Exterior Colors Much like interior painting, when exterior painting it is best to think in terms of groups of colors instead of solitary colors. But the task is often more difficult because houses tend to be built of several materials that have different textures, such as solid wood siding matched with a rock foundation or a brick building with real wood trim. If you wish to emphasize the difference in textures, paint each element a different color.
The Picture as a Whole When picking colors, note that two colors which could work well collectively as a siding and trim combination, may clash with the roofing color or various other elements including the deck or landscaping. So when picking colors, be sure you consider things you can't, or won't change, such as the roof material, the nearby landscaping and plantings, any masonry work, and the color of your friends and neighbors' houses.
Local By-Laws When choosing a house color, consider the neighborhood customs in your area. It is increasingly common for cities and communities to insist upon some control over house colors. For example, in the resort community of Hilton Head, SC, residents must choose external colors from a restricted palette of muted tones and even the stop signs have color limitations, whereas in the location of Charleston, there is a well-known region of pastel-colored houses called "Rainbow Row" where vibrant colors are welcome. Some planned communities may also fine you or make you repaint your home unless you use one of the accepted paint colors.
Trying Different Color Layouts As with the inside color selection process, you can start deciding on color location without actually painting anything. Copy or sketch a line drawing of your residence and then make several photocopies to try different layouts. Use a pencil or highlighter and color different features and experiment with several high-lighting options. Make a decision which features you would like to emphasize and which ones you would like to hide. The target here is to create a well balanced whole where no component appears to dominate. By "pre-painting" in this manner you won't only avoid any disappointments you'll be encouraged to try some distinctive plans before you pick up the paintbrush.
Some paint stores have computers that will "paint" your house for you right on the screen. The better systems are equipped to scan a high-quality image of your home. Or you can offer a high quality digital image. Even if you cannot get an exact reproduction of your house, these programs will provide you with a feeling of what types or combinations are pleasing and demonstrate ideas of how you might paint.
Now that you have selected the colors for your home it is time to decide which colors should be assigned to specific architectural elements. Generally the siding is painted in a single color, but if there is ornamental molding above the first floor, another color siding can be quite interesting. Casings around windows and doors should all be the same color or the house will seem to be too over done. If there are decorative highlights in your trim and molding, several colors are fine if the pattern repeats on the whole structure. Some Victorian homes can look well balanced with six colors, so there is absolutely no firm rule.
One common fashion is to color the window sash and trim a color that is lighter than the body of the house. Shutters, if present, are usually painted darker than the house body. Needless to say, fashions change. For instance, at the turn of the century, gloss black was the most popular choice for the window sash. But you almost never see gloss dark-colored paint today except on shutters.
Highlight ornate trimming, below left, with eye catching colors.
Below are a Few Techniques for other Architectural Highlights:
Entrance Create a dazzling effect by adding an accent color to this important element of your house. For instance, a white house with a door colored a bright color, such as red or green, draws attention to the entranceway making the entrance seem more welcoming.
Frieze A historically appropriate treatment for the frieze is by using both the trim and body colors. Allow the trim color to be the prominent one to mark a clear distinction from the top of the siding. Be careful not to introduce too many colors; you may wrap up with an impact that is too busy.
Brackets Brackets have to be perceived as part of the overall framework and really should be painted so as to not appear that they are "floating free" of the composition. Use the principle trim color. Stay away from too much color. Some painters add a leading color of scarlet to these features.
Sandwich Brackets Sandwich brackets are a little different. Because they contain several layers and are more complex than simple corner brackets, it is more acceptable to use several colors. Paint the exterior portions to match the trim and frieze, and the center another color to show off your scroll work.
Verticle Beams/Posts If you have simple rectangular wooden posts over a porch, you almost certainly don't want to emphasize them with their own color. Color them to match either the entire trim or body coloring of your house. However, if your posts have special millwork, like a chamfer on the square post or a ring over a turned post, it is perfectly acceptable to showcase these decorations with a flourish.
Many people prefer to paint porch ceilings sky blue because they say the color mimics nature. White columns put in a nice contrasting touch.
Rails The rails are essentially extensions of the posts. Therefore, they're usually painted in the same color as the posts.
Verticle Railing Supports Try painting the balusters a lighter color than the rails. When the posts and rails have been painted in the primary body color, try to use the trim colors to make sure they stand out. Even though you have elaborately worked balusters, don't use too many colors to demonstrate your handiwork. Besides the amount of time that might be involved in detailing each baluster, the effect will look too busy.
Floors and Ceiling Porches are painted certain colors not only for beautification, but as matters of practicality. Light colored ceilings help maintain a sense of airiness and brightness. Painting porch ceilings blue is a technique that has been used for years and years to suggest the sky over head. It is rumored to keep nesting pests, such as hornets, from settling in. In the event the undersides of your porch ceiling rafters are exposed, you might paint them by using a combination of the body and trim colors. A dark floor is even more practical since it shows dirt and grime and tracks less readily when compared to a floor decorated in a lighter color.
Steps and Risers The risers of wooden steps are usually painted the trim color, while the treads carry a surface (porch or deck) to the ground and really should be painted in the same color. The handrail and balusters on the steps should be colored to match the porch rail and baluster color design.
Cement Foundations Many homes have a ring of brick or concrete block below the siding. Although it is fine to paint this band the same color as the siding, a darker color makes the home seem firmly planted and will hide dirt and mud. Basement windows are usually decorated the same dark color to de-emphasize them.
A bright accent color, below left draws attention to this door.
Advanced Tips: There are lots of online paint planning programs. Leading paint manufacturers such as Benjamin Moore (www.benjaminmoore.com), Valspar (www.valsparatlowes.com), Glidden (www.glidden.com), and Sherwin Williams (www.sherwin-williams.com) feature paint color planners online. Simply search "virtual paint color planner" on the Internet for a list.
A great way to take a look at how colors interact is to see them in fabrics. Fabrics tend to be created by people who study color and also have worked with it for a long period. The microcosm of any couch and cushion combination in a favorite catalog may hold the color plan that can make your home look spectacular
Pre-made Color Layouts Deciding on the specific colors in a multicolor design is just a little tricky. It's the reason that the vast majority of the major paint companies have created "combo cards" to help you to pick body, trim, and highlight colors in one step. These colors are also available in traditional shades designed to match the most common color schemes of certain periods. One nice feature of the cards is that the trim and highlight color chips often overlap the body color, which helps demonstrate a far more realistic relationship.
Sound Quality Painting
824 90th Dr SE suite B
Lake Stevens WA 98258
(425) 512-7400
https://sites.google.com/1upserve.com/painter-lake-stevens
