How to Choose Exterior Accent Colors?
Exterior Accent Colors
There are many different aspects to painting the exterior of a home. There are several areas that require painting such as the main areas, trim and accents. Choosing the colors for these surfaces can be a difficult task for the VA homeowner no matter what style of house they live in. Different styles and exterior décor sometimes make the choices easier as it is very important that the color a home is painted is complementary of the exterior design. After choosing the main color and the trim the accent colors should be chosen as well. In some instances, homeowners choose to go with the same color for trim and accent areas; but one common trend is to paint the accent a totally different color. Choosing this color can be difficult.
Keeping it Simple
Most professional painters in Washington DC suggest choosing no more than three colors for the exterior portions of the house. The main body of the home may be one color, trim another. The trim includes areas like windows, overhangs and fascia. Accent colors are used for areas such as doors and shutters. For single story and very small homes, two colors may be enough so that no one color is too overbearing, but this will depend on the actual style of the home. Three tasteful colors can work very well on most homes and Victorian style homes can usually handle more colors than other styles.
Consider What you have to Work With
Think about what colors you already have on your home. Do you need to add more color to make the home visually interesting? A stone house which can be mostly gray might handle a deep warm color like burgundy for its accents. Don’t forget to consider the color of the roof and the variations that it might add to the mix. The roof and stone will not change colors, so be sure to paint the trim and the accents in colors that are compatible. Also consider the neighborhood your home is in and what types of accents will enhance your property and give it curb appeal.
Check on the Current Trends
The trend for some of the exterior colors is leaning toward lighter colors and light to medium shades are the most popular today. When looking at the current trends and color choices in a paint store, remember that the samples will look darker in the store than they will on your house. If you can, obtain a very small sample and paint it in an inconspicuous spot of the house to see how it looks in the sunlight and how it makes you feel. You may also want to talk to some of your friends and neighbors about some of your color choices to get some valuable feedback.
Accent Colors
The accent color is complementary of the main color used on the larger portions of the home. For instance, painting a door red and a green stucco home can distinguish the home from other homes as well as highlight the entry. Using complimentary colors like green and red can provide visual interest. Contrasting colors help to put an emphasis on some of the home’s design elements. Shutters painted a contrasting color can help accentuate the architectural features. Accent colors can be used to draw more attention to the features of the home and show off their designs.
Accent Colors on Doors
Most of the time, a front door will be painted an accent color that is bold and strong. Even though there are some exceptions, most of the time the color used on the door is not used on any other area of the home.
Keeping it Simple
Most professional painters in Washington DC suggest choosing no more than three colors for the exterior portions of the house. The main body of the home may be one color, trim another. The trim includes areas like windows, overhangs and fascia. Accent colors are used for areas such as doors and shutters. For single story and very small homes, two colors may be enough so that no one color is too overbearing, but this will depend on the actual style of the home. Three tasteful colors can work very well on most homes and Victorian style homes can usually handle more colors than other styles.
Consider What you have to Work With
Think about what colors you already have on your home. Do you need to add more color to make the home visually interesting? A stone house which can be mostly gray might handle a deep warm color like burgundy for its accents. Don’t forget to consider the color of the roof and the variations that it might add to the mix. The roof and stone will not change colors, so be sure to paint the trim and the accents in colors that are compatible. Also consider the neighborhood your home is in and what types of accents will enhance your property and give it curb appeal.
Check on the Current Trends
The trend for some of the exterior colors is leaning toward lighter colors and light to medium shades are the most popular today. When looking at the current trends and color choices in a paint store, remember that the samples will look darker in the store than they will on your house. If you can, obtain a very small sample and paint it in an inconspicuous spot of the house to see how it looks in the sunlight and how it makes you feel. You may also want to talk to some of your friends and neighbors about some of your color choices to get some valuable feedback.
Accent Colors
The accent color is complementary of the main color used on the larger portions of the home. For instance, painting a door red and a green stucco home can distinguish the home from other homes as well as highlight the entry. Using complimentary colors like green and red can provide visual interest. Contrasting colors help to put an emphasis on some of the home’s design elements. Shutters painted a contrasting color can help accentuate the architectural features. Accent colors can be used to draw more attention to the features of the home and show off their designs.
Accent Colors on Doors
Most of the time, a front door will be painted an accent color that is bold and strong. Even though there are some exceptions, most of the time the color used on the door is not used on any other area of the home.