Exterior House Colors You Should Avoid Using At All Costs
Whether it's a potential buyer or just a friend coming over for dinner, one of the first impressions someone has of your home is its outside appearance, or curb appeal. A home that hasn't been painted in a while can easily feel outdated and unkempt. But with a fresh coat of paint, you can turn your exterior from "blah" to beautiful. Sounds easy enough, right? Actually, the hard part is finding the right color to paint your home. With hundreds of shades to choose from, many people end up painting the exterior of their property the wrong color — turning their home makeover into a home disaster.
"Your interior is about your personal color tastes," Tom Lee of Behr told DIY. "But the exterior is really about durability. It's about protecting the biggest investment you have." So before you head off to the paint store, it's a good idea to know which colors you should avoid. Keep reading to find out which shades you should never paint the exterior of your home.
One of the worst home exterior paint colors is brown
One of the worst colors to paint your home's exterior is brown. A 2018 study by Zillow found that homes painted in brown, taupe, or tan hues actually sold for about $1,970 less than homes with a white exterior.
Also, dark colors like black and navy blue should be avoided if you live in a warm climate and your home gets a lot of sun exposure, per Shoreline Painting & Drywall. The paint company says that dark paint will not only make a home hotter, but the paint will fade over time due to exposure to UV rays. Plus, dark colors can bring attention to your home's imperfections, too.
Along with these colors, BobVila.com notes that a homeowner shouldn't paint their home a color that will clash with their neighbors. While it's fine to want to stand out, you should make sure you're not using a color that doesn't mix with your neighborhood's aesthetic. In fact, many neighborhoods with homeowners associations have a set selection of exterior paint colors that residents have to choose from, so keep this in mind as well.