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Choosing The Right House Paint Getting It Right:

Interior & Exterior Home Painting Made SimpleChoosing a paint color becomes even more baffling when you consider that most homes use at least three different shades:

• one color for the siding;

• another color for eaves, moldings, and other trim;

• and a third color for accents such as doors, railings, and window sashes.

A well-chosen selection of contrasting trim and accent colors can draw attention to architectural details and disguise design flaws. A poor selection can make a house seem flat and featureless -- or so garish that the color overwhelms the architecture. How do you decide? Here are a few pointers to guide you as you choose house paint colors.

Historic Authenticity

If you're planning to paint an older home, you have three options.

• Refer to historic color charts and select shades that might have been used at the time your home was built and originally painted.

• Consider modern colors to dramatize architectural details that enhance interior and exterior painting choices

House Painting Based On Existing Color Scheme

Your house is your canvas, but it is not blank. Some colors are already established. What color is your roof? Is there mortar or other siding that will not be painted? Will doors and railings remain their existing colors? New paint doesn't need to match existing colors, but it should harmonize.

Interior Painting Color Options

It may seem comical to paint an entire house based on the pattern of a pillow case, but this approach does make sense. The color of your furnishings will guide you in the selection of your interior paint colors. Likewise, your interior paint colors will influence your exterior paint colors as well. The goal is to make the interior and exterior paint color selection harmonize.

How Color Accents Affect House Painting

Depending on the size and complexity of your home, you may be choosing two, three or as many as six colors. In addition to the color you select for siding, you'll want to select accent colors for trim and details such as shutters, moldings and columns. This can be tricky, because too many colors will overwhelm your house and too few will make it seem two dimensional.

Using Darks and Lights For House Painting Techniques

Light colors will make your house seem larger. Dark siding or dark bands of trim will make your house seem smaller, but will draw more attention to details. Darker shades are best for accenting recesses, while lighter tones will highlight details which project from the wall surface. On traditional Victorian homes, the darkest paint is often used for the window sashes.

Durability Matters In House Painting

The more intense a color, the more likely it is to fade. After a few years, vivid blues and deep reds will seem more subdued. Dark colors also pose more maintenance problems. Dark colors absorb heat and suffer more moisture problems than lighter shades. And because dark paint fades, it's difficult to touch up.

How Sheen Affects Your Choice Of House Paint

You thought you only had to pick colors? Sorry! In addition, you'll also need to decide on the sheen of your paint -- glossy, semi-gloss or flat. The glossier the surface, the more likely it is to show imperfections, brush strokes and touch up marks. On the other hand, glossy surfaces are easier to clean. Many homeowners opt to use flat paint for walls and semi-gloss or glossy paint for columns, railings and window sashes       

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