How to choose an exterior paint color for your home

The outside of your house is the first thing everyone sees, and it's the biggest color decision you'll make. It also has to stand up to strong sun, heat, humidity and storms. Here's how to pick a color you'll still love in ten years.

BeforeAfter

1. Start with what you can't change

Your roof, brick, stone, and driveway are staying, so your paint has to work with them. Look at their undertones before you look at paint chips:

• Gray or black roof: works with almost anything: whites, grays, blues, greens.
• Brown roof: looks best with warmer colors like creamy whites, greige, warm tans and sage.
• Red or orange brick: avoid colors that fight it. Warm whites, deep greens and charcoal trim usually work well.

2. Think about the sun

Strong sunlight makes colors look lighter and brighter outside than they do on a small chip. A color that seems "too light" in your hand can look washed out on a whole wall, so many people go a shade or two deeper than they first planned.

Very dark colors soak up more heat and can fade faster on surfaces that get full afternoon sun. If you have vinyl siding, check that the color is approved for vinyl. Some dark colors can make vinyl warp in the heat.

3. Plan for humidity and mildew

Our humid summers are hard on paint. A good exterior job uses a quality exterior acrylic paint, and the prep matters as much as the color:

• Washing off dirt and mildew before painting so the new paint can bond
• Scraping and sanding loose paint
• Caulking gaps around windows and trim so water stays out

4. Pick a simple three-color plan

Most great-looking houses use just three colors:

• Main body: the siding color
• Trim: window frames, fascia, columns (often a crisp white)
• Accent: the front door and sometimes the shutters. This is where you can have fun with navy, deep red or black.

5. Check your HOA first

Many neighborhoods have an HOA that has to approve exterior colors. Ask for their approved color list or approval form before you buy paint. It saves a lot of headaches.

6. Test before you commit

Paint large samples on two or three sides of the house and look at them in the morning, at midday, and in the evening. A color can look completely different on the shady north side than on the sunny south side.

Choose the color in daylight, on the actual house, never from a tiny chip under store lights.

Popular combinations right now

• Light gray body, white trim, navy door
• Warm white body, black windows and trim
• Navy or deep blue body, crisp white trim
• Sage green body, white trim, red or wood-tone door