What Color Should I Paint My House?
It’s Spring and the perfect time to paint your house. The leaves are growing back on the trees and the flowers are starting to bloom. All of this vibrant color may make your house seem a little drab. Maybe it’s time to repaint your house or maybe you just want a different look. Whatever the reason is, now is the best time to paint. It isn’t too hot or cold outside, wait for temps between 50-90 degrees, which means the paint will adhere better to the house and your painters won’t have to suffer in extreme temperatures.
All you have to do is pick the right color or colors of paint that will represent you and your house for the next 5 to 10 years before you have to paint again. Sounds a little intimidating when it’s stated like that doesn’t it? I mean, what is the right color? Is there a right color or a wrong color? There’s hundreds of colors to choose from, how do you pick the right one for your home? There is no easy answer that fits everyone but there are a few things to help you make your decision.
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Architectural House Style
You may want to choose a paint color that traditionally goes with your house style. Do you live in a Victorian, Colonial, Craftsman, Modern, Ranch, Industrial, Tudor, Cottage, or Mediterranean Style home? A house can be painted any color but the details and style will stand out if you highlight its architectural style. There are several styles but here are the most common.
- Victorian – This style is what most people think of as a gingerbread style house. They are usually 2 to 3 stories high and have a lot of ornate detail. You can use 3 to 5 paint colors in reds, yellows, and greens, to make the design really pronounced.
- Colonial – The Colonial style is an older and more classic style. Off white, light blue, light yellow, and soft grays suit this style well. Choose a darker paint for the trim to create a nice contrast.
- Modern – Modern homes can be painted almost any color but blues and greens with a white trim is nice.
- Ranch – Ranch style homes are usually one story and very wide. Browns and tans work well with this style. More color can be added with vibrant landscaping.
- Industrial – These sleek homes look best in black, white, browns and grays.
- Tudor – Tudors usually have a combination of wood and brick. These materials will provide most of the dark and rich colors so an off-white will generously compliment them.
- Cottage – Cottages are usually small so you can get away with painting it a bright and bold color. Rich blues and greens with a white or light gray trim suits this style well. You really can’t go wrong with a paint choice for this style house.
- Mediterranean – This style is reminiscent of European seaside villas. Mediterranean homes love rich colors like peach, coral, gold, and olive.
Location, Location, Location!
Choosing the right color(s) paint for your house is also determined by its location. Do you live in the City, Suburbs, Beach Front, Country, Mountainside? Your environment can help you pick the right colors for you. Bright vibrant colors will look great on a beach front house but will be an eyesore in the suburbs. A light colored house might look good in the city but boring in the country. You want your house to compliment the location, not fight it. You should also check to see if there are HOA rules that you need to abide by. Some neighborhoods have paint color restrictions. You don’t want to have to paint your house twice just to please the HOA. If you’re painting the house to get ready to sell it, then we recommend staying in the same color palette as the houses around you.
I hope these tips and ideas help you pick the right color for your house. It’s a lot to consider but there’s help out there for you. Call Alamo City Handymen to help pick the right colors for your home and have our professional painters handle the job from start to finish.
