Most of us have heard the term “curb appeal” as it relates to the buying and selling of homes. Indeed if a home does not look inviting from the outside, potential buyers likely won’t even get out of their vehicles to check out the inside. They’ll just keep on driving. For most of us though, it isn’t about selling the house to others. It’s about making our house inviting to us, our family and our friends.
We want our home to reflect well on us, and to do that, we need to keep it well-maintained and attractive. “Curb appeal” summarizes that effect. And curb appeal begins with the house itself. Landscapers certainly can enhance the appearance of the house, but planting beautiful flowers and shrubs cannot compensate for an ugly house.
If you house has peeling or faded paint, mismatched or inappropriate colors, or just an outdated or boring feel, then it’s time to consider a new paint job in the right colors. Picking the right colors can be a challenge, but these tips can help you determine which ones are right for your home.
- Start with yourself and your tastes. No matter what the pros say, if you don’t like the colors, then don’t use them. That said, it is beneficial to ask professionals for recommendations, so just be sure to ask for multiple color schemes, so that you can choose one that suits you best.
- Recognize that you’ll select more than one color. Most houses have at least three colors, often more, to bring out the unique attributes of each house. Basically, the house itself has one color with other colors on doors, columns, railings, shutters, window sashes or other features.
- Understand some house fundamentals that won’t be changed: the roof, brick, stone, vinyl windows, concrete steps, whatever. In selecting color, you’ll need to take into account the effects of those elements before you settle on the overall paint colors.
- Pay heed to the neighbors. You want your house to be unique, yet complementary, to your neighbors’ properties. If all the houses on the block are in pastel shades, you’ll likely want to remain in that shade for the body of the house with brighter or darker colors as accents.
- Pay heed to building codes. If your house is in an historic district, you may be required to paint your house in historically accurate colors. If your house is part of a condominium complex, you may be very limited in which colors you can select for your project.
- Consider bringing the inside to the outside. If you’ve found the colors in your living room, kitchen or family room to be inviting, take inspiration from those choices. You may find that a favorite pillow or blanket has the complementary colors that would fit perfectly outside.
- Examine your house’s attributes and enhance them. If you have a large home, for example, painting it white or a very light color will showcase its size and grandeur. If your house features different levels or recesses, use black or very dark colors as trim to spotlight those features.
- Balance lights and darks from top to bottom and side to side. If your house has few accents, perhaps just windows, limit extremes and stick with the same color family. For example, after if you select a light color for the house, pick a darker shade of the same color for the accents.
After you’ve chosen colors for you home, double-check yourself by using samples to paint small sections of various sides of the house. You may discover that the color you loved in the store is too light or too dark for your home because of the effect of natural sunlight versus in-store lighting. You’ll also want to check out the color samples at differing times of day. The color that looks great at one time of day may look dull and drab at another time.
By taking the time to evaluate different colors, then testing them out, you’ll save yourself time and expense. And, ultimately, by picking the right colors to reflect on you and your taste, you’ll find that the curb appeal that’s most important is the one that appeals to you.
