The outside of your house sets the tone for the rest of the structure. It gives the outsider a sense of what the rest of the house will be like and can create an inviting atmosphere. While technically, you can paint your house any color you choose, certain colors work better with the surrounding environment.
White
White is still one of the best colors for the exterior of a house because it gives an undeniable sense of freshness; white also goes with a range of accent colors for trim. White is suitable for different architectural styles. "Ever adaptable, white can combine with the widest range of colors for trim and punch," according to the editors at Benjamin Moore & Co. in their book "Exterior Styles".
Unfortunately, many homeowners often consider all whites to be the same, which could not be further from the truth. Some whites are cooler, and work better with blues and greens; some whites are warmer and highlight golds and reds best and some whites have a more sparkling appearance. Susan Hershman, author of the book "House Colors", elaborates on the challenge and process of selecting the right shade of white and states. She wrote, "The subtleties and nuances of the white color palette can be an even more daunting task than choosing the field color."
Nature Inspired
Colors taken directly from nature are foolproof for the exterior of a house. Because these shades are naturally occurring, you can mix and match them with confidence, and they never look garish or out of place. Colors like stone, terracotta, cedar, wicker and sand all look striking and welcoming in an urban or country setting. Nature inspired colors look good with white as the decorative trim on a house as well. In their book "Exterior Style", Benjamin Moore & Co. encourage homeowners to showcase the colors of the landscape which surrounds their house, stating that natural colors "... form a restful, calm, grounded family of neutrals that change richly and beautifully with the varying quality of natural light."
Blue
Blue is a wise choice for the exterior of homes since it has so much range and versatility. Certain shades of blue have elements of gray in them, giving the house a regal atmosphere. Alternatively, other blues have more hints of purple in them, creating a magical mysterious air. However, blue can still strongly convey a bright, cheerful atmosphere with shades that are light like the sky or a robin's egg.
Blue goes well with a range of warm and cool colors, and can create a truly striking and distinctive appearance for your home. According to the book "Exterior Style", blue combined with white creates a classic coupling, "...used on everything from 18th century willow pattern porcelain to modern Scandinavian fabrics."
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