Category: Style

Some homeowners are following the trend of painting the exterior of their homes bright shades from vibrant blues all the way to jewel tones, this is great if it reflects your style and you will be staying in your home for a while. However, these amazing colors won’t speak to the majority of buyers, and may not add value to your home when it is time to sell.

So, what colors draw potential buyers to a property? When thinking of selling your home ask yourself if your exterior color combination reflects the neighborhood palette. Most buyers don’t want to purchase an amethyst dreamhome in a neighborhood of light gray or sage green. Their first thought will be the expense of painting the home, shutters, doors, fascia and more.

In today’s market we are still low on inventory, but we are seeing homes stay on the market longer than this time last year. Don’t risk sitting on the market when Benjamin Moore paint can fix your issue.

What colors speak to the majority of buyers? Exterior home colors that invite buyers in are shades of white and gray. These include everything from crisp whites to warm creamy ivory all the way to light through dark gray and even across the scale to blue gray and green gray shades.

From earliest posts you may recall I love a vibrant front door, however if I were to put my home on the market I may tone it down a bit, but not let it be boring. It doesn’t mean you can’t have a gray home with a deep blue gray front door, it just means perhaps a bright sunshine yellow isn’t for everyone.

Neutralizing your homes colors not only adds curb appeal, but also allows the landscaping and nature’s colors to add that warm touch to say, “Hi, welcome to your new home”.

Choosing the right paint color isn’t the only consideration when doing your latest paint project. You also need to think about the type of paint, as well as what finish is right for your room.

I am a big fan of paint samples. No matter if I use Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, Home Depot, or Lowes they all offer test pots of paint in all varieties of finishes. I think the most I have paid for a test pot is around $7 US. This is a small investment to make sure I don’t make a more costly mistake.

I used to apply a couple of coats of the test paint directly to the wall, but learned that putting it on a poster board makes it easier to see how it will dry, look, and I can move it around the room to see how it looks throughout the day and evening.

The two types of paint are water based and oil based. I don’t mess with oil based paint because of the smell, clean up, drying time, and the overall application is much more difficult. If I were to hire a paint crew I might be tempted to have them use an oil based paint in the laundry room or bathroom, simply because it is a great for humidity and moisture.

Now the color is chosen, the type is picked, so what finish is best? Matte, Eggshell, Satin, or Semi-Gloss. Just as I am a fan of water based paints, I love a matte finish.

Matte: It is easy on the eye with the smooth appearance. I believe it allows for better saturation of natural light during the day, and is relaxing at night. It can be more difficult to clean, so having paint in a touch up bottle is necessary.

Eggshell: Has a bit of sheen that makes it more reflective. It is easy to clean, this makes it great for high traffic areas. Satin & Eggshell are relatively close, with Satin being a touch shinier. My office is a smaller space and I used an Eggshell finish because it lacks natural light, and needed something a bit extra to bring the space to life.

Semi-Gloss: This type is what I like to use on finishes. The issue with Semi-Gloss is it is highly reflective, so using it in a large space can be overwhelming. This is why I like to use it for doors, baseboards, window trim, and other types of trim.

Paint color, type, and finish are personal choices. Choose what is aesthetically pleasing to your eye and makes you love how the room looks and feels. You can also mix the finishes with an accent wall, stripe, or other decorative way. Explore your options and most of all have fun, because it’s just paint.