Paint Color Basics For Pros

Easy ways to add character to homes with color. These tips will help you distinguish your customer's home.

Watch more videos

Video Transcription:

New residential construction is picking up in many parts of the country and competition for homebuyers’ dollars remains fierce.

One of the easiest ways to add character to the homes you build while setting yourself apart from the competitors is with color.

Whether you're developing a color scheme for an entire development or a single-family home, it's always critical to consider the character of the surrounding neighborhood.

While you want your properties to be distinctive they should also harmonize with the surrounding landscape.

Balance is another key aspect of color selection.

Horizontal balance occurs when colors are coordinated across the horizontal planes of the home.

Whereas vertical balance occurs when colors are carried from top to bottom.

An example would be a roof color that complements the stone foundation.

Architectural details offer lots of opportunities to a distinctive strokes of color.

This is especially true when a home has interesting architectural features that you can enhance with the contrasting color.

Just keep in mind that strong contrasting colors dramatize selected features while a palette of similar colors will unify the overall appearance and minimize details.

A bright splash of color in the front door will make it the focal point of the home creating a warm, welcoming impression.

When selecting the best color for the entryway make sure it coordinates with surrounding features, such as light fixtures, wrought iron or decorative planters.

For timeless appeal, a new palette of neutrals offers the perfect foundation for a wide range of color schemes.

These new neutrals are stronger in tone and inspired by nature with warm and cool grays, topes and camels, giving an updated look to your homes today and for years to come.

Generally speaking lighter colors will make a home appear larger, while dark ones minimize its appearance.

That's because our eyes interpret dark colors as being further away.

Therefore, depending on the size of the lot the setback from the street and the proximity of adjacent homes, you may want to use color to influence buyers perception of the home.

Of course, your geographic region also plays an important role in color decisions.

After all, the coral pink that works well in Fort Lauderdale would be a questionable choice in Mystic Seaport.

Here are a few tips to guide your exterior color choices from coast to coast.

In the American Southwest, warm earthy tones pair well with popular terracotta roof tiles and stucco building materials.

A contrasting palette of warm yellows, greens and topes will create a soothing exterior that blends well with the natural terrain.

Head to the shores of the south and you'll want colors that reflect the sunny tones of the beach and the breezy blues of the ocean.

Weathered woods and sun bleached palettes are the inspiration here.

Crisp white trim on a porch creates the perfect place to sip sweet tea or opt for a softer white to enhance the cool of a shady veranda.

Travel north to the rugged beauty of Maine or the lush green of the Pacific Northwest and you'll find colors becoming more muted.

Traditional shades mimic the slight blues, dusty reds and gray, green tones of serene landscapes so your homes blend gracefully with the surrounding environment.

All across America, tree-lined suburbs are populated with homes that range from stately colonials, to humble bungalows and sprawling ranches.

In these varied settings, choosing colors that reflect the style and period of the architecture will make your home the best buy in the neighborhood.

For example, vivid contrast add flair to Victorian fretwork while deep rich colors give authenticity to an arts-and-crafts bungalow combine warm ambers, avocado greens and inky blues with classic neutrals to give a sleek contemporary look to the modern ranch style homes that characterized the mid-1900s.

And whatever the style may be, always integrate colors and materials that represent your brand and the known preferences of your clientele.

Moving to interior palettes, many home builders believe that beige is the best choice but you can upgrade your interior color palette by tapping into the current cooling off trend.

Cool neutrals in various shades of gray pair well with more vibrant hues of green, orange, teal or gold, for contemporary look that appeals to today's sophisticated consumer.

And because so many of today's home buyers prefer an open plan, interior colors need to coordinate seamlessly.

You can achieve a subtle monochromatic effect by using two or three colors from a single color card.

Or homeowners who want a little more contrast might consider an analogous palette.

Analogous colors exist side by side on the color wheel, like shades of yellow and orange and create a harmonious flow from one area to another.

Those with a flair for the dramatic, might go for bold complementary colors.

These shades are found opposite each other on the color wheel and make for a very strong statement.

This technique can be particularly effective for an accent wall.

Whatever colors reinforce your brand and suit your buyers’ interests.

Studies consistently show that offering upgraded color options helps to differentiate you from other builders and adds value to your properties.

To facilitate color selection customize color cards featuring coordinating palettes are an excellent way to inspire home buyers to customize their home.

Accent walls allow customers to add a touch of personalization to their new space.

You devote a great deal of attention to the quality of materials and construction of your homes.

The attention you give to color will maximize its curb appeal and create a warm welcoming interior that turns potential home buyers into satisfied homeowners.