Great Colors for Home Exteriors

Colors are for visual pleasure. Once you are familiar with using them, you can get an idea of which ones are the most popular for home exteriors. While some can be bold and daring, others are neutral and discreet.

Generally speaking, after white and neutral tones, yellow and blue, along with their diverse shades, are two of the most popular choices. In fact, in the 90s canary yellow was a hot trend for both home interiors and exteriors. In 2018, it’s back in style.

The colors of 2018

According to the most notable design experts, this year’s hottest colors, besides yellow and vanilla, are lavender, pale pink, salmon, olive green and orange (in soft tones). There is also purple, which is the only intense color.

Light and neutral colors for exteriors

Colors such as white, beige, ivory, bone white, cream and pastels (like vanilla, pale pink and salmon) are heavily used in exterior decor. They provide brightness, visual space, and even contrast.

Light colors help highlight materials like wood, metal, and stone. On a different note, they go with all seasons because they don’t follow any specific trend. That’s a huge reason why many people opt for light colors.

Bold colors for home exteriors

The variety of bold colors that coat home exteriors in Latin American countries are endless. From the north to the south, you can find all kinds of tones, both warm and cool, that look stunning.

Some of the most popular colors are yellow, mustard yellow, orange, terracotta, brown, blue and fuchsia. Some homes also feature shades of green, violet and purple.

So then, when we think about all of these homes, which colors are perfect for exteriors? Yellow and brown tones tend to be top choices because they go well with natural decor and a variety of materials.

However, in other parts of the world, such as in Morocco, blue is the typical sight for home exteriors.

The blue homes have actually become a visual landmark along with the combination of the stark white and blue that’s become synonymous for the Mediterranean style.

Moving on to a different area, in countries such as Norway, many home exteriors are white and red. They make for a beautiful visual contrast and the history behind these colors is simply fascinating.

Permits

The colors you can use to paint your home varies according to your city and other parameters. Don’t forget, however, that even though there may be rules, you can always apply for a permit if what you want doesn’t completely conform to a particular rule.

For example, if where you live prohibits painting the front part of a home entirely in a certain color, you can still use it to paint small details (like door frames, shutters, doors, etc.). The key is not to close off the different options and be flexible when adding color to your home exterior.

Are light colors better than dark colors?

You don’t have to opt exclusively for light, neutral or pastel colors. Dark colors can also be an option depending on the construction and material of your home, local development laws and, of course, your preferences.

At the end of the day, the important thing is not to exclude one possibility or the other; in other words, avoid thinking of it as “light versus dark”. What you should do is look for harmony. So, try finding common ground instead to avoid competition between the two.

You have to remember that the choice of color doesn’t only depend on preferences, whether it’s visually pleasing or not, but it also depends on other aspects as well.

Going beyond color trends, for example, you also have to consider which color is the most convenient for short or long-term maintenance.