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Autumn 2009
Enticing Exterior Colors- Use History as Your Guide
What message is your house giving people before they get inside?
That is the part of the house that most people see.
Does your exterior entice people to want to come inside?
We are often busy improving the inside of the house and overlooking the outside. While it is still warm enough to work outdoors, why not turn our attention to the outside. You would do that if you were selling it, right?
 Frankly, I am tired of those cookie-cutter exterior paint color schemes you see in the paint brochures at the store. They just aren’t very exciting. Don’t settle for the mundane. Do what you do inside. Identify a favorite color. Let’s say it is violet. (I know what you are thinking, “I can’t paint my house violet.” Sure you can). Even an atypical color choice can look amazing as long as you choose the right shade with appropriate accompanying colors. The good news is that today’s exterior palettes include every hue on the color wheel. One of my favorite violet house body colors is California Historic Paints of America’s “Muted Mulberry”. It looks wonderful paired with a yellow/white trim, such as Benjamin Moore’s Navajo White, which compliments the violet both in hue and in warmth. Play around with the door color. For something dramatic, try burgundy red. For a classic elegance, use a deep forest black/green. This works nicely on shutters too. If your preferred paint color is an interior color, ask your paint dealer to mix it up for you using an exterior paint. Be sure that it is toned down.
Homeowners with historic-styles homes are often in a quandary as to whether or not to paint the house using a historic palette. If you choose to select colors based on the homes’ architecture, you have lots to work with. Sherwin-Williams is the first place I turn when looking for historic colors because they have already done all the research into historically appropriate colors. Other manufacturers have historic or preservation palettes which are also very helpful. My favorite exterior colors are from the California Paints Historic line. They include incredibly rich greens and blues as well as interesting neutrals in shades of tobacco and caramel. I like all of their reds. The paint colors were developed along with the Society of Preservation for National Antiquities.
Those of you who don’t live in a historic home can still enjoy using historic colors in pleasing combinations. When I select exterior colors for my clients, I almost always start with the historic paint palettes whether the house is historic or not. When selected appropriately, they can reliably add elegance to any homes exterior. Most all dwellings can be improved with an eye-catching historic exterior paint scheme.
Albro House, Newport, RI, painted with California Paint Historic Colors |
Sample California Paints historic color chips |
No more feeling humdrum about your homes’ curb appeal.
Now you are truly making a personal statement about your home!
Best Wishes,
--Bonnie
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