COLOR YOUR WORLD

COLOR YOUR WORLD

By  Rick Merlini

Live Well Custom Homes

      When it comes to major bang for the buck, color is perhaps the most powerful tool in the design arsenal. Paint is the cheapest, and is the most cost effective area that can make a house stand out. You got  to paint the house anyway, and color paint doesn’t cost more than white. You can paint something really neat or you can paint it blah, and it will cost you the same thing.

       Here are  some guidelines you should follow.

Be authentic. If you're building in a historic architectural style, use historic exterior colors. “For example, traditional Craftsman bungalows used natural colors, not gray exteriors with white trim.  Using historic colors will help further sell the idea that what you've built is classic and well–thought out, with lasting value.

Don't defy gravity. When separate colors are used to delineate the upper massing of a house from its lower portion, use the darker color on the bottom. “People see light as light and dark as heavy. If the darker color is on top, it will feel like the house is unbalanced; whereas the reverse will give you one that feels solid and permanent.

Avoid stark contrasts. In choosing trim colors, don't juxtapose extreme values. If you're using a super dark color for the body of the house, skip the white trim and go with something softer such as a light tan. Otherwise the house will be outlined in a way that looks busy and cartoonish.

Use bright colors sparingly. Save your richest, most vibrant color for the preeminent focal point on the front elevation—the front entry. This tactic creates a welcoming effect and can help downplay secondary features such as front-loaded garages.

Mix things up. Keep in mind how individual houses will relate to each other in the streetscape and choose your paint and materials palette accordingly.  You can have a street with varied architectural styles, including bungalows, four-squares, and Victorians, but if the colors are all boring and similar, your development will still look monotonous. So take your neighbor home into consideration when chosen your own color.