Selecting Paint Colors for Home Exteriors

Now that fall home improvement season is here, many of your readers will be doing exterior painting.  The article below gives helpful, expert advice on color selection.  For more information, contact Debbie Zimmer, color expert at the (Dow Chemical) Paint Quality Institute, via reply email or at 215-962-5551.  Photo images can be downloaded from the PQI website at www.paintquality.com.

5 GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING EXTERIOR PAINT COLORS

Choosing new exterior paint colors is a decision that some homeowners agonize over.  But it doesn’t have to be that way, says Debbie Zimmer, color expert at the Paint Quality Institute.

“By following a few simple guidelines, every homeowner can create an attractive exterior color scheme that will beautify his or her home,” she says.  Here’s what Zimmer advises homeowners to key in on:

1.  Architectural style of the home.  “Some styles of architecture look best in a particular color, while others welcome an imaginative color choice.   For example, a Greek Revival home virtually demands a white exterior, while Victorian homes, with all their fretwork and gingerbread, can be painted in a rainbow of colors,” says Zimmer.

Likewise, owners of historical homes or those that mimic them may want to choose colors from a traditional, historically-accurate color palette, while those who live in contemporary-style homes have more freedom in choosing a color scheme.

2.  The natural environment.  The natural surroundings of a home can be a great source of inspiration for color ideas, says Zimmer, who maintains that a home looks best when its color scheme harmonizes with the environment.

“Homes in a beach setting look great in oceanic colors like blue, blue-green, coral and turquoise, while those in the desert look very attractive when painted in the natural palette of that landscape – dusty gold, terra cotta, muted red, and olive,” she says.

If your home is located in a tree-dotted landscape, think in terms of your local earthy hues – paint colors in the green and brown families are especially appropriate.

3.  “Fixed” colors on the home.  Another important consideration involves the “fixed” colors that are already present on a home.  Brick and stone have colors, as do roofing shingles.  It’s important to select a paint scheme that is compatible with these existing architectural elements.

4.  Color compatibility with neighboring homes.   “The ideal exterior color scheme enhances both the appearance of a home and the look of the entire neighborhood,” says Zimmer.  When selecting a color scheme, she suggests that homeowners walk down their street and take notes on the colors used on nearby homes.

“When the inventory is complete, visit your local paint store and try to find color cards that match what you’ve seen on your neighbors’ homes.  Line them up in the order of the homes on your street, leaving a gap for your home.  Then see how different paint colors would look on your home in relation to your neighbors,” says Zimmer.

5.  Color restrictions.  Before purchasing the paint, make sure the color scheme you’ve selected doesn’t run afoul of any local color restrictions, advises Zimmer.  “Designers of townhouse communities and condominium complexes have long recognized the importance of house-to-house color compatibility, and many of them have strict rules concerning the colors you can paint your home,” she says.

Whatever color scheme you ultimately decide upon, Zimmer says that it’s important to use top quality 100% acrylic latex paint when doing exterior painting.

“Top quality 100% acrylic paints are extremely durable and resist fading, so they’ll faithfully retain your carefully chosen color scheme for years to come,” she says.

“Plus, these paints often cover existing colors in fewer coats and some even function as both primer and paint.  So, even though they cost a little more than ordinary paint, they often end up being the more economical choice!”

For more advice on home painting, visit the Paint Quality Institute website at www.paintquality.com.
#          #          #

About the Paint Quality Institute (SM). The Paint Quality Institute (SM) was
formed by Rohm and Haas Company (now a wholly-owned subsidiary of The
Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”)) in 1989 to educate people on the advantages
of using quality interior and exterior paints and coatings. The Paint Quality
Institute’s goal is to provide information on the virtues of quality paint as well as
color trends and decorating with paint through a variety of vehicles, including
television appearances, newspaper and magazine articles, and instructional
literature. Please be sure to visit the Paint Quality Institute at
www.paintquality.com.

About Dow
Dow combines the power of science and technology with the “Human Element”
to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company
connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help
address many of the world’s most challenging problems such as the need for
clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing
agricultural productivity. Dow’s diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty
chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a
broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in
approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics,
water, energy, coatings and agriculture.  In 2009, Dow had annual sales of $45
billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The Company’s
more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 214 sites in 37 countries across
the globe. References to “Dow” or the “Company” mean The Dow Chemical
Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.