Don’t Count Out Bold Paint Colors For Your Home’s Exterior
Posted on June 28, 2019
Not everyone gravitates toward neutral paint color swatches when it comes to a professional exterior painting project.
Selecting a bold exterior paint color can show a ton of personality and really set your home apart from the rest.
Every neighborhood could use some more bold paint color schemes––why not start with yours
Are you the type of person that gravitates toward the most bright and bold color swatches? Does the idea of a neutral paint color palette wildly underwhelm you? Are you constantly filling your home with funky and bold design choices? Do you dream of owning that house that people drive by, point at, and say, “wow, I would have never thought to use that color, but it works so well.” If so, this blog is for you.
Homeowners generally select neutral paint colors when having the exterior of their home professionally painted. There’s nothing wrong with that––even the most neutral of exterior paint colors can still come together to create a bold impact––but there are some homeowners who crave a more dramatic upgrade for their home.
Homeowners shouldn’t shy away from playing with bold color palettes when selecting their exterior paint scheme. Color can bring so much personality and playfulness to your home’s exterior and can really set your home apart from the crowd. How great would it be if you pulled up to your home feeling amazing every time you see it?
That said, it’s still important to think through the execution and bring in help from professional color consultants if you need a second opinion before you commit. After all, it’s a big canvas you have to work with. Poor color choices can make your home stand out for all the wrong reasons. The team at CertaPro Painters® of Palatine, IL is staffed with experts who can help you with paint color selection and then skillfully apply those colors for a polished finished product.
We put together some of our favorite bold paint color schemes for exteriors to start your brainstorming process. A beautiful color story is always a fun addition to a community and one that can bring joy to both you and your neighbors. It’ll feel less risky when you’re empowered with expert advice and execution from a team of professional painters and color pros!
Red Exterior Color Schemes
A red exterior is one that demands attention. There is a lot of range when it comes to shades of red. They can be deep and moody, bright and energetic, or soft and delicate. Most people use red in small doses on their home’s exterior. Typically it pops up as the accent color for a front door, shutters, or trim. We love pushing the bar a bit more for a higher-impact professional exterior painting job.
Consider red paint for the base color of your home. You don’t have to choose full-on candy-apple red to make a statement, although if you do, Sherwin-Williams has you covered with Red Red (SW 6868). Less saturated hues like Fireweed (SW 6328), Roycroft Copper Red (SW 2839), or Rustic Red by Sherwin-Williams have some rust and brown tones to them that would harmonize nicely with existing woodwork or brick. A red exterior using these more traditional hues can create a cozy autumnal feel to your home. These brownish-reddish hues remind us of an iconic architect like Frank Lloyd Wright’s use of Cherokee Red on so many of his project’s exteriors.
For a more daring and quirky color selection within the red family, we’re going to the lighter end of the red spectrum. A peachy blush exterior is one you won’t be able to stop looking at for all the right reasons. Take a look at Benjamin Moore’s Queen Anne Pink (HC-60) or Love & Happiness (1191) that channel the Millennial Pink trend.
A pink facade paired with dark, moody accents like hunter greens, navy blues like a fan favorite Inky Blue (SW 9149), or even dark grays will come across as sophisticated instead of looking like an oversized dollhouse. The lightest shades of pink can even appear as an earthy neutral that fits nicely with your existing landscape. Some of the best exterior paint color schemes are contextual to their environment. Don’t rule a pink hue out!
Orange You Glad You Took a Risk?
Moving next door on the color wheel from red gets us to orange, considered to be the most energetic color. It’s certainly a front-and-center color choice for a home’s exterior. Too saturated of an orange color choice can make it look like you’re living in a giant jack o’lantern (sorry, Startling Orange). Your house would certainly be a popular trick-or-treat destination in the neighborhood, but let’s look at some warmer orange hues that would be tasteful year-round.
Benjamin Moore’s August Morning (2156-40) or Sherwin-Williams’ Harvest Gold (SW 2858) are two autumnal options that are tasteful for a professional exterior painting project. We love them paired with accents like Rookwood Sash Green (SW 2810) or Rookwood Jade (SW 2812). Oranges are an especially flattering paint color choice for Spanish-style stucco homes that are traditionally built around terracotta shades of orange, red, and deep browns.
If your house is built in a modern style, you can take a bigger risk with the brightness of your hue. Colors like Osage Orange (SW 6890) or Adventure Orange (SW 6655) are brighter orange hues that could bring a modern punch to a home’s exterior. The sleek architecture allows you the freedom to be more adventurous with your color selection.
It’s Dramatic, Not Spooky
You can paint with black on your exterior without being the neighborhood haunted house. It’s all about balancing out darker, more dramatic hues with some bright accents. Black exteriors have come into fashion, possibly due to how well they photograph. The design and architecture world of Instagram may be helping dark facades enter the mainstream. People see photos of them and feel inspired to choose more daring options for themselves when it comes time to select a color for their exterior. The access to inspiration at our fingertips has never been greater.
Tricorn Black (SW 6258) is one of Sherwin-Williams’ most popular black paint colors. A dark exterior choice like charcoal, black, or even a deep plum, can be absolutely breathtaking when paired with crisp white trim and a burst of color for the front door. Black is a good backdrop for green too. A black home can recede to put attention onto its natural surroundings.
Do you love the idea of a bold color choice, but aren’t sure if it would look right with the style or surroundings of your home? Turn to the My PaintColors visualizer by CertaPro Painters® of Palatine, IL. The online tool allows you to see what your home would look like with your selected color palette without even picking up a brush. You can upload your own exterior photo of your home or choose from a library of existing exteriors to play around with. Give a dark, moody color palette a try before your CertaPro Painters® of Palatine, IL team finalizes all the details for painting day.
Out of the Blue Exteriors
A vibrant blue home can be unique without being an eyesore. A bright blue can be a wise choice if you’re looking to really lean into a beach-town or Moroccan look-and-feel. You can even double down and add in just as vibrant accent colors for trim, like a bright yellow or orange. The all vibrant color palette will make the neighborhood smile.
Dare to go bold with your paint selection. Let the team at CertaPro Painters® of Palatine, IL help tell your home’s exterior color story. Get in touch today at by scheduling online to get a free estimate for a professional exterior painting project.
