How To Pick House Paint Colors in Nashville, TN
Have you ever picked a paint color for a room in your home? It can be a little tricky sometimes, but not too bad. Review ideas, get some samples, work with your painter, and you’re done. And the stakes feel low: if you need to change direction, you always can.
Picking colors for your Nashville home’s exterior, on the other hand, is a whole different animal. Suddenly you’re choosing colors that you need to live with for years and years and years, and that are on display in a huge way. A funky bathroom color? No big deal. A full exterior repaint that misses the mark? Yikes.
Don’t worry. The exterior painting tools and resources at your disposal are better than ever. To get you started, we put together a handful of super practical tips.
#1: Get familiar with the parts of your home that you’re painting
A little terminology goes a long way. Consider this your cheat sheet:
Field color. This is the main body of your house, and the dominant color in your paint palette.
Trim color. Trim refers to the exterior edges and lines of your home, framing the field colors.
Accent color. Finally, accent paint colors involve complementary surfaces, like doors and shutters.
Knowing what you’ll be painting provides a clearer perspective of how these unique components will work together.
#2: Pick a house paint color based on your home’s style, architecture, and age
While you shouldn’t feel pigeonholed into one type of paint job, you can use your home’s age and style as a helpful guardrail. Most colonials, for example, aren’t painted wild, modern colors. If you have a classic saltbox cape, a little basic research will tell you that gray, blue, or another cooler color in the same family would be a strong choice. In fact, it can be a fun exercise! Do a little digging, explore exactly how to classify your home, then see which colors are recommended.
If you live in a neighborhood where a lot of the homes were built in the same style, drive around and take notes. What do you like? What don’t you like? There’s no law against gleaning inspiration from the neighbors.
#3: Use a color selection tool or app before house painting
Pinterest is great, but what about getting a chance to actually preview a color on your home? There are a lot of incredible tools out there that offer just that. To get you started, check out Sherwin-Williams’ ColorSnap.
#4: Talk to a paint color consultant in Nashville
Sitting down with a real pro can offer ideas and inspiration that you never would’ve enjoyed otherwise. There’s the additional benefit too of having them look at your actual home, taking all the factors into consideration. Paint isn’t a one-size-fits-all process, and what looks good on one property may not look good on another.
#5: Use your exterior paint to achieve specific effects
Paint offers a lot more than just a face-value color. You can modernize your home, accentuate its age, make it appear larger, or help it blend into the background. Consider your goals, then base your exterior paint color decisions on what best supports those goals. For example, painting a home a darker color tends to minimize it, especially if there’s a dark background (like a treeline). Conversely, lighter colors draw attention and add a feeling of size.
Additional resources...
While we're talking painting, you may want to check out these related resources:
- What Color Should I Paint My Deck to Make It Look Timeless?
- Steps to Remove Old Paint from Your Home's Exterior
- Best Temperature for Exterior Painting Textured Surfaces
Talk to a professional Nashville exterior painting company
Whew… We threw a lot at you. If you have questions, or like the idea of partnering with an exterior painting contractor that can help you navigate your options, contact us at Nash Painting. This is what we do, and what we love. Schedule your free consultation today!