Painting the outside of your home can be daunting, and rightly so. If you get it wrong, it’s going to be pretty obvious, not to mention an expensive and time-consuming fix. There are some key things to consider before you dive in that will help ensure success, says Benjamin Moore colour and design spokesperson Sharon Grech, a regular on Cityline . Here’s a look at five of them.
Are you going to do it yourself or hire a professional, Grech asks. What is the architectural style of your home and context within the landscape ? What colours do you already have on the exterior of your home with which you’ll need to coordinate? (Think roof, windows, decking and patios.)
Grech says the exterior of any well-designed home will have no more than four colours , and this includes the main body of the house, the trim (windows, door frames and garage doors), the accents (shutters and decorative details) and a punchy colour for the front door.
You should also consider the condition of the surfaces you’re painting and what you need to do to prepare these. (Will they need stripping or standing?) Preparation is key for a successful paint job, Grech notes, adding that you should also be mindful of what the weather is like while you’re painting.
“Humidity, rain and direct sunlight are detrimental to exterior coatings,” she says.
Our Canadian climate can have many highs and lows throughout the year, so it’s best to go with 100 percent acrylic paints, Grech says.
“You really do get what you pay for, with higher-quality products containing higher-quality ingredients that increase durability, mildew resistance and colour-fastness,” she says.
Certain materials, like concrete, wood and metal, require specialty products, Grech says, so speak to your paint retailer about what it is you’re painting.
Grey, black and white are still the most popular exterior paint colour choices, Grech says, citing Benjamin Moore’s Metropolitan AF-690 as an on-trend pale, neutral grey that coordinates well with exterior stone landscaping, and black and white trim.
Kendall Charcoal HC-166 is a darker grey that is also very on trend in both urban and rural areas, she says.
“Darker colours tend to recede and allow other features such as landscaping, foliage and accent colours to come to the forefront,” she says.
Understated, earthy colours, tend to work best for a home’s exterior, says Grech, because they’re compatible with natural elements. It can be surprising, she says, how certain hues might appear dull at first glance, and then come to life with natural light.
Which brings us to an important point. Whether you’re painting the interior or exterior of your home, be sure to test your chosen colour before committing to gallons of paint.
“A small paint chip will look very different magnified on a huge area like the exterior of your house, and lighting can dramatically alter the colour. Be sure to view your selections outside so you can see the true effect of exterior lighting,” Grech says.
To do this you simply request a small pint sample, and try out a few boards, on different sides of your home, to see how they work in different lighting scenarios.
One place you can go hog wild with colour, she says, is the front door. Because if it goes horribly wrong it’s fairly easy to change.
Pay attention to your streetscape, and how the colour you’re choosing for your front door will fit into this, and then don’t be afraid to go a little bolder than you normally would.
“Orange, coral and berry tones bring an updated twist on the classic red door,” says Grech, listing Benjamin Moore’s Autumn Colour 2170-30 , Coral Gables 2110-40 and Raspberry Pudding 2004-30 as examples.
“Deep navy, or even trendier, pale blue, are also wonderful options,” she says.
By Rebecca Keillor
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
