10 Creative Ways to Find the Right Exterior Home Color

hikesterson / Getty Images

Whether you know it or not, the exterior of your home is an extension of your home’s personality and what it “says” to the neighborhood. Depending on what exterior amenities, architectural details and color you choose can help your home shine in its best light. If you have been looking at the exterior of your home and thinking it could use a facelift – adding color is one of the most affordable and eye-catching ways to make a big impact. From adding curb appeal to your exterior home, to creating a statement, finding the right exterior color can be made easier with these 10 creative tips.

1. Assess your home’s personality:

Similar to your favorite wardrobe style your home has a personality. It can be shaped by the neighborhood, your family lifestyle or the geographic location you live in. Choosing an exterior color should reflect its personality of being stately – with a refined and subdued color palette or it can be young and hip with trendy colors that are out of the box. Determine how you want your home to feel and look and let it guide’s its color personality.

Perry Mastrovito / Getty Images

2. Take color cues from your home’s architecture:

The beauty of architectural elements are the ability to use character, details, texture and colors to showcase an era of your home that is unique to your home and neighborhood. If your home is an old world Tuscan or Mediterranean inspired villa – weathered whites, terra cotta oranges and sun-kissed brown details are ideal for barrel tile roof and trim details.

sl-f / Getty Images

3. Use nature as backdrop for color selections 

The surroundings of your home can impact your exterior color selection in a beautiful way! Beach homes, mountain homes and tropical inspired homes have nature to draw inspiration from. Use colors found around your home – beach homes can take cues from the sand, water and sky with beautiful pale shades of white, tan, blues, and pale green and yellows.

4. Recreate an exterior from past vacation memories

For many homeowners drawing color inspiration from travel can inspire exterior colors that are creative and unique. If your trip to a tropical getaway was fun, why not use these colors at your native home? Many island homes use bright and whimsical colors such as turquoise, peach, sunny yellow, coral, and lavender for their exterior homes. While you may love them in small amounts, remember ultimately your home should still look great amongst neighboring homes.

5. Use historical character for exterior color ideas

If you live in a historic Victorian home or in a aged Tudor style home, you know that keeping true to the historical character of your home’s original colors is essential. While your home may be hundreds of years old you may not be able to know off-hand what colors where native to your home and surrounding homes. If your city has a Chamber of Commerce or historical architectural organization you may be able to research exterior colors for your neighborhood. Also look to paint manufacturers that feature historical color palettes that are pre-selected. This can take the guesswork out of choosing the right exterior house colors from generations in the past.

IP Galanternik D.U. / Getty Images

6. Let your choice of exterior color help guide your color options

Exterior cladding or the material you use on the exterior of you home can take much of the guesswork out of choosing exterior colors. Brick, siding, stucco/plaster and concrete all have unique qualities for each type of material. Choose a material that represents your style and works well with the climate of your home. You will be surprised that brick can come in colors as light as whitish yellow all the way to the darkest of charcoal gray! Find a material you love and then look at the color options based on the finish you are looking for.

7. Landscape color can enhance your exterior house colors

Similarly to architectural trim and details the landscaping around your home can enhance your home’s color selection. Curb appeal is essential and to make a great impression coordinating bright flowers with a more subdued color palette on your home can be ideal or vice versa. If you have gorgeous vistas and plenty of beautiful foliage decide how you can play up the red brick or hunter green siding on your exterior home. If you’re not sure what colors to choose for landscaping, take pictures of your outdoor home with you to your local nursery and ask a garden expert for advice!

Ruth Peterkin / Getty Images

8. Exterior house colors should use architectural details for impact

While you may only think of the field color or the majority of the exterior walls as the color of choice, remember the smaller details of the home can be the crowing glory when it comes to color selection. Window and door trim, roof and eave colors, gutter and downspouts can be painted or gorgeous copper gutters have a beautiful patina as well. Decide if you want a high-contrast to your home’s trim and accent colors or if you prefer a more unified color approach. Either way, don’t overlook the simplicity yet effectiveness in choosing exterior trim detail colors.

9. Choose exterior colors that are appealing at all times

While you may not realize it, your exterior home is viewed in the daytime but also when the sun is setting and in the evening hours. Therefore, choosing a color that is camouflaged amongst your surrounding landscaping may not be a wise choice. Many mountain homes that lie amongst evergreen trees try to stay away from all-green exterior colors to make their home stand out amongst the background. Natural wood siding that is stained is common amongst mountain homes to give a rustic yet still defined exterior appearance.

10. Blend in with your neighbors

Your neighborhood most likely has a color scheme influence already set in place. Whether you are a new neighborhood that a developer has created or you have an older home – walk around your neighborhood and assess existing homes. Look to see if your neighbors have coordinating styles or if they are all custom colors that don’t harmonize. The key to choosing exterior house colors is to be unique in your selections but still bnd in beautifully with neighboring homes.