Exterior Paint Colors: How to Avoid a Paint Disaster

An image of exterior paint colors.

Before jumping into getting those new exterior paint colors for your house, make sure you read this guide on getting your house prepared.

3 min read

While there's no real rule as to how often you should paint your home exterior, many experts encourage you to do so as often as every 4-6 years. If it's that time for you, then congratulations! You have a task ahead of you that's both fun and creative. Here, we're going to help you get started with choosing exterior paint colors for your home. Read on to learn some ways that you can express yourself through your exterior design!

Do Your Research

Before you can begin to choose a color for your home, you'll want to do a little research on what paint schemes look good on houses. Pinterest is a great resource for doing this because you can see hundreds of color schemes that people have already tried.

You also may want to go to your local hardware store and pick up some paint swatches. This will show you exactly what your options are.

Match Your Home Decor

The most important thing that you need to do when you choose exterior paint colors is to match your home exterior. This means looking at your fencing, roof, gutters, and accents to ensure that everything matches the paint color that you choose.

Hold your preferred paint swatches up to these items to see how they match up. You may also want to ask a trusted friend or even a professional what they think. Getting a second opinion never hurts!

You also probably want your exterior design to match the decor within your home. This will help to create a cohesive look so that people know exactly what your overall vibe is as soon as they enter your home.

It will also ensure that you stay in a consistent frame of mind when inside and outside. Additionally, it will make sure that nothing looks like a clashing eyesore.

Choose Something You Like

That you need to pick a color that's pleasing to you should go without saying, but it's something that many people overlook. If you choose a color that you don't like, it's going to be an eyesore to you, no matter how well it matches your home's decor. Seeing it will put you in a bad mood and make you less likely to enjoy your home.

Use Color Psychology

If you're looking to do something especially unique, you can try using color psychology when painting your home. This basically is the scientifically-backed idea that certain colors affect people's moods in specific ways, so it's a great way to show off the values and vibes that you want to present to the world.

To present your home as a calming space, a light blue color may be perfect for you. Pale or canary yellow or orange is a good way to express your energy and spirited ideas. If you don't want to fully paint your house a funky color, that's okay, too. Window and door frames are the perfect place to accentuate with a pop of color.

Beyond Exterior Paint Colors

Now that you know how to choose exterior paint colors for your home, it's time to begin to ready your house for a paint job.

That means that it's time to fix warped siding on your home! This is a necessary measure before you begin to apply a primer coat. Doing so will make sure that your house looks as well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing as possible. For more great articles about interior and exterior home improvement, check out the rest of our blog.

An image of soffit repair cost.

How Much Does Soffit Repair Cost?

Has your soffit seen better days? It might be time to make some repairs. Take a look at this guide to create a budget for the soffit repair cost.
An image of how to install rain gutters.

How to Install Rain Gutters: Everything You Need to Know

Are you interested in learning how to install rain gutters? We've got a guide that'll show you everything you need to know. Click for more!
An image of outdoor soffit lighting.

Outdoor Soffit Lighting: How To Do It Yourself

Outdoor soffit lighting has become a very popular commodity in homes. You can do it yourself and it doesn't have to be hard. Learn more on how you can start.