Boost Curb Appeal with Paint

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Choosing exterior paint can be extremely difficult…especially since the streetscape can be affected by one poorly painted house.  This can be daunting as you know your neighbors are watching and hoping you have good taste.  Choosing colors that are boring, and your house may seem flat and featureless.  But if you go too bold with your scheme, it can overwhelm the architecture.  The best color options will highlight your home’s strengths and downplay the weaknesses.  Skillful color choices can disguise design flaws which helps with curb appeal.  And when you boost curb appeal, you boost your property value…even more than a kitchen does!  Exterior paint returns 100% of investment when done correctly.  

Here are 5 considerations when choosing exterior color:

  1. Check the Roof:  Seriously important.  For most house exteriors, the roof is a very big part of the facade.  You can see it from many angles and it will affect the way color looks and feels.  What color is the roof?  Metal, Terra Cotta, Ashpalt shingle?  Paint should harmonize…meaning that if your roof is brown with red undertones, don’t go with a cool, white.  A better option would be a warm color that can live with that roof.  
  2. Consider your immediate neighbors:  We get many clients by word of mouth as they’ve seen their neighbor’s house transformed and want something similar.  Depending on how close in proximity, it’s never a good idea to copy the neighbor.  You also don’t want to clash with the surrounding streetscape or buildings.  
  3. Borrow from Nature:  Nature is full of fantastic color inspiration.  From subtle green, taupes, grays and blues…your house should harmonize and feel like it coordinates with the surrounding area.  Not match, coordinate.  Where does the sun shine on your house?  Where is your house positioned on the lot?  This will affect the way we see the color we choose.  
  4. Accentuate the details:  Does your house have brackets?  Dentil moulding?  Or other architectural details that you want to highlight?  You can use color and/or sheen to play up these details.  In many homes, brick&batten will simply use the same color, but change the sheen to draw attention to subtle details.  Or, use a different color completely!  
  5. Paint should also be cohesive with the other design elements on your home.  For example, lighting, doors, gutters and even planters can be selected to harmonize with the canvas behind, the paint!  Check out how the gorgeous Bevolo copper lighting lives beautifully on this creamy white exterior by brick&batten.
We always recommend sampling and testing paint colors before committing. Factors such as natural lighting, undertones, and your property’s fixed elements will have a significant impact on how a color will appear on your exterior. Our friends at Samplize offer extra-large 9 x 14.75 inch peel-and-stick paint samples of the colors we love for exteriors. Order your ‘Real Paint, No Mess’ samples from Samplize here.
brick&batten Spanish Med transformation
brick&batten Spanish Med transformation

In summary, color can be a game changer when it comes to curb appeal.  Transforming the exterior in a day!  brick&batten would love to help you choose the optimal color for your biggest investment.  Let’s get started.

Author

Alli’s passion for home design began during childhood when she’d accompany her father to various fixer-upper properties he was working on. Years later, Alli received a degree in physical therapy from Indiana University, but her love of design and personal need brought her back to the home design industry. Alli co-founded brick&batten in 2017 with her sister, Cassie, out of necessity. She was looking for a service like brick&batten for her own home, but one didn’t exist. Alli loves designing exteriors that inspire people. She’s also interested in real estate investment and enjoys creating exterior designs that will provide a great return on investment. Alli lives in Atlanta with her partner, three children, and their dogs. She loves to travel and often finds herself looking at houses in the areas she visits for inspiration and ideas.