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Nobody would like to leave their home only to notice that their paint is chipping, peeling off, or fading due to the sun's effects on the color. If you're considering selling your home, you'll need to fix the paint before selling it.
If your home doesn't look great, you'll also need to be able to choose the perfect paint color for your property. Irrespective of what the case may be, repainting your house is a great way to enhance its curb appeal and increase the value of your home.
The major decision to make is the house color to choose. It's important to note that exterior paint colors are designed to last for up to ten years, and if you're selling your property, it's best to choose a color that the buyers will enjoy for a long period.
You'll also need to ensure that it's a color that suits the architectural style of your home and the neighborhood. We will provide some factors to consider in this article to help you determine what color to choose for your house.
How to Know When it's Time to Repaint
Not every house will need repainting before it is placed on the market. In some cases, power washing may be the only thing required to restore the bright appearance of the paint. However, if the exterior is bubbling, peeling, or faded, you may need to repaint it.
Other signs to look out for include mildew, mold, and weather-related damages, which could mean you should repaint the house. As earlier stated, exterior colors should last up to ten years. Therefore, if it's been a while, you might need to dust off your paint rollers and repaint your house.
If signs of aging and wear appear on your building, the paint won't adequately protect your home, making it vulnerable to different damage-causing elements. It's always best to repaint immediately after you notice these signs and not wait until you want to resell the building.
What Color Should You Paint Your House?
Many factors can influence the color of paint you should choose, including whether you're planning to sell your house soon or not. Here's what you should know:
Home selling paint colors
Like with interior walls, neutral tones always come out great when painting the exterior parts of your home. Buyers usually look out for blank slates because it makes it easier for them to project their design ideas and envision what it will be like to live there.
Gray, tan, beige, and white are great options that most real estate agents and designers recommend for use as exterior paints. Another amazing thing to note about neutral colors is that they don't fade easily, unlike brighter and primary colors.
However, if you prefer to use more brilliant colors, choosing colors that will give your home a modern appeal is best. You can give your home a contemporary appearance with deep gray or blue colors. Black and moody shades are also rapidly gaining the attention of many for use as exterior paints.
In addition, it's worth noting that the appearance of colors differs depending on exposure to sunlight. Therefore, when choosing a color, you also need to look at all four corners of your home to be sure that the color will look great both in the sun and the shade.
Here are some refreshing neutrals that will make it easier for you to sell your home:
- Elephant Tusk, Benjamin Moore, OC-8
- White Dove, Benjamin Moore, OC-17
- Chenille Spread, Behr, HDC-NT-03
- Accessible Beige, Sherwin Williams, SW 7036
- Natural Bark, Behr, N170-6
Here are some blacks, grays, and deep blues to give your home a contemporary feel:
- Hyde Park Grey, ECOS Paints, 1550
- Black Magic, Sherwin Williams, SW 6991
- Kendall Charcoal, Benjamin Moore, HC-166
Bold, statement colors
You can also pick bold colors, and these colors are characterized by bright and jewel tones. Examples include deep crimson, emerald, green, and bright yellow, which are great colors to consider if you want to make a statement with your home. Recently, there has been a shift towards more aesthetics, which includes using bold colors, textures, and patterns.
Examples of bold colors to make your house stand out include:
- Haute Couture, Behr, MQ1-09
- Hawthorne Yellow, Benjamin Moore, HC-4
- Courtyard, Sherwin Williams, SW 6440
Classic colors
For older homes, this is a great color option to consider, and some examples of historical colors to consider include:
- Pewter Patter, Dunn-Edwards Paint, DET 627
- Tarrytown Green, Benjamin Moore, HC-134
- Needlepoint Navy, Sherwin Williams, SW 0032
- Lamp Room Gray, Farrow & Ball, No. 88
The Role of Local Color Trends
If you're still stuck between choosing expressive colors or neutral, you might need to consider looking at other houses within your neighborhood. It's mostly advisable to repaint your home if the paint clashes with that of nearby buildings because it can give potential buyers a negative impression.
Therefore, you need to ensure that your paint perfectly fits your neighborhood's aesthetic. In addition to your property's aesthetic, you'll also need to pay attention to the architectural style when choosing paint.
This is because some colors look better in some architectural styles. For example, neutral colors like gray and beige will look better on a traditional brick home, while bright colors look better on a mid-century modern home.
What Type of Paint Should I Choose?
Besides choosing the right color, it's important to consider the paint you select, including the paint types and finishes.
Paint types
There are different factors to consider when choosing a paint type for your home, including the material used for the exterior part of your home and the climate of your region. To select the right paint, it's advisable to work with a paint expert to help you choose a paint that will last long.
Latex and acrylic paints are pretty much the same thing. 100% acrylic latex paints are typically recommended on exteriors because they are flexible coatings. Acrylic latex paint is typically considered the best option for exterior painting thanks to its viscosity, thickness, and high elasticity. It also expands and contracts effectively at different temperatures and is perfect for fiber cement homes, wood, and aluminum siding.
Paint finishes
The paint finish you choose also depends on different factors, but the main thing to note is that the paint finish is the major factor determining the dry appearance. On older houses it is typically recommended to use a flat or solid stain to minimize surface tension that could contribute to delamination of suffocation. For new construction, flat or low luster on siding and satin on trim. Gloss is typically too much.
Consult Experts on the Best Color to Paint Your House
We have provided everything above to help you choose a color for your house painting project. However, if you want more guidance on what exterior paint color to choose or whether your home needs repainting or not, you might need to consult with your real estate agent.
You can also get guidance on color trends and color selections that will give you a high return on investment (ROI). In addition, a painting expert can guide you in choosing a paint color that's a perfect fit for your neighborhood and home's exterior. So, if you want to refresh the paint on your house simply for aesthetic purposes or want to increase the ROI when selling, color consulting with expert painters is the way to go.
