Painting is often touted as one of the easiest ways to improve the look and feel of your home, but many homeowners don't know where to start when it comes to exterior painting. It's still true that exterior painting is one of the easiest and least expensive (as well as least time-consuming) ways to improve the value of your home and give your house a fresh new look, but this is one area of home improvement where it really pays to slow down and do some research before beginning. Despite the fact that paint, even exterior paint, is relatively cheap no one wants to have to redo it a few weeks later because it didn't turn out as expected. There are many aspects to consider before you go falling in love with a specific paint color: consider your neighbors and your neighborhood (even if you don't have an HOA, this is still a nice courtesy), think about how that color will look at night or in the shade and find out how well a specific color will hold up to sun damage.
Begin by looking at books, magazines and even TV shows on the home improvement channel for exterior painting color inspiration. Picking the right color is important, especially becauseit will cover such a significant amount of space and be so visible to anyone who goes by. Plus, if you're considering selling your home that color should be appealing to potential buyers, especially because color can get people in your home faster with increased curb appeal, and help it sell for a higher price with the additional value it adds.
If you can't decide between a few different colors, you can narrow it down by walking around your neighborhood and see how well the colors of other homes fit in with the surrounding landscaping. Do you want your home to be a complement or a contrast to the colors on your block? Is your landscaping similar to that of your neighbors, and do your neighbor's paint color match the landscape design? Your exterior paint color will be affected by what it's surrounded by.
Once you've narrowed down your color talk to a representative in a painting store or a professional painting contractor. Finding your perfect color in a magazine doesn't mean you'll find the exact match in a paint store and the color could look completely different on a page or on the TV than they will on your house. It would be awful to get the paint up only to find yourself telling others it's not quite what you expected. A trained professional will also be able to help you figure out which brand works best (and lasts the longest!) on your type of house and also be able to help you further narrow down your color. Ask about good coverage, which brand or style will suit your house best.
The last step is to apply a sample or two to each side of your house and observe the color in the daylight as well as at night. If you still love it after a day or two then you've found your perfect exterior paint color! This effort and thought will pay off big time in the end, and you'll be proud you've selected the color that fits your home better than the rest, and your house will look exactly the way you wanted when you set out to paint your home. The right color and brand of paint will last for many years, providing great looks and benefits for a long time.
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