John Sez:
By John Harris, Belcaro Paint, Paint Chemist
Although we are nearing the end of the exterior painting season we are still getting a lot of customers wanting to select color combinations for their exteriors. The exterior appearance of a home is important as it makes a statement about the owner plus it is so very visible to everyone who drives down the street. The color selection process may be difficult but there are some tips that may help you with this process.
The first tip is to tour neighborhoods that have houses similar to yours, looking for color combinations that you think look good (or even combinations you want to avoid). Bring along a color fandeck, take a few pictures and make notes of color schemes to refresh your memory later.
Go to the paint store with a few color concepts that you'd like to try but be open to new color combinations that the store staff may suggest.
Bring home the chips that might work, or if you want to jump ahead one step, bring home some of the small paint testers that may be brushed on the house. The advantages of these testers are that you get to see a much larger sample of the color, and you are using actual paint. View the colors at different times of the day and even on different sides of the house. View the colors in groupings, as one color may look very different when placed next to a different color. Be sure to consider and include any color elements on the house that are not going to be painted.
As you near a final decision, live with the sample colors for several days, observing different lighting conditions, possibly asking the opinions of friends you trust.
My final strong suggestion is to use the best paint you can afford. Excellent durability and weather ability are characteristics of the high quality paints that will postpone the need to repaint too soon. Please stop in one of our stores and pick up a free brochure that will help you significantly extend the life of your exterior paint, regardless of the brand you use.
Belcaro Paint & Decorating Center, Inc.
5475 Leetsdale Dr., Denver, CO 80246 303-757-5435
or
209 W. Littleton Blvd., Littleton CO 80120 303-703-4487
email us
Belcaro website
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