I know picking your house color can overwhelming but let me help you break down the process. Just the other day, I received a call from my aunt who was in a bit of a panic. She needed to pick a new color for her house and had little time to decide before the painters arrived the next day. She started down the Pinterest rabbit hole and emerged hours later with no answers and frayed nerves, so she called for my advice just as she was pulling up to Dunn Edwards to grab some paint swatches. I told to go home and I would meet her there with my paint deck in thirty minutes. She sighed a breath of relief and turned her car back around. Often my family members feel bad asking for my help, so they delay until they are desperate, even though I love helping them.
Step One: Look at your neighbors’ homes first.
Once I arrived at my aunt’s, she showed me what she was thinking and I said we needed to start outside. The most important thing you can do when picking an exterior color is to walk outside and stand in front of your house.
- What color are the houses surrounding yours?
- You do not want your house to be painted the same color as those next door, nor do you want your house to clash with theirs.
- You want your house to fit with the neighborhood while exhibiting its own style.
- You also want your house to complement any stonework you have.
I will explain how I completed this process for the house above, which is on the boardwalk in Newport Beach, CA. My client asked for a color which wouldn’t get too dirty from the beach elements and would also look fabulous. As you can see, the house on the left has lots of stonework with a gold-toned stucco finish. The house on the right is also visually chaotic, with the dark rain gutters and glass walls. Both houses have lots of unmatching outdoor furniture squeezed into small spaces which is common at the beach, but looks ugly.
White, my favorite color for an exterior, was out of the question. A darker color would fade in the elements, so I knew we needed a neutral color, which felt natural on the beachfront. I pulled out my paint swatches and started sorting until I landed on the color above.
Stonework, bricks, pavers or decks
If your house has any of the above elements, you need to consider whether you want them highlighted or your want them to disappear?
When I was helping my aunt choose a color, she had some stacked stone on her house, which was dated. We both thought it would be best if the new color did not draw your eye to the stone. How do you accomplish this? You pick a color that is like the stone, not contrasting. If you pick a contrasting color, the stone will jump out at you.
Clashing with the neighbors
On my walk the other day, I walked by a ranch house with a paver driveway, stacked stone planter and an expansive white picket fence. The house was previously a hideous terracotta color that didn’t work with any of the above elements. I was excited they had chosen a warm neutral gray for the stucco and was hoping they would do a dark trim to blend with the stone. Unfortunately, they didn’t ask my opinion nor could they hear my thoughts because they painted their trim electric blue. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the blue. The worst part was their neighbor to the right had side gates and a front door painted a soft dusty blue, which made their electric blue look even worse. I wish I could show you a picture, but I don’t think it’s polite.
But how do I choose the exact color?
I wish I could explain how I know a color is warm, is cool, has too much gold, too much purple, etc but I can’t. I was born with this ability. It’s a gift from God and hard to explain on paper. If you need more guidance and struggle with deciding, I highly suggest you hire a color expert or someone like me. It will be worth the money in the long run! If you live in Orange County, please contact me for help with any of your design needs. You can email me at: tiffanigoff@yahoo.com