Home & Garden : Choosing exterior house and material colors
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By: Nazim Nice
 
Date Submitted: 2009-05-11 11:55:07 - Article Views: 20175 - Word Count: 1065
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Choosing exterior house colors can be very difficult. It often takes years of experience to learn what colors and materials will look good together. Most people have never done this before and certainly dooesn't have training or professional experience. And choosing the wrong color paint or material can be a very costly error that you'll likely have to accept for many years to come (or use a lot of funds to change). Here are some tips to help you get started.
Paint Colors:
The most common mistake I see in choosing exterior house color is that the color is too light. The sun will wash out exterior colors, so choosing a light color will end up looking like white paint. When choosing exterior colors, keep in mind that they usually need to be more grey or brown than you think. For example, a grey with a tint of green in it will appear more green than you usually think when painted on an entire house. If you choose a color and can say 'now that's green', you've likely choosen too 'green of a green'. The primary exception to this would be in more tropical locations such as Florida or other areas where a lighter color is desired to keep a house cool. Here is whenpastel and brighter colors can work.
If you are having trouble choosing trim and siding colors, keep them related to each other, like a cream trim and a darker beige siding on the same paint chip strip. Then add in an accent color like a deep eggplant color.
Tips on Choosing Window Colors
Many homes have vinyl windows which will usually be white. Painting white vinyl with a dark paint can be disastrous because of the expansion of the vinyl in sunlight. The dark color will cause the vinyl to expand even more than normal, leading to paint and possibly window failure. If you have trim around a white vinyl window, it often works best to paint that trim white too. That will tend to make the vinyl windows blend in more, and look more like a traditional painted wood windows.
If you are choosing new windows and you want to paint your house a dark color, consider choosing a window that is almond or cream color. A pure white window on a very dark house color will generally have contrast too much. If you choose cream or almond windows, and paint the trim a coordinating color, it will work better with a paint scheme that is darker. There are a few manufacturers that product a grey vinyl which can work well with a more modern house or a house with metal siding, or even brick. Generally I don't care for white vinyl on brick homes, unless the house is very traditional. Choosing a grey or almond window will almost always look better. If you have the budget for wood or metal clad windows, then you'll have a lot more color choices, and the mid-tone to darker colors often look better with brick.
Painting Brick:
Just because you have a brick home, don't automatically rule out painting the brick. You will still have the texture of the brick, but you won't be stuck to the color, which date many, many homes. Of course, if you have a Frank Lloyd Wright brick home, don't paint it! But most of our homes are not so inspired. Painting the brick can really lighten up a dark and dreary home. Consult with a good paint store when painting brick to be sure to get compatible products.
Tips for Choosing Accent Colors
This is a place where you can afford to be a little riskier because generally accent colors are limited to a smaller area. I compare this to a woman who puts on makeup: the accent color is like putting on the eyeliner and lipstick. But keep it classy! You know what too much makeup does to a woman. The same goes for a house.
Choosing Roofing Colors
When the roof of a house is visible, it can be a very imporant element. Choosing the wrong color roof is a very costly mistake so it's important to understand some general rules. When choosing the roof, consider what color the house is going to be painted (or if it is brick or stone, consider the general color of the material). If the house is being painted warmer colors, then a brown roof may be a better choice. If the house will be cooler colors (like greys, blues or greens), then a dark grey roof will work best. If you have to decide on a roof color first, one of the most common and versitile choices is a dark grey color. If your house used to have wood shake shingles and you are replacing it with a composition shingle, most manufacturers make a dark brown color (often called driftwood) that is similar to shake colors. If you are installing a steel or aluminum roof, consider colors other than the traditional dark green, which works well on buildings with log siding, but not too much else. Again, choose a roof color that will allow for flexibility in your house paint color choices.
Choosing colors can be really challenging. Don't choose from a little paint chip! Even trained professionals have large sample boards painted (or paint directly on the house). Purchase a quart of a few colors of paint and look at your samples in different light and on different sides of your home. Color can change dramatically in different light, so put in the time to choose the right colors. When you do the results can be an amazing transformation.
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 Author Resource Required for Reprint:
About the author:
Nazim Nice is the owner of Motionspace Architecture + design who are Seattle Architects specializing in residential architectural design. He is founder of Lumen ID LLC, a manufacturer of laser engraved switchplates with engraved switchplate labels. Nazim Nice is a Seattle Architect
at Motionspace Architecture + Design PLLC and has over 12 years of experience
designing residential and commercial projects. He is also the founder of Lumen
ID, a company that produces custom engraved architectural products including
custom engraved switchplate labels.
Visit his blog: The (Un)common House.
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paint colors  exterior house colors |
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