House and trim color enhance the curb appeal of your home.
Exterior house color tells the world something about who lives inside. A suitable and pleasing combination of house and trim colors increases the value and curb appeal of a home--and clashing colors or an odds-and-ends palette can definitely set the neighbors' teeth on edge. Painting your home is a big investment. It pays to do some research and get it right.
What colors work best on historic houses?
Two good ways to discover good colors for historic homes are to search through historic home design magazines and to look around your neighborhood. If you live in an area of similar homes, your neighbors' choices may make sense to you. And, it always helps to have a house blend into the look of its block. Paint manufacturers have developed historic paint color wheels with suggestions about choosing a siding color and trim colors. More tactics: check the property records for your historic house or hire a heritage expert to find out what colors were original to the house.
What determines the trim color?
Trim can make the house look bigger, smaller, interesting or---not so interesting. In general, your home will seem larger if the trim is the same color or a shade lighter than the house color. An historic or architecturally significant home will show off its lines better with a contrasting trim or one several shades darker than the rest of the house. White trim is usually a safe bet for a traditional "finish." And, rule-of-thumb is to stick to just one trim color, with the possible exception of exterior shutters. The front door may be, and often is, painted a different, harmonizing color---a deep red or a black for emphasis---as the door is a focal point for the front of your home.
What about brick or stone?
Stone or brick usually is not monotone. The stone may have a mix of hues and any one of them is a good choice for trim color. The color of the grout is a pretty safe choice for a stone house. Brick can be a blend of reddish and warm tones and the trim color can be selected from among them. Black and slate gray are clean and elegant trim choices for red brick.
Does geography determine color?
In the Bahamas it does. Weather and distance from the equator actually affect the wear of the paint on a house. In a tropical climate, bright colors and whites reflect the sun and show fading less than dark colors. In temperate climates, more muted colors blend with the seasons but white is still a popular choice. The geography of the block matters as well. You may not want to be the only deep purple and pink house in a row of pastel and white foursquares.
Should shutters and garage doors match the house or the trim?
Shutters can match the trim or the roof color. If you want the house to look bigger, paint shutters the same color as the main exterior. The same goes for the garage---it is usually painted to match the house to avoid breaking up the façade and making the house look choppy or smaller. Exterior focus should be on the front door, not on the garage door.
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