Thursday, August 29, 2013
(BPT) - Chances are you've thought about adding a splash of color to the exterior of your
home, and you're not the only one. Many people have the same idea, but they don't act
because they're worried they will choose poorly. Selecting the wrong color for your home's
exterior isn't only costly, it's embarrassing as well.
"Many homeowners are afraid to add color to their home's exterior because they don't want to
make a mistake," says Sensational Color's Kate Smith, Color Marketing Group (CMG), a
career color trend forecaster. "Especially when people look at the style of their homes, they
can become confused by what colors will enhance their exteriors."
One common mistake homeowners make when seeking to add color to their home's exterior is
they fail to identify a full color palette. They set out to choose that perfect color for their home
without thinking about how it will interact with the newly-installed window frames or new roof.
Smith says the selection of your main color should take into account the colors of fixed
features related to your home, such as the brick, stone or stucco found on your foundation,
porch or walkway. Selecting color options for the trim, shutters and the front door should only
come after the main color has been selected.
Smith, author of the free 36-page ebook "FRESH Color Schemes for Your Home Exterior,"
advocates for taking a "top down" approach to adding eye-pleasing color palettes to the home
exterior. She says people who are interested in making a color change to their exterior should
start with the roof color and work their way down, taking into account the siding, window
frames, front entry door and trim.
The ebook includes specific tips for home styles including: ranch, colonial, bungalow,
Victorian, Spanish mission, European and new American homes. Smith provides several
color combinations for each home style as well as tips for making the homes complement their
neighborhoods.
"One of the hottest trends in the marketplace right now is to 'shake up' home exteriors with
color," says Smith. "This tutorial provides guidance on understanding the home's exterior
features and playing off them with color accents."
"No homeowner should feel locked into blah or standard colors on their home's exterior," says
Smith. "A shake or slate polymer roof can have an appealing blend of colors, such as browns
and autumn tones. Low-maintenance vinyl window frames and grids come in pine green,
chocolate and even brick red to add pizzazz to the home. And, homeowners can create a
welcoming front entrance by painting a fiberglass door a striking accent color. Tie that all
together with painted urethane trim pieces that add the 'icing on the cake' for the home and
you can really make a home more appealing with coordinated colors."
Source: www.sensationalcolor.com.
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