Choosing Exterior Paint Colours
Deciding on an exterior colour scheme for your home or commercial building can be difficult. Follow our helpful tips on exterior decorating …
The soft, warm tone for the render on this orangery by Colbran & Wingrove was chosen to tie in with the Indian sandstone patio, whilst the Anthracite window and door system complements the slate roofing.
Unlike interior decorating you’ll usually see your building in daylight - unless you’re looking at spotlighting a façade. This means you can afford to go a shade or two darker than you might choose indoors.
Similarly, you might think about the aspect of your building. The limited light cast on a north-facing façade shaded by nearby trees, for example, and a south-facing elevation which enjoys full sun all day, for example, can be considerable.
Use historical character and period to draw inspiration from. There’s a huge range of period colour palettes on the market now. You might also think about whether you want to make a statement and ensure your property stands out from its neighbours, or envisage it gently blending in with the surrounding vernacular. Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce chose a bold scheme using ‘Soft Truffle’ for their renovation work by Colbran & Wingrove to help the Eastbourne UnLtd building in Hyde Gardens, Eastbourne, stand out yet respect its Victorian heritage.
Look at the immediate surroundings – a patio space, garden planting scheme, front railings and even fencing for colour. The soft, warm tone for the render on the beautiful orangery by Colbran & Wingrove (pictured above) was chosen to tie in with the Indian sandstone patio, whilst the choice of grey Anthracite for the window and door system complements the slate roofing.
Finally, bear in mind your interior scheme. Do you want to create a flow between the two spaces with shared tones or specific colours? Choosing the same colour for the exterior or a feature on the exterior and bringing it indoors can be really effective.
This contemporary extension in Eastbourne by Colbran & Wingrove illustrates this trick perfectly. The brick exterior continues inside on one wall whilst the black soffits and downpipe help reinforce the contemporary styling throughout the property.
October 2016
