DIY Choosing the Right Paint Colors for the Outside of Your Home

Contact your homeowner's association to see if you have restrictions on the colors you can use. It's better to eliminate colors that are not an option, right at the start, so you don't waste time. Some homeowners associations try to keep all the homes in an area in the same color scheme or tone to protect the value of the homes and create a uniform look.

Consider the amount of time and money you want to commit to painting your home. Darker or bright colors will take many coats, even more than six, to get the desired look. These coats will also fade faster and need more frequent updating because they do not stand up well to the sun. Instead, consider colors in the tan and brown family.

Step back from your house and look at your house compared to your neighbors'. You want your house to complement the neighborhood colors. This helps protect the value of your home, especially if you live in a nice neighborhood. If your neighborhood is made up of cream, tan and brown houses, you should stay in this neutral color scheme as well.

Paint a large piece of Bristol board with your desired color. Set the board outside next to the house and see how you like the look. Study it at different times of the day and under different weather conditions to see if your opinion changes. Some colors will look quite different under heavy cloud cover than they will in full sun.