Interior Design Blog by Jil Sonia McDonald of Jil Sonia Interior Designs

4 Steps to selecting the perfect exterior paint color

9/26/2019

How to select the perfect paint color for your exterior of your home

The perfect shade of white for your exterior isn't white! It needs to be a cream so it doesn't look stark

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.

Note your existing elements and choose a color that works or compliments your existing elements such as: stonework, roofing, window frames, driveway/walkway color, exterior lighting (which can have cool or warm toned lighting), landscaping and immediate neighbours color choices.

How to pick your exterior paint colour. Gray, blue door, greek Villa trim

Photos by: Sari V Photography Design by: Jil Sonia Interior Designs

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.

Sherwin Williams #swcolorlove #interiordesigner #chilliwack Jil Sonia McDonald of Jil Sonia Interiors

Photos by: Sari V Photography Design by: Jil Sonia Interior Designs

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.

How to pick the perfect exterior paint colour, Jil sonia interior designs

Photos by: Sari V Photography Design by: Jil Sonia Interior Designs

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.

Jil Sonia Interior Designs Gauntlet gray sherwin williams

Photos by: Sari V Photography Design by: Jil Sonia Interior Designs

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!

interior decorator abbotsford, bc, chilliwack

19 Comments

Home security systems don't have to be big and ugly: top ones we recommend

9/24/2019

0 Comments

Doorbell security

For the majority of modern households, investing in home security is a bigger priority than it has ever been in the past. With many of our homes now full of expensive items, from TVs to tablets, games consoles to laptops, it’s no wonder we’re more conscious of protecting the place where we live than ever before. But while security systems in the past have been unaffordable, bulky and frankly quite ugly to have around the home, new options are less obtrusive and smaller than ever before – not to mention far more affordable.

With so many new security and home safety systems appearing on the market every day, it’s difficult to know which option the right fit for you is. But never fear – we look at some of the top options on the market to find out which home security systems are the top of their game and would be the ideal addition to your home. Read on to find out more:

Secure doorbells are one of the most recent additions to the roster of home security systems, but it doesn’t make then any less valid. Building from the concept of gateway entry systems often found on high-end properties, Bluetooth doorbell systems allow for that same safety from within the comfort of your home. Home security has evolved from the older wired systems, with the development of Bluetooth and wireless technology allowing for more affordable and useable options on the market. Devices like Ring enable users to access video feeds of their front door whether they’re at home or work, and are both sleek and unobtrusive, making them ideal additions to the house without the bulk of more traditional options.

Home cameras

Home cameras come in many different forms these days, and they are entirely different from the bulky CCTV cameras and setups we associate with supermarkets and corner shops. Instead, these in-house camera systems are designed to be simple, barely visible and highly connected – with many options allowing for direct viewing of cameras via mobile. Google’s Nest Cam system offers all the convenience of a connected service with multiple camera options, from affordable indoor cameras to more robust outdoor options. The benefit is a system that’s wholly connected in one place, allowing for fast and easy monitoring without the use of multiple systems. If you’re looking for a home system that does it all, Nest is an excellent place to start.

Alarm systems

Homeowners often think of alarm systems as relatively outdated, requiring intensive wiring as well as a large, unattractive control panel in the home to function correctly. But as alarm system technology has evolved, so have the options available to homeowners. Modern alarm systems are capable of monitoring windows, doors and even identify the difference between intruders and pets with ease. Verisure’s system is one example of an excellent alarm system, with a 3G panel included instead of the more old-fashioned bulky wall-based system. Wireless has revolutionised how alarm systems work and picking one that has it all is your ideal choice.

Picking the right home security system for you is entirely subjective. By having a better idea of what level of security you need, and when and where you need it, it’s possible to tailor a security system into something ideally suited for your purposes. Don’t be afraid to expand your system or reduce it depending on your requirements over time; security is a personal thing and finding the one that’s right for you is vital to its long-term success.