Mar 28 2008
My Lesson in Exterior Paint
I just couldn't fit this all into one post. It was becoming more like a newspaper. So, following up with our Economical Suggestions series, here's my lesson in exterior paint:
I still remember a house that was repainted during my high school years. We drove by it every day. Many did. It was a two-story home with a boat parked out on the driveway. The boat had a blue tarp over it, year round. The home had traditional white trim and a base color of neon yellow-orange with an emphasis on neon and orange. Visualize a chartreuse fire engine parking out front.
Color makes an impression.
When choosing exterior paint, don’t mix reds and blues. And don't paint just because the paint was free.
Most people choose a neutral base tone and accent with a darker, complimentary color. My painter friend instructed me there are red-base yellows and blue-base yellows. (My response was “Huh?”) This means even a light cream, light tan, or light gray will either have a red base or a blue base. Don’t pick a red-base cream when you want blue trim. It will clash. Select colors from a color chart where you can see the deep tone through light tone of a particular color. That enables you to determine the red vs. blue base color.
I saw this in action when I repainted my house: it was a cream base with grey-blue trim. I wanted to change the trim to a mauve-purple (yes, not your color, but it works for me). I thought the base color was OK, but when the red-base trim went over the blue-base trim in a test area, the original “cream base” color of the house looked grey. That’s because it was a blue-based cream, not a red-based cream.
Needless to say we proceeded to repaint it all, just like the painter said I would have to!
Remember to consider roof color before making your selections. If you like a gray with white trim, but your roof is brown, it won’t blend well. Brown is a “red base” so you will do better with a red-base tan or red-base cream. Also, three-toned exterior paint schemes are popular. Usually these schemes include a light base, midtone trim color, and a dark accent tone for the gutters and doors.
And, before you get creative, think resale value: i.e., my purple exterior trim works for me, but not 99% of buyers. BUT, a brick red can easily be painted over it and that combination, red-cream and brick red, is considered more publicly favorable.
