Choosing Color: 1 Home Has Fun With 5 Different Color Schemes
See a home’s potential for transformation with several new hues. Do you have a favorite?
Spring is right around the corner, and for many of you, it’s time to spruce up the exterior of your home. If a new exterior paint job is on your to-do list, you are no doubt giving some thought to color options. In an effort to inspire you to think outside of the beige box, I’ve used color-rendering software to show an interesting assortment of color palette options for the exterior of a home.
1. Light and bright. Small, one-story homes can typically handle bolder color schemes better than larger homes. A small bit of vibrant color is just not going to appear as loud as a huge, expansive canvas of it. This crisp yellow-green stucco color is zesty, but it’s a fairly light shade, so it doesn’t take the boldness too far. Since the front door is recessed into the porch, I think it needs a contrasting color — in this case a pretty blue-green hue. The remaining colors are softly supportive of the stucco hue.
Get the look: Window and roof trim in Apollo Landing, stone and wood siding in Rare White Jade, stucco in Kiss A Frog, front door in Caribbean Swim, and stairs in Hugh’s Hue, all from Kelly-Moore
Get the look: Window and roof trim in Apollo Landing, stone and wood siding in Rare White Jade, stucco in Kiss A Frog, front door in Caribbean Swim, and stairs in Hugh’s Hue, all from Kelly-Moore
2. Gray but glowing. If you prefer sticking to mostly neutral hues on your home, you can still add drama by going with a dark color for the main hue. Keep in mind, however, that darker colors may raise the interior temperature of your home and will also wear and fade faster in the sun, so they may not be the best option for homes in hot and sunny locales.
Get the look: Window trim in Commercial White; wood siding, roof trim and stairs in Gray Stone; front door in Yellow Coneflower; and stucco and stone siding in Volcanic Ash; all from PPG Pittsburgh Paints
Get the look: Window trim in Commercial White; wood siding, roof trim and stairs in Gray Stone; front door in Yellow Coneflower; and stucco and stone siding in Volcanic Ash; all from PPG Pittsburgh Paints
3. Deeply red. My advice if you go for a red-hued home is to select a shade that is deeper and darker than you think you want. Lighter reds often veer orange or pink, especially if they start to fade from sun exposure. A natural wood front door would look great here, but I also like the look of a high-gloss black door against a red background.
Get the look: Window trim in Eider White; stone siding, stairs and roof trim in Functional Gray; stucco and wood siding in Borscht; and front door in Black Magic; all from Sherwin-Williams
Get the look: Window trim in Eider White; stone siding, stairs and roof trim in Functional Gray; stucco and wood siding in Borscht; and front door in Black Magic; all from Sherwin-Williams
4. Blue hues. Navy blue is a hot hue right now, but it’s a tad dark for the entirety of a home exterior. Try using it for trim or accent areas only, and then partner it with a lighter blue-gray color for the main body of the house. Don’t forget to add a splash of a warm hue, such as a welcoming, sunny yellow on the front door.
Get the look: Front door in Solar Energy; stairs in Tin Foil; stucco and wood siding in Teton Blue; and window, roof trim and stone siding in Dark Denim; all from Behr
Get the look: Front door in Solar Energy; stairs in Tin Foil; stucco and wood siding in Teton Blue; and window, roof trim and stone siding in Dark Denim; all from Behr
5. Berry bold. This last purply palette is admittedly a bit unusual for the exterior of a home, but the main colors have a good amount of gray in them, which gives them a neutral and sophisticated quality. When most of a home’s colors are muted or neutral, I like to see a boldly hued front door. Here, we’ve got a rich reddish-pink hue, which isn’t too different from the other main colors, but it has a bit more vibrancy, which helps it to stand out.
Get the look: Window and roof trim in A la Mode; wood siding and stairs in Bonne Nuit; stucco and stone siding in Chambourd; and front door in Raisin Torte; all from Benjamin Moore
Your turn: Which palette is your favorite? Or what other colors do you think would work better on this house?
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Get the look: Window and roof trim in A la Mode; wood siding and stairs in Bonne Nuit; stucco and stone siding in Chambourd; and front door in Raisin Torte; all from Benjamin Moore
Your turn: Which palette is your favorite? Or what other colors do you think would work better on this house?
More
How to Choose the Paint Color You Really Want
Choosing Color: See 1 Cute Home in 3 Exterior Paint Palettes
The existing color scheme on this cute little house is a perfectly fine, neutral option, but I think it could handle a little more amped-up color to help it stand apart from the neighbors a bit.
Photo by Mike and Steph Woods, via Flickr