IMPROVING
Picking the
perfect colour
for your property
3. Consider your neighbours
The house next door can give you
paint colour ideas, but don’t copy
your neighbour exactly. Choose
colours that set your house apart,
w it hout c l a sh i n g w it h ne a r by
buildings.
1. Honour history
If you’re about to paint an older home, you’ ll
probably want to use a historically accurate colour
scheme. You can hire a pro to analyse old paint chips
and recreate the original colour. Or, you can refer to
historic colours and select shades that might have
been used at the time your home was built.
2. Jazz up the past
In some neighbourhoods, homeowners f ly in the
face of history. Instead of choosing historically
accurate colours, they paint their houses modern
colours to dramatise architectural details. Using
bright colours on old architectural details can
produce startling and exciting results. But before
you buy 10 gallons of bubblegum pink, it’s a good
idea to look at what your neighbours are doing. A
fluorescent-coloured Victorian that looks splendid
in San Francisco will seem wildly out of place in
more conservative neighbourhoods.
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Residential Handbook 2013
4. Borrow from nature
The landscape around your house is blooming with
colour ideas. Trees may suggest an earthy palette of
greens and browns. A beach setting might suggest
vivid blues, turquoises, and coral colours. Even the
garden in your front yard can inspire exciting colour
combinations.
5. Check the roof
Your house is your canvas, but it is not blank. Some
colours are already established. What colour is your
roof? Your paint colour doesn’t need to match the
roof, but it should harmonise.
6. Look for things that won’t be painted
Every home has some features that will not be
painted. Does your house have brick walls? A
natural wooden door? Will steps and railings
remain their existing colours? Choose a colour
scheme that harmonises with colours already
present on your house.
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