Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Question of the Day: How do I pick exterior paint colors for my house?

This is a shout out to my friend, Heather. She asked me today if I could do a post about choosing exterior paint colors. This is funny because I've never done that!


This is a handy dandy little sticker that the original owner/builder of this house left for us. It contains all the pertinent exterior and interior paint info. This is a great thing, but alot/most people don't have this information.



(In case you can't read this, it says: Shake: KM (Kelly Moore) Royal Crown, Siding: KM Olive Grove, Trim: KM Favorite Tan)

Here is my suggestion, if I were in the position of needing to paint the exterior of our home, I would cruise around different new construction neighborhoods, find a house color combo that I like, note the lot #/address, and then contact the builder.

Builders are usually very open with their paint colors, and are flattered that you are interested. I've even contacted our old builder 10 years later, and they still had the information on our house. They will often give you the paint brand, color, number, etc., including trims colors and stains. Give it a try!!

Lastly, I would also suggest looking at your own immediate neighbors, to see what might blend well, but yet stand out for some good curb appeal. You don't want every house on the street to be khaki, but school bus yellow is not usually a welcome addition to the neighborhood!

Happy Painting!

1 comment:

Rosie said...

Just a thought...for those feeling they can't afford to paint their house I... have a suggestion. For many years we painted a side a year (or so). Galen started with the most needy side, then continued around the house one side at a time. This works best if you like your color enough to keep it for awhile. :)