Choose the Right Paint Color for Your Home Exterior

Choosing the right paint color for your home exterior is, at first glance, merely a matter of personal taste. When examined further, however, there are other things to take into account. Home and neighborhood style, local ordinances, and your landscape and gardening must be considered. Energy efficiency should also be taken into account. This article will help homeowners determine the right paint color for their home exterior.

Home Exterior Paint Colors - House Style

The style of your house can help determine the right color for your home exterior paint. Colonial homes can be painted in neutral or soft colors reminiscent of those days. Southwestern adobe homes may look better in warm peaches and ochre. Victorian homes are often painted in more unusual, or even multiple, colors. The right tone of paint can accent the style of your house.

Home Exterior Paint Colors - Landscape Style

When choosing the right color for your home, consider the landscaping and gardens as well. A prominent flowering bush or tree should not compete with a house paint color that clashes. If your gardens are focal points, choosing a neutral shade for your home is ideal.

Home Exterior Paint Colors - Energy Efficiency

The paint color of your home can affect its energy efficiency. Dark colors soak up the sun's rays and can help heat your home. White and pale colors reflect heat. Deciding which is better depends on how your house is situated, any shade trees, what part of the country you live in, and summer and winter energy costs.

Home Exterior Paint Colors - Neighborhood Look

The overall look of your neighborhood or street is another point to consider. Choosing an exterior paint color that is completely different than other houses on the block will make it stick out like a sore thumb. Conversely, matching your exterior to another home will decrease the individual charm of both houses. The right color for the exterior of your home should blend with, but not mimic, other homes on your street.

Home Exterior Paint Colors - Township Ordinances