Interior design help for everyone.
Painting your home is exciting, the power of paint never ceases to amaze me! However, we need to ensure we pick the perfect body and trim colour. Here’s a few tips to get you started! I was thrilled that Sherwin Williams sponsored me for the paint, thank you SW! We love their Emerald exterior latex! It went on smooth as silk and had superb coverage.
2. Likewise be aware of your neighbourhood homes to ensure you have not copied their existing color. You may need to check with neighbourhood restrictive covenants or strata agreements to ensure you are able to paint the color of your choice. Some neighbourhood covenants require you to stay within a color field to best represent a cohesive community aesthetic. It shows you are a good neighbour. 3. Paint a few large sample boards or poster boards of a minimum of 11”x14” sizing with your prospective color choices. Once dry, hold these color sample boards up against various features of your home such as in step 1 (noting exterior home elements) to see how they look. Remember with smaller color samples, getting a true representation of color is more difficult than with larger sample boards. Your exterior contains large painted surfaces/spaces , so it’s important to have larger sample boards to get a truer representation of how a color will work. A great hint also is to choose a flat/matte sample paint color, to allow you to see the color without sunlight glare or possible exterior lighting de-coloration/accentuation. And with that said, your exterior lighting will also play a significant role in how you color will appear. Your light’s Kelvin measurement (color of light) will change the tone of you color choice too, just as will the direction of various sunlight from North, South, East and West which is what we call metamerism. Designer Tip: Most exterior paint colors tend to look lighter and brighter outside so it is important to test your paint samples in the actual elements outside. Beware of selecting a trim color that is too white, it might look too bright and harsh. It's good to have a few choices pre-painted, as lighting, shade, and time of day can present color nuance to your choices. Have 3-4 color choices made up for a field/body and trim color. The color finish (matte/flat, satin, gloss etc) can reflect light and cause a different color experience. We recommend a flat/matte finish for the body, as it does not provide too much glare or a sheen. Your home’s exterior color personality will showcase better with a matte/color. Remember you want to see color and not a mirrored reflective color tone as with satin or gloss etc. 4. Select your field (body) exterior color first, then secondly a trim color that accents it. Ensure your trim color choice works well with your window metal/polyurethane frame color. If you happen to be changing out your windows, black window frames are the best because they tend to disappear into the background of the glass from a distance. Black window frames can make selecting your paint colours easier. When choosing the trim color, keep in mind the window casing/frame color and choose a complementary shade. No one wants a “bossy” window frame color ruining a good field and trim color choice for your home exterior.
Finally, before you begin purchasing large amounts of paint, it is vital that you paint a test sample area of your home. Picking an area of your house exterior that stands alone as a test color pallet is crucial. At this point take a couple of days to think over your choices. Your color experience will change dependant upon the daytime hours, the amount of sunlight and even your exterior lighting. And there you have it. We sure hope these tips and tricks can help you find the perfect color for your amazing home! Virtual Interior design help throughout Canada and USA
19 Comments
10/14/2019 04:12:57 am
Aside from its aesthetics function, paint protects buildings and structures from the damaging effects of the sun and water. It prevents a certain material to rot or rusting. But because of its color, it is also widely used as decoration.
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6/21/2022 05:56:48 pm
I really appreciate you talking about the effect finishes have on your exterior paint. A matte finish looks a lot more solid and simple than anything we've had so far, and I can see this working out for us if we pick the right color. I'll ask for this combination for sure when I work with an exterior painter in the area.
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6/22/2022 10:57:40 am
Hi Afton,
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8/5/2022 06:34:34 am
I appreciated how this post mentioned that color samples can give you an actual representation of what a color will look like. My mother wants our exterior to be repainted. I should advise her to hire an expert in home exterior painting to achieve her desired outcome.
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8/9/2022 11:26:40 am
Yes, either order some 8x10" paint samples from your designer, or paint some up on poster board yourself. I get our Poster board from Staples and they are absolutely essential to know the undertones of the paint you are considering.
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8/8/2022 05:26:40 pm
Great tip about selecting the body exterior first. I think we might want to repaint our nursery. We'll have to hire a crew that has all of the right tools for the job.
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8/9/2022 11:30:07 am
How exciting to repaint your nursety, lots of great inspiration out on Pinterest. You may want to look at zero VOC paint, so there ar eno toxic fumes for the baby. Benjamine Moore & Sherwin Williams have some great ones!
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8/21/2022 07:30:32 pm
I definitely agree that when looking to have our house painted, choosing the right finishing is crucial. It makes sense as it will impact the look of the house. Since I am planning to repaint my home, I will definitely remember to practice your tips.
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8/22/2022 04:11:31 pm
Thanks for commenting Dan! If you need help selecting the perfect color, I'm happy to do so.
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9/6/2022 07:24:54 pm
It's interesting when you said that you could choose between 3-4 colors for the type of your painting. A few nights ago, my mother informed me that she and my father was hoping to find a reliable painter as they want their exterior home to be painted because of the old appearance their paint gives, and she asked if I had any idea what would be the best option to consider. I love this instructive article, I'll tell her that we can consult trusted painting services as they can provide information about the process.
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9/7/2022 05:06:04 pm
Thanks for commenting John! Let us know how it goes!
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9/16/2022 06:25:22 am
I want to make sure that I get the right paint for my home. It makes sense that I would want to get a professional to help me out with this. That seems like a good way to ensure that I handle everything properly.
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9/21/2022 07:13:49 am
It was interesting to know that paint samples must be tested in the actual elements outdoor. My friend wants their interior to get painted. I should advise her to hire a residential interior painter to ensure quality work.
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9/22/2022 02:41:32 pm
I appreciated your tip about trying your paint on a test sample area of your home. My husband and I have had a beige house for almost ten years, and we really want to upgrade it. We both think that a light blue or pale yellow would look really good.
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9/22/2022 04:07:40 pm
Yes, "beige be gone!" Let me know if you need help selecting the perfect blue or yellow! Thanks for commenting.
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I love that you talked about choosing a color depending on what compliments the existing elements on your property like the stonework, roofing, and more. I would probably have to choose something neutral so that it will blend with the brick wall we have. Now I just need to find a painter I can hire this weekend to start with the project to make my home look new and unique.
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2/27/2023 05:11:44 am
Selecting a paint color for the exterior is very confusing, but you clear all my confusion by giving ideas and tips about it. I found this very helpful as I will paint my house, SO taking your ideas as they are excellent.
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