Historic Authenticity
If
you're planning to paint an older home, you have three options.
• Hire a interior and exterior painting professional
to analyze old paint chips and recreate the original color.
• Refer to historic color charts and select shades
that might have been used at the time your home was built
and originally painted.
• Consider modern colors to dramatize architectural
details that enhance interior and exterior painting choices
House Painting Based On Your Neighborhood
A fluorescent colored Victorian that looks splendid in San
Francisco will seem wildly out of place in more conservative
neighborhoods. Even if you are opting for a more subtle
scheme, you'll want to make sure that your colors are compatible
with the houses next door.
House Painting Based On Existing Color Scheme
Your house is your canvas, but it is not blank. Some colors
are already established. What color is your roof? Is there
mortar or other siding that will not be painted? Will doors
and railings remain their existing colors? New paint doesn't
need to match existing colors, but it should harmonize.
Interior Painting Color Options
It may seem comical to paint an entire house based on the
pattern of a pillow case, but this approach does make sense.
The color of your furnishings will guide you in the selection
of your interior paint colors. Likewise, your interior paint
colors will influence your exterior paint colors as well.
The goal is to make the interior and exterior paint color
selection harmonize.
How Color Accents Affect House Painting
Depending on the size and complexity of your home, you may
be choosing two, three or as many as six colors. In addition
to the color you select for siding, you'll want to select
accent colors for trim and details such as shutters, moldings
and columns. This can be tricky, because too many colors
will overwhelm your house and too few will make it seem
two dimensional.
Using Darks and Lights For House Painting Techniques
Light colors will make your house seem larger. Dark siding
or dark bands of trim will make your house seem smaller,
but will draw more attention to details. Darker shades are
best for accenting recesses, while lighter tones will highlight
details which project from the wall surface. On traditional
Victorian homes, the darkest paint is often used for the
window sashes.
House Painting For Harmony Or Contrast
Contrasting colors will draw attention to architectural
details. But, extreme contrasts will clash and actually
detract from details. To be safe, consider staying within
a single color family. For some accents, try using a darker
or lighter shade instead of a different color.
Balancing House Painting Color Choices
A burst of a single color on just one part of your home
may give it a lopsided appearance. Strive to balance colors
over the entire building.
Durability Matters In House Painting
The more intense a color, the more likely it is to fade.
After a few years, vivid blues and deep reds will seem more
subdued. Dark colors also pose more maintenance problems.
Dark colors absorb heat and suffer more moisture problems
than lighter shades. And because dark paint fades, it's
difficult to touch up.
How Sheen Affects Your Choice Of
House Paint
You thought you only had to pick colors? Sorry! In addition,
you'll also need to decide on the sheen of your paint --
glossy, semi-gloss or flat. The glossier the surface, the
more likely it is to show imperfections, brush strokes and
touch up marks. On the other hand, glossy surfaces are easier
to clean. Many homeowners opt to use flat paint for walls
and semi-gloss or glossy paint for columns, railings and
window sashes.
Don’t
Sweat The Swatches
Color swatches look very different when they are brought
out of the store and viewed in natural sunlight. Also, colors
appear lighter on large surfaces than they do on small samples.
It's best to test your selected color in one area before
buying gallons of paint.
