The summer sun has been beating down on the exterior of your
house. You notice the front door looks drab and washed out. All of
a sudden a section on the back side of your house
– next to the hydrangea bush – begins to chip and flake. Uh-oh.
It’s time to paint the house.
Maybe you bought a home painted by the builder, and the color
was OK but not really you. Or you bought a historic home that has
been painted many times, the last time all white by someone who
wanted a fresh look but ended up with a snowstorm on steroids.
The summer sun has been beating down on the exterior of your house. You notice the front door looks drab and washed out. All of a sudden a section on the back side of your house – next to the hydrangea bush – begins to chip and flake. Uh-oh. It’s time to paint the house.
Maybe you bought a home painted by the builder, and the color was OK but not really you. Or you bought a historic home that has been painted many times, the last time all white by someone who wanted a fresh look but ended up with a snowstorm on steroids.
For whatever reason, you know it’s time to tackle the exterior paint job. But what to do? You go to a paint store and become overwhelmed by the selection. This color is pretty, but what goes with it? Is it too dark? Too light? Will the neighbors think this color is too much?
Though in some ways your home is a blank canvas, there are some existing elements you’ll want to take into account. For instance, your roof is a large section of the entire structure. What color and material is it? You’ll want to harmonize with that. Do you have doors or railings that will remain their current color? That should factor into the decision as well.
I live out in the country. The hills around here are bright green in the winter and spring, and golden in the summer and fall. Hmmm … what color should I paint my house? The people who owned it before me came up with salmon pink. My, my, my. And they also liked fake stone and dark brown trim. Needless to say, it does not express my design tastes at all.
I had a barn built. It is the traditional design vernacular of barns … rich brownish red-with-white trim. I must say, it’s in stark contrast with the salmon pink, but it doesn’t stand next to it so it’s OK. (Or at least … I think it is?)
But back to painting the house. Should it be red? What if people mistake it for the fire station? Well, I also planted an apricot orchard. How about white for the spring blossoms, or apricot to match the mature fruit, or yellow to match the fall leaves?
And let’s look at the neighbors houses. Whoa, doggies! White with black trim over here, sand with white trim over there, and white with forest green trim across the way. Can those color schemes give me any inspiration?
Light colors will make a house seem larger. Dark siding or dark bands of trim will make a house seem smaller, but draw the eye to the details. Darker shades best for accent recesses, while lighter tones highlight any architectural elements, which project from the wall surface. The more intense a color, the more likely it is to fade, which makes it difficult to touch up. After a short time, vivid blues and deep reds are more subdued. Dark colors create more maintenance problems because they absorb heat and attract more moisture problems than lighter shades.
Recently we undertook a family project and painted our front door a deep red. A red door is the traditional symbol of welcome. Do you know how many shades of red there are? And how many different types? Purplish and brownish and orange-ish and blue-ish, hues that warm, tones that cool, so many choices! And, by the way, it takes more than 10 coats to cover a brown door with red.
So now let’s look at what we have: red door, red barn, terra cotta roof tile. White-and-sand neighboring structures. Brown-and-green hills, blue skies. I still have no clue what color to paint the house! (Salmon pink is starting to sound better … )
And remember, when you are in the paint store, you’re in artificial light. Make sure to check out your samples in the sunlight. Also you will probably have a tiny swatch to examine. Remember colors look lighter when painted in large areas. It’s best to paint a small area and allow it to dry. Then you’ll have a better idea if the color works for you or not.
Oh, and I learned something about a dozen years ago I want to share with you. Do not involve your children in the paint selection. You can ask them about a color in a general sense, but do not let them choose for you. (I ended up with a bathroom the color of lemon chiffon pie. Much too cheery at 6 a.m.)
OK, enough with the color already. What about the market? Pretty much running along the same vein, I’d say. The inventory is up to 390 in San Benito County, and 529 in southern Santa Clara. Last week San Benito saw 34 new listings, 9 sales, 5 escrow closes and 19 houses dropping out of the game. Santa Clara had 68 new listings, 28 sales, 20 escrow closes, and 50 houses leaving the market through cancellation, withdrawal or expiration. Time on the market continues to grow, and prices are beginning to soften.
Sellers, keep the faith. Buyers, you have lots of choices! All of you, be kind to your Realtor.
