Whether you’ve made the decision to paint the exterior of your home yourself or to bring in the professionals, there’s still one important choice only you can make. That being, the color (or combination of colors) to use for your home’s exterior.

If this is a process you have ever gone about before, you’ll know all too well that it is nowhere near as easy as it sounds. Even in the run up to the project, you probably have all manner of weird and wonderful ideas and simply cannot wait to see them brought to life. But when the time comes, you realize that the exterior of your home is a big deal.

Whether looking to improve the curb appeal of your home for the sake of property values or simply make it a more enjoyable place for you and the family, the color you choose can and will make all the difference.

So with this in mind, what follows is a brief overview of just a few helpful tips to make the paint-selection process a little easier, next time around:

1. Accentuate the Past

First of all, one of the best ways of painting the exterior of your home in a manner that is 100% future-proof is to look to the past. It sounds contradictory, that there are certain colors and color palettes that look every bit as outstanding today as they did way back. A good way of going about this is to think about the era in which your home was built, in order to then select a color or combination of colors that would have been the norm at the time. Going radical with something ultra-modern is always an option, but there’s no denying the fact that you cannot beat a classic!

2. Surrounding Exterior Paint Colors

Of course, the way you want your home to look ultimately comes down to you and your preferences alone. What anyone else thinks is by the by. Nevertheless, it’s still a good idea to take into account the exterior paint colors of the properties and structures that surround your home. If you are looking to create a look that is beautifully cohesive and attractive from the outdoors, it’s important to think of how and to what extent the colors you choose may or may not contrast with those around it.

3. Structural Harmony

The same also goes for the rest of your property in general. Consider carefully the various structural facets of your home, along with the materials used in its construction. You may have various accents of copper, aluminum, stone, slate, wood and so on – all of which should be taken into consideration.

4. Inside-Out

If you are struggling to think of the kind of color palette that’s likely to suit your home and your tastes, it’s worth thinking about how you’ve gone about the interior décor. If you are looking to add a sense of integrity and harmony to your home as a whole, there’s nothing to say you cannot continue your chosen interior theme on the exterior. If there are certain features or rooms around the home that you are particularly fond of, take a second look at the kinds of colors used therein.

5. Don’t Discount White

If you really have no idea which way to go but are determined to create a fantastic result, there are very few properties that do not look fantastic in white.  As such, never simply think of white as something of a last resort. One of the best things about using white in terms of exterior paint choice is the way in which you then only need to add very small accents of other colors to set things off quite beautifully. Not only this, but white exteriors add the illusion of brightness and size, making your home look both larger and more attractive from the outdoors.

6. Darker Details Draw the Eye

Last but not least, however you go about the job as a whole, try to bear in mind that it is the darker details across your home’s exterior that will draw the eye. If you go for a predominantly light exterior paint color and paint just a few bits and pieces a much darker color, it is these bits and pieces that will garner the most attention. As such, you need to be mindful about your use of darker colors, in order to ensure that attention is drawn only to those areas you would like it to be drawn to. This is also a good trick for drawing attention entirely away from areas of your home you would prefer onlookers didn’t catch sight of!