Considerations before painting your home
“Little pink houses for you and me” – John Cougar
…and the eighties Americana pop ditty had us all singing.
But were pink houses really ever commonplace? At nearly forty years old, I can’t recall ever seeing rows upon rows of pink houses anywhere, a single one here and there – maybe.
If you walk around the streets of a college town like Claremont in California, there is barely any uniformity between the blocks of aged houses that feature a wild variety of architecture and color schemes. It’s a bit of a hodge-podge, really. The community is home to educators, artists and students, and there is individuality abound. Whether it is pink or abstract-themed, you’ll rarely spot something that is dull. They understand that their unique choices make an impact. And so does Marcie Geffner at newhomesource.com. She’s offered tips for finding a color motif for your home that works as an extension of YOUR personality, even if you need to obey certain ordinances. We thought her ideas were insightful enough to share the gist of them.
Whatever colors you choose, you understand that they will define the look of your home. If you are building a home to your specifications you enjoy limitless options. If you purchase an older home, you’re still not stuck with what the previous owners preferred. If it’s a generic yet new home, you may have to choose from a limited choice of colors, paint, trim, etc… but it’s still a reasonable selection enough to allow you to mix it up and be creative.
There are certain guidelines that must be obeyed in certain circumstances. For instance, if you move into an established community they don’t want you to stick out like a sore thumb. Builders design exterior themes to appeal to the majority of people. The bottom line being that they need to agree with a sense of community. They use certain siding or stucco color to set a scheme that matches the trim that subsequently matches the roof. Ultimately they need to blend and work together within the theme of the community. Unlike Claremont, you won’t find a brightly flamboyant home next to a darkly conservative one. They are all reasonably relative to each other color-wise. And it looks nice, with no distractions to disrupt the visual peace.
Variables are going to be relevant. You may be disappointed to learn that despite the fact that the builders offer a wide range of exterior colors to choose from, you don’t always have your pick of everything they are capable of. Again, you need to obey the guidelines that are set for the community you’re moving into. You may even have municipalities interject their rules, they want all builders who do construction in the same community to all be on the same page.
If such is the case, don’t be discouraged, you’ll still have choices. You won’t have an unlimited well of colors to draw from, but you will have just enough to enable you to make a personal statement. Often, you’ll have the options of picking coordinated packages that are guaranteed to be tasteful and attractive. They really are well organized, and you won’t go wrong in such an scenario.
As for the home’s interior, it’s a different story. You are not limited by any guidelines, there are many more colors to choose from. Again, you’ll have the option of selecting a pre-coordinated scheme or individual elements. This can be convenient for the less-artsy among us. Don’t hesitate if you want guidance or suggestions, you’re the one that has to live with the final decision. You may find comfort in the fact that the coordinated packages are based on ongoing current research into trends and preferences. They look at surveys, websites, even home improvement TV shows to select the most contemporary groupings. The object is to give the buyers what they want at a price they can afford. It’s really as simple as that. The process is simplified – there’s no need to get overwhelmed by starting from scratch and facing an endless stream of choices. The most popular, or timeless styles are ready to go and be implemented in a moment’s notice. It’s easy. Overall, it’s the simple modern classics that are most popular.
These days it’s a shared sentiment that bright vivid colors are best avoided in the current atmosphere. Colors from a neutral palette ring true with new homeowners. Nature-inspired or monochromatic colors are definitely more popular than those that jump out at you. Even as far as the interior goes, a theme representing subdued taste is standard. Either way, your choices are plenty. There is no shortage of assistance should you need it, and “ain’t that America?”
Yes, it is.
For you and me.
