Shutter colors liven up a house's facade.
Shutter colors can make a strong statement against the backdrop of the house, for better or worse. The shutter and house colors interact to create the home's personality. Styles of coloring have changed over the years, but principles of color matching remain the same. If you don't have an eye for color, have someone help you to pick out exactly the right shades for your home.
Color Personality
Different colors tend to evoke different emotional responses, creating a sense of personality for the home. Black creates an austere look, as Bonnie Rosser Krims says in "The Perfectly Painted House." Green has a traditional, calmer look because it blends with the surrounding trees and lawn. Pale blue also has an unimposing presence. Meanwhile, red has a dynamic, bold look because it contrasts dramatically with the surrounding greenery. Even when used on shutters as accents, colors have a strong effect.
Personality of Building Materials
The materials used in building the house can take on different personalities depending on the colors used as accents. An adobe house with green shutters would have a natural look. Meanwhile, a stone house with black shutters could have an austere or even forbidding look; with red or purple shutters, however, the house would become cheerful and inviting. A white clapboard house with yellow shutters also looks bright and welcoming, because the materials don't have a heavy look, and the colors are light.
Monochromatic Schemes
The monochromatic color scheme, which uses different values of a single color, gained much popularity in the Victorian era. This scheme looks understated yet elegant when it uses neutral or muted colors. For instance, a beige house with brown shutters that have white trim would have an earthy, monochromatic look. A pale green house with forest green shutters also has an understated quality, and this style lends authenticity to Victorian houses because of its popularity during that era. A light red house with deep red shutters, meanwhile, would command attention but can look just as classy.
Two-Color Schemes
When using two colors for the house and shutters, choose colors that are either near each other on the color wheel or complementary. Adjacent colors are located next to each other, making them interact well as long as they have similar hues. For example, blue and green, blue and purple, red and orange, and yellow and orange are adjacent colors. Choose colors with the same hues -- if paired with orange, red should have an orange rather than rosy hue. A green with a yellow hue won't match a blue that contains a lot of red. If choosing complementary colors, which are located opposite each other on the color wheel, follow the same principle of matching hues. With complementary colors, also avoid using two bright colors, which would create an overwhelming look. For instance, if choosing yellow and violet, opt for a pale yellow and a more vivid violet, or a brighter yellow and a muted violet. To use three colors, follow the same principles, choosing three colors spaced equally apart on the color wheel.
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