Expert: Richard Taylor, AIA - 10/13/2005

Question
Hello

I was wondering if you could help me with choosing an exterior color for our new home being built.  Most of the houses around us are all in the neutrals from white, taupe, and grey, off white, brown and vary in color.  We want our house to stick out.  We are having a stone chimmeny which will already make it stick out more.  We are a corner lot and the people on either side of us are building and one is going with a brighter blue and the other with red siding. So they will really stick out.  How do we compete with the colors and make ours the most noticeable since we will be selling it. We were thinking maybe an olive green?  Any suggestions would help! Thanks so much

Answer
Hi Michelle - thanks for your question!

So some houses in your area are brightly colored, while others are neutral?  That sounds like a pretty good mix of character in the area.  And that's a good thing - you don't want a completely homogeneous neighborhood.

I guess I question the wisdom of making your house "stick out".  You want your house to have character, for sure, but you don't want to create an eyesore.  More potential buyers will be turned off by a brightly-colored house than will be attracted to it.

At the same time, you don't want your home to blend completely into the background!

Here's what I'd suggest - make your house colors the most appropriate for the house style, forgetting about the others in the area.  There are books available that will help you to find the right colors for your style.

The reaction you're looking for from potential buyers isn't "wow, look at that" - it's a small pool of buyers that want the "wildest" house on the block.  The larger pool of buyers want the best-maintained house.  If your house is sparkling clean - manicured landscaping, all needed repairs made, fresh paint inside and out, then the exact color won't be as important.

I'd agree with you to stay away from the "taupes" and off-whites, but don't go towards the "high-chroma" colors - the bright blues, greens, etc.  Most paint companies have palettes of "historical" colors - start with those.

Many paint companies also have in-store and/or online software that lets you put a digital photo of your house in and try different colors on it.  Check online with some of the better paint companies - Sherwin-Williams, Coronado, Pratt & Lambert, even Lowe's and Home Depot have ways to "try out" colors.

Finally, I'd also suggest waiting to sell until the houses next door are finished.  Moving in while construction is going on might turn off a lot of folks.

Hope this helps!

Richard Taylor, AIA
Richard Taylor Architects, LLC
www.rtastudio.com
www.betterhomedesign.blogspot.com