Exterior Paint Color Selection Guide



Well chosen exterior paint colors can dramatically improve your home's curb appeal and add value to your house. Many home owners are aware that changing up your siding and trim can create an entirely new look, but with thousands of exterior paint colors, dozens of manufacturers and many sheens to choose from, the possible combinations of house painting colors can be mind numbing.

For most home owners the process of choosing exterior paint colors can be one of the most difficult, time consuming aspects of the entire project! The challenge is to allow your personality to shine through, while retaining (or increasing!) curb appeal.

We recognize that it's best to get this right the first time, even if paint is fairly inexpensive. Sure in many situations the color can be easily changed with a little more effort and a few more gallons of paint if you don't like the results, but our goal with this section of our website is to help you get the right exterior paint color the first time.


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New houses in housing development in foothills of mountains.

  • General Recommendations on What Works Best for Exterior Paint Colors
    Choosing your exterior paint color is often complicated by factors outside of your control. Even if this isn't the case, it's always a good idea to consider whether your choice in color fits well within your neighborhood.
  • Finding Inspiration for Your Exterior Color Scheme
    Does someone else have a say in your home's color? Your Homeowner's Association or community charter may dictate (or forbid!) the use of certain exterior paint colors. Where do you find inspiration?
  • Choosing Exterior Paint Colors for your Home
    When painting the exterior of your home, there are a few different things that you will want to consider before getting started.
  • Choosing Historic Paint Colors - Restoring Your Home to the Original Historic Paint Colors
    If you live in a historic home, your house has probably been painted several times over the years. The current paint job probably bears no resemblance to it's original color scheme. Because so few of these historic buildings exist, it's unlikely that returning it to it's former color scheme will turn your home into a cookie cutter dwelling.
  • Exterior Paint Color Performance
    When choosing exterior paint, there is more to consider than whether the color looks nice. Exterior paint color performance is improved with new paint formulas but that doesn't mean that they are immune to the effects of Mother Nature.
  • Your Exterior Paint Samples are Essential
    Invest a few dollars and time into applying paint samples to the exterior walls of your home. When you take to time to test the paint colors you are considering, you have the potential to save considerably, especially if you are doing your own exterior paint job.
  • Choosing a Paint Sheen
    The paint sheen has a dramatic effect on the overall look of any interior room or exterior surface.
  • Matching Paint Colors
    Matching paint colors can be overwhelming and frustrating, but it doesn't have to be! To match paint colors correctly, here are a few tips you should know.
  • Custom Paint Colors: Matching Old Paint Colors, Custom Paint Color Matching and Custom Color Mixing
    Do you need help in learning how to make custom paint colors, including custom paint color matching or custom color mixing? I'll give you a brief overview of how you can make custom paint colors, how to match and mix them, and even matching old paint colors.
  • The Basics of Paint Colors
    Understanding some basic principles behind color and color theory can help you with your painting project. Whether you're mixing a custom paint color yourself or discussing the project with a paint-store employee, here are some terms you'll need to understand.


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Have you used a great color combination on your home? Or you have found a perfect color to go with your brick and front door. Your ideas and experiences will be a great help, so share your ideas or tips and help us all!

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What Other Visitors Have Said

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Choosing Exterior Colors for Your Home

It may sound surprising, but the first rule for choosing the color for your home’s exterior is this: don't ...



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