choose complementary colours that are both subdued. It's also a good idea to try to match colours to a specific era. Whether you use a 50/50, 40/60, or 30/70 mix of the colours, a black and white colour scheme will always seem modern and fresh. If you want to make a statement without too much hassle, try using black accents on white walls. For more traditional architectural styles, like weatherboard or even just a more conventional brick and mortar house, a black and white colour scheme is a no-brainer.
The current trend in exterior paint colour is a combination of dark grey weatherboards or the main colour with white trim, windows, and other architectural details. The employment of optical illusions can make a room appear larger and cosier than it actually is. White and pastel colours are soothing and work well in areas with lots of windows, while light and bright colours make a room feel much larger. While the light neutrals and soft blues of the Hamptons' decor are right up our alley, more traditional rural styles might use earthier tones like grey-green eucalyptus. If you're not sure how to express your mood, neutral white is always a safe bet.
Emphasizing specific walls with blackboard paint and adding touches of complementing colours makes for a well-rounded design. Take a chance and follow your intuition; a weekend and some white paint cans can make any room look as good as new.
Content Summary
- We interviewed an outside paint expert for her advice on choosing the exterior colour to help you make this critical decision.
- Choosing a colour scheme for the exterior of your home that will last is important because it is a time- and money-consuming project.
- The room's existing decor should play a major role in helping you choose colours.
- Follow these steps to choose a colour scheme for the front and back of your house's exterior.
- Color totals should include the roofs, driveway, and any other substrates used.
- This English home in the city of Newcastle has a multiple colour scheme, only with driveway's brick red and the roof's dark grey evoking the same tones.
- Use colours that are near in tonal value to one another, or choose complementary colours that are both subdued.
- Exciting Negative and Positive Polarity Building exteriors in black and white are remarkable since the colour scheme is both classic and modern.
- The sharpness of the HD image clearly highlights the details of your home's architecture.
- Black and white images can be softened by placing them over rough surfaces including wood, marble, or even rusted metals.
- Imagine strategies to make a space seem larger than it actually is.
- The light neutrals and soft blues typical of the Hamptons' design ethos are a perfect fit for our taste.
- You can get away with using darker colours outside than you would inside, thanks to the sun's bleaching effect.