by Cheryl Adams - Color Confident Home | Apr 24, 2019 | Choose Color Scheme - Rochester Hills Michigan, Choose color scheme rochester hills michigan, Choose Paint Colors, color consultant oakland township mi, color consultant rochester hills mi, color consultant shelby township mi, color consultant west bloomfield mi, exterior paint colors oakland township mi, exterior paint colors rochester hills mi, exterior paint colors troy mi, exterior paint colors west bloomfield mi, Exterior paint selection, How To Choose A Paint Color - Rochester Hills, Uncategorized
Choosing Exterior Paint Colors
Now that spring is officially here, homeowners are calling me for help choosing their exterior paint colors. Many factors go into narrowing down colors that work. When choosing exterior paint colors, factoring in the overall look, the individual elements, and the neighboring houses enables me to empower homeowners to choose the right colors the first time.
Consider the Overall Look
In my area, so many homes are brick with siding on the upper level or only on the sides and back. Some also have stone and brick along with siding. When paint colors don’t relate to the brick or stone, or worse yet, when the brick and stone don’t relate to each other or look too busy, the house looks like there are two different houses stuck together. If you have a new build, all the materials and colors must be chosen at the same time to create a look that is styled. For a partial renovation or a new coat of paint, the existing elements must be considered.
The upper house and lower house are two different styles. The siding color and window trim on the upper windows does not relate to the brick. (Photo by homewithkeki)
Assess the Individual Elements
To help homeowners narrow down colors from the thousands of choices available, I begin with the shingles, brick, stone, pavers, landscaping, and neighboring homes. Considering the hues in the architectural materials is the first step in creating a cohesive color scheme. Just as with interiors, creating harmony and flow around the house as well as in the neighborhood is important.
The siding does not relate to the brick or the stone, and the stone and brick do not relate. In addition, the green is too bright for the brick. (Photo by ashiyasediet.info)
Remember the Neighboring Houses
When considering the look of their exteriors, most homeowners want a distinct look without their home screaming flashy or garish. Builders usually vary the types and colors of brick and other elements on houses in a subdivision. Thus, a look that is different enough from the house next door or across the street can be accomplished by looking at the unique hues in a home’s shingles, brick, stone, and landscaping. By creating a color scheme with coordinating hues, homeowners can have a look that is unique yet harmonizes with the neighborhood.
Choosing Exterior Paint Colors that Make Sense
White windows limit the trim color you can use around the windows and most likely the majority of your trim. Note that a house with brick looks best with windows and a trim color that is not stark white. In the past some homeowners painted the trim and siding the same color. For a fresh, updated look choose a trim color that contrasts with the siding color. In addition, a front door color can announce the entrance and give your home a unique look. Beware of choosing bright, saturated colors with a more muted color scheme, unless you’re consulting with a designer trained in color. Your door will not only pop, it will look like it belongs on a different house.
A yellow door that is too saturated and bright for the brick. (Photo by Edward Jones, Clarksville)
A door that coordinates with the hue families of the architectural elements.
If you’re interested in reading about other options for choosing color with brick, read this article. For help choosing your exterior colors and color schemes, contact me for help choosing the right colors the first time!
by Cheryl Adams - Color Confident Home | Aug 19, 2018 | Choose Color Scheme - Rochester Hills Michigan, Choose color scheme rochester hills michigan, Choose Paint Colors, choose paint colors in five steps, Exterior paint selection, front door paint - Rochester Hills Michigan, How To Choose A Paint Color - Rochester Hills, Interior Color Selection Michigan, Interior Paint Color Selection Rochester Hills, Interior Paint Color Selection Rochester MI
Photo by Cheryl Adams
If you’ve decided to remodel or paint your home before the holidays, plan paint colors NOW! Whether for the interior or the exterior, now is the time to start thinking about your color scheme and paint colors. Painters, builders, and color consultants need time to work you into their schedules and order supplies before the work starts.
For painting, allow a couple days to test paint colors under different lighting conditions. Seeing the paint in the lighting in and around your home will help you choose the right color the first time. Please do not make the mistake of choosing a paint color at the paint store! For exteriors, assess the hue families of the whole house. For interiors, look at all hue families in your fixed finishes. All these need to be considered before you choose a paint color.
When doing a total remodel or replacing cabinets, countertops, tile, and flooring, plan paint colors in conjunction with these elements. The total time to design, schedule contractors, order supplies, and execute the work can take between four to six weeks for a kitchen or four to eight months for a whole house renovation. Check with your builder for more exact times.
Keeping these starting points in mind will help you complete your project well before the holidays and with much less stress. If you need help choosing your paint colors or color scheme for interiors or exteriors, contact me. I will help reduce your stress by using my Certified Six-Step Color Read Process to help you choose the right colors the first time!
by Cheryl Adams - Color Confident Home | Sep 2, 2017 | Choose Color Scheme - Rochester Hills Michigan, Choose color scheme rochester hills michigan, How To Choose A Paint Color - Rochester Hills, Interior Color Selection Michigan, Interior Paint Color Selection Rochester Hills, Interior Paint Color Selection Rochester MI
How do you know where to start when choosing a color scheme for your new house?
Choosing a color scheme is the key to choosing your paint colors. Starting with paint colors first is like trying to build the exterior of a house without planning the interior rooms. If you are having a hard time deciding on your colors, you need a starting point. Begin by visiting furniture stores, perusing catalogs, and viewing websites like Pinterest or Houzz. Choose at least one item – a pillow, a wall hanging, or an area rug – with colors you love to help define your color palette. If you can, create a plan for each room by deciding on your layout and a preliminary color scheme before you choose your paint colors. Follow the tips below to craft a stylish look rather than a piece-meal approach.
 Skyline Furniture Armless Upholstered Slipper Accent Chair-Grey & Gold Ikat. Photo (c) PriceGrabber
How to Create a Color Scheme
- Pick Your Palette – Once you have a plan for each room and at least one inspiration piece for colors, you’re ready to consider your color scheme.
- Mood Makes a Room – How do you want your room to feel? What will the room be used for? Different colors and how you use them help create different moods.
- Start with the Central Room – Usually the living room, the colors here will influence the flow throughout the rest of the house.
- Consider the Composition – Stand in each room and look into the next. Will the colors look good next to each other? Do you want a different color or a variation of the one in the room you’re standing in?
- Connect Your Colors – Using three to four colors as your palette, mix them up in different ways in each room to help create flow. Use the 60-30-10 percent rule of design to decide how much of each color you’ll use in each room. If you have four colors, you can use a 60-20-10-10 plan.
- Agreeable Undertones – Whether you want bold or muted colors, neutrals or white, make sure the undertones in your colors match. Find out if the base color has red, green, blue, brown, or yellow. A beige paint with a pink undertone will look “off” if your furniture and finishes have gold undertones. Remeber to consider the undertones in you countertops, carpeting, tile, stone, cabinets, brick, and furniture. Undertones in the same family create harmony and flow.
- Call a Color Expert – If you get stuck or overwhelmed with thousands of color swatches at the paint store, contact a Certified Color Expert for help.
Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, an overall plan FIRST followed by at least some furniture selection, flooring, cabinets, and countertops will give you the direction you need for choosing your final paint colors. For help with your initial color scheme, contact me!
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by Cheryl Adams - Color Confident Home | May 30, 2017 | Exterior paint selection, Front door color - Lake Orion Michigan, front door paint - Rochester Hills Michigan, How To Choose A Paint Color - Rochester Hills, how to choose paint color front door - Lake Orion Michigan
Spring is finally here in Michigan! Now is a good time to add a fresh look to your front door with a splash of paint to welcome you home. How to pick a paint color for your front door? My client knew she wanted a turquoise color, but looking at all the paint swatches available, she wasn’t sure which to choose.
During my on-site consultation at her Lake Orion home, I assessed the color of her stone, siding, shingles, and landscaping to determine the hue families. Because her siding had orange hues, we decided turquoise would be the perfect color to complement her exterior, especially because she already knew she liked it. We then looked at various large samples I brought to see how they looked in the lighting available. Her house faced North, so I knew we’d need a version of turquoise that would brighten the entry, avoiding the tones with more gray. Also, I made sure the color of the door looked good with the foyer walls inside her house, since the door would be open at times. A triad color scheme that added lime green from the accessories on her porch completed the design plan.
Following the rules of design and color, Color Confident Home will help you choose the perfect paint color for your front door. Call me at 248-509-4720.
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