MDC Specialists – Important Tips For Selecting An Exterior Colour
Are you looking to revamp the exterior of your home with a lick of paint? Not sure where to start? This is a dilemma many homeowners face when repainting. It’s a big decision and one you want to get right. The team here at MDC Specialists are Gold Coast exterior painting and decorating professionals and can help. Here are our important tips for selecting an exterior colour for your home.
Tip one – Less is more
Use no more than 3 colours. Sometimes less is more, and this saying is true when it comes to the exterior of your home. It’s a good idea to choose two or three colours when choosing your paint colours, and they should complement each other rather than being polarising and unflattering of one another. A good way to do this is by grabbing a bunch of colour sample cards and pairing the different shades against one another. Look at them in different lights so you can see how the colours will alter at different times of the day.
Tip two – Get samples and test patch first
Once you have chosen your favourite colour combinations, you should then get a few sample pots to test on the surface of your house. Always do a test patch before painting the whole house. It is not uncommon for paint to look different to how it does on the card, and you don’t want to make the mistake of buying litres upon litres of paint only to discover it looks nothing like you thought it would when painted on. This can be a costly mistake.
Tip three – Factor in existing elements
Factor in the surrounding elements when making your colour choices. Areas such as your roof and fencing should be considered if you have no intention of changing their colour and they are in plain sight. The roof on two-story homes may not be as obvious, and you may not have to worry about its colour impacting your new colour choices. If the colours you have chosen clash with existing elements such as these, it’s a good idea to paint them to match. Yes, it will cost more money and require more effort however, it can make the biggest of differences to the overall look and is worth doing.
Tip four – Consider the architectural era and style of your home
If you are keeping your property’s existing façade, it’s clever to choose colours that complement it. If you have no idea which colours will work with your home’s architectural era, a quick internet search will give you plenty of options to gather inspiration from. While you don’t have to stick with traditional colours, choosing colours that work with your style of home can ensure that you achieve a finish that makes sense and looks appealing when completed.
Tip five – Offset with dark or light colours
If your primary colour is dark, consider using a lighter colour for the trims and surrounding elements. The same applies if your primary colour is light, offset with a darker colour. Using all dark or all light can make everything blend in as one, and you don’t get the defined edges or contrast of colours. It can make your home look a little drab too. If you do decide to go with one colour or very similar colours throughout, a good way to create interest is with greenery or other textural elements such as stone or timber. Greenery looks impeccable against both dark colours and light, and you can use this to break up the colour of the house.
Tip six – Prepare the surface first to ensure full depth and quality of colour
To ensure that you get full coverage and depth of colour, the surface of your home must be properly prepared first. For example, painting over a dark surface with a light colour without properly preparing the surface may see you end up with poor coverage. The same applies if you are painting over dust or dirt. This is going to blend in with your paint and give you a poor finish. Ensure that you are using a suitable primer after cleaning the surface. This can help with colour retention and longevity. Alternatively, you can purchase self-priming paints. These have primer in the paint and you don’t have prime the surface beforehand. This is a huge time saver as it can cut back on the number of coats you need to apply to achieve full coverage. It can save you money too.
Tip seven – Choose your primary colour first
Rather than choosing your trim or secondary colours, it’s better to choose your primary colour first. By doing this, you can then compare other colours against your main colour to find the perfect fit.
Tip Eight – Choose a colour that will make your home look refreshed
The whole point of repainting is to give your house a renewed and refreshed look. Ensure that the colour you are choosing does this. Some colours can make a home look dirty and drab and no one wants their home to be either of these. Avoid colours that have muddy undertones. If you are stuck on colour ideas, reach out to a painting professional for advice.
Hire a professional painter
A lot of people underestimate the sheer work that is involved with painting an entire house. It’s a huge job that not only requires time but effort too. To reach the higher areas of the home, you will likely need to use a ladder and working at a height can be dangerous. If the weather is too hot or cold, the paint may not dry properly and it may affect the finish you end up with. Additionally, using the wrong products can leave you with a substandard result. Professional painters have the necessary skills and equipment to produce a high-quality finish in a fraction of the time. They can offer friendly advice on colour options to help you achieve a flawless and equally as stunning finish for your exterior.
Talk to the team at MDC Specialists about your exterior painting needs. We service the Gold Coast and surrounding areas, and we have more than 20 years of painting and decorating experience.
