Want to Go Wild on Exterior Paint Colors? Read This First

When I was a kid in Saratoga Springs, NY, this house mesmerized me. It was rundown and had a dirt floor, and then, suddenly (it seemed) a coat of paint—or lots of coats, in eight different shades—transformed it.

Rarely do we see super colorful exterior paint jobs. Benjamin Moore suggests silky straw and sand hues, toned-down olive greens, and soothing blue-grays to maximize curb appeal. Those are the norm, the language most homeowners and buyers understand.

Admittedly, those are some sweet shades, but not everyone wants their home to blandly blend in with its surroundings. So here’s what to think about if you plan to boldly go where most homeowners don’t: into the land of color.

Have you considered the geography?

Bright colors on exteriors are often determined by the natural surroundings and the quality of light where you live. In the coastal South and southern cities such as New Orleans, “people draw inspiration from the flowers and the natural beauty,” says Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams.

“In those tropical climates with lots of sunshine, you can splash those bright colors without them standing out.”

Does that mean you should beware the dreary gray winters of the North?

“You put a superbright color in the Midwest on a cloudy day, it can seem out of place,” says Jordan. “It contrasts so much with the environment.”

Note: That doesn’t mean don’t do it. Here’s an Illinois home that looks plenty pretty in pink.

Would color be architecturally appropriate?

“Certain types of architecture lend themselves to bright colors, primarily Victorian homes,” says Jordan. “We can get very creative and inventive on those.”

The more detail, the more the possibilities for a variety of colors. My old favorite house has decorative moldings and columns that gracefully accept the paint. The “painted lady” Victorians of San Francisco are awash in colorful detail.

This doesn’t mean that contemporary, modern, or modest houses can’t stand up to bright colors; though, as always, you’ll draw a lot of attention to yourself.

If that’s your goal, go for it!

Did you consult your HOA?

“What you can do to the outside of your home can be predetermined,” says Sally Augustin, an applied environmental psychologist and principal of Design With Science. Some homeowners associations have a limited number of shades to choose from. Make sure to check with the powers that be.

How will it affect the way potential buyers see you?

“People seem to have remarkably little imagination when they’re looking at homes to purchase,” Augustin says. It might be hard for them to look beyond the Kelly green and imagine a softer shade of sage. It’s not always easy to find a buyer who has the same taste.

And even if they do make it into the house, buyers might be concerned that the wacky color outside indicates wacky decisions inside.

“Future buyers may worry that wacky decisions about plumbing or wiring are hidden in the walls,” Augustin says. “It could make them generally suspicious about what else might be happening in the space.”

Will a deeper color require deeper pockets?

Before you go forth with something deep, dark, and saturated, be sure to up your paint budget a bit.

“Certain colors may need more coats than others,” says Jordan, and paint quality is especially important with a deep shade. “You want to make sure you have fade resistance.”

And should you change your mind, you’ll also have to invest more in returning your home to a more conventional shade.

“If you use really deep colors, they can be harder to paint over,” says Augustin. “The pigments used in red paints often are hard to cover up.”

Meanwhile, back in Saratoga Springs, my beloved house is now for sale, for $829,000, down from $950,000 in August, though no one knows if the cause is the purple paint.

Do you want a less ambitious color plan?

If you fear the effect on future sales or have an inflexible HOA, there may be other ways to express yourself in color. “Consider a smaller alternative than the whole house,” says Augustin.

Her suggestion: the front door. Bright reds, green, yellows, and even pinks might satisfy your need for color, and that one spot can be easy to shift should the need arise.

“That’s the place to showcase your personality,” says Augustin. “You can do any fun thing you want.”

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