A Guide to Picking the Perfect Colour for Your Home’s Exterior

If you’ve focused your projects on the interior of your home, you may be ready to tackle one on the outside of it. One sure way to give your house a fresh look is a lick of paint on the exterior of your home. However, if the question, “what colour should I paint my house exterior” is still on your mind, then there’s no need to worry. We’re giving you all the pointers for choosing the best exterior wall paint colours!

How to Pick an Exterior Paint Colour

Finding the right colours for your house might seem difficult. After all, a bland and boring colour can make your home seem lifeless. Plus, colours that are too bold or extravagant can overwhelm your home’s architecture, or it may not fit well within your neighbourhood. Choosing an exterior colour doesn't need to be a daunting task. Below we list 5 simple tips to bear in mind before you lift the paintbrush and roller.

Choose Colours, Not Colour

When considering what colour to paint your home, remember that an exterior paint scheme has 3 parts. These are: ‘field’ which dominates, ‘accent’ which includes shutters, doors and other small areas and ‘trim’ which includes window sills and door casings. Most people only think about the colour of the walls when picking an exterior shade but it is important to consider how the colours of field, accents and trim will work together. In general 3- 4 colours would be adequate.

Experts recommend that the trim colour contrasts strongly with the field colour. You may choose a light neutral field colour and pair it with a dark contrasting trim colour or vice versa. Accents should add colour or a focal point to your colour scheme but it is important to not go overboard. For example, you may choose a bright colour for your hall door but you do not need to repeat this colour elsewhere. The one location will be enough to add a burst of colour to your home.

Consider Your Home’s Architectural Style

Your paint colour scheme should always feel appropriate for the style of your home. You may live in a Victorian building, a cottage or by the sea… the list of possibilities is endless. It is important to consider which colour scheme will most suit the style and era of your home. Depending on where you live, sometimes there are restrictions around what modifications you can make to your home that can also govern paint colours, so it is best to check these out in advance.

What Are the Surroundings

Before choosing a paint colour scheme for the front of your home, you need to scan the surrounding area to see what existing colours you have to work with. There are certain elements that may not be feasible to change and you will need to make your design worth with. Brickwork, fencing, paving, gravelled areas, even the neighbour’s house! You want your colour scheme to compliment your home and its surroundings so it is worthwhile seeing what you have to incorporate into your design before you begin.

Tester, Tester, Tester

Just like with interior colours, a colour may look very different in store to how it appears at home or on the front of your house. Light and surroundings will impact how the shade you choose looks once applied. Painting the exterior of your home is a big undertaking so you want to ensure that you select colours that you can live with for a long time. It is always best to purchase a tester and try out your preferred shade so you can make sure you are happy with it.

Choose Colours You Love

Amidst all other considerations, your home should be a reflection of you. Perhaps most important is to choose colours that you love and that you will be happy to come home to time after time.

Exterior Paint Colour Ideas Ireland

With our 5 top tips for choosing the right exterior house paint colours, we’ll help you determine the perfect colour combinations to go with your home.

Colour Combinations for House Exterior Painting

There are plenty of colour combinations you can choose from when it comes to your house’s exterior walls. From neutral and traditional, to bright and bold, to dark and dramatic, the choices are endless. As we mentioned earlier, we recommend using 3 to 4 paint colours for your colour palette. Use the following combinations for inspiration for your upcoming project.

Neutral and Traditional Coloured Exterior Wood Paint & Masonry Paint

With a neutral and traditional colour palette, your home will blend in seamlessly with the surrounding neighbourhood. Not to mention, these colour palettes are perfect for withstanding the test of time. Colour trends come and go, but these kinds of palettes will always feel classic and in style.

We recommend finding taupes and browns, like our Dulux Weathershield Antelope and Johnstone’s Smooth Masonry Smooth Chocolate. Then, add a pop of colour like a bright red for one accent piece like your front door!

Brightly Coloured Exterior Wood Paint & Masonry Paint

Brightly coloured exterior wood paint and masonry paint is a great way to bring plenty of personality to your house. So whether you’re looking for bold colours all over or just bold accent pieces, a bright colour palette will liven it up.

If you’re looking for bright coloured exterior paint as an accent piece, we recommend painting your front door. Use neutrals like white and ivory or cream as the base of your colour palette. The white, such as our Dulux Weathershield Brilliant White, can be used on your window trim and any trim around your door. The ivory or cream exterior paint can be used on the siding. Add in a pop of bright colours like the Dulux Satinwood Bondi Waters on an accent piece like your front door or even your shutters.  

Dark Coloured Exterior Wood Paint & Masonry Paint

Finding a dark-coloured exterior wood paint palette is perfect for adding drama to your home. While dark siding or even darker trim can make your home seem smaller, it will draw the eye of passersby to the details of your home. A great way to do this is by using darker colours on larger surfaces of your home while using lighter paint colours to draw the eye to detail.

Using a slate grey colour, like our Dulux Weathershield Merlin, for sidings will lead your home to command attention and presence for anyone passing by. Use a lighter shade, such as our Dulux Weathershield Wild Cotton, on your window trim and your front door.

Tips for Choosing the Right Exterior Paint

Once you’ve chosen your exterior wall paint colours, you’ll need to decide on the right type of paint for your home. We’ve listed the top two things you’ll need to look out for when choosing the right exterior paint.

Exterior House Paint Durability

Over time, all paint colours fade, especially if they’re extremely bright or extremely dark. These kinds of paints typically change altogether as the years pass by.

You’ll also want to consider the fact that darker paint colours absorb heat and moisture more than lighter paint colours. On the other hand, light paint colours show more dust and stains, especially for northern facing walls.

To combat all of this, make sure your exterior house paint is durable and can retain its natural colour for a long while. Talking with a professional at your local Woodie’s will help you decide on the right paint for durability!

Exterior House Paint Sheen

Exterior wall paint colours range in sheens from glossy to flat. Flat sheens are much better to disguise paint strokes and any imperfections in the painting itself. However, glossy sheens are easier to clean, which is great for Ireland’s snowy winters. We suggest using flat paint on your wall surfaces and glossy or semi-gloss sheens for your window trim, columns, and railings.

Figuring out what to paint your house exterior is difficult at first, especially if you don’t know where to start. We hope our tips on deciding on exterior paint colour ideas are helpful for your next home project!

Ready to start shopping for your exterior paint colours? We’ve got all the supplies for you in our exterior paint section, here.