Seattle Sun Newspaper - Vol. 8, Issue 7, July 2004

Copyright 2004 Seattle Sun. Please feel free to use the article below in your research. Be sure to cite the Seattle Sun as your source.

DECORATING DILEMMAS:

Look at neighbors' homes when choosing color

By ROBIN DALY

Q: I am going to be painting the house this summer, and I am looking for some tips on creating a color scheme that won't shock the neighbors. What is the best way to get started?

A: Although I don't recommend that you get your neighbors directly involved in the process (that's a scary thought) you just might want to take a look at their homes and other color schemes used in the area.

Before you start collecting paint chips, take a drive around and see what people are doing in some of your favorite neighborhoods. I have friends who are not afraid of asking complete strangers about the colors used on their homes.

Every house has unique features that will affect the direction of your color scheme.

One of the biggest, and often most forgotten elements to the house that will determine what colors you can and cannot use, is the roof. In Seattle, we typically see roofs made from composition tiles, and that means they have a specific appearance that will need to coordinate with your new color scheme.

Another factor to look at are any brick or stone details that your house might possess. Like roofs, brick has a distinct color direction, and you should not fight against it. Many people do not necessarily like the color of their bricks and stone; I can think of a few vintage 1950s homes where the brick or stone takes on a Band-Aid pink cast, but you must factor it in. Ignoring it won't make it go away.

This is an instance where the right paint color can actually make the undesired element look integrated into the whole scheme, and you can create a focal point away from the awkward detail.

But before you choose the color that will save you from the fate of the ugly detail, you need to get a handle on the whole picture.

Having a pulled together scheme is what we call curb appeal. It's not as enticing as sex appeal, but it does say a lot about who you are to your neighbors.

Curb appeal is the wow factor that we all wish for. So I suppose we could argue for the fact that paint can indeed be sexy.

Who would have ever thought that a nice color scheme might get you a date?

Now you need to think about how much detail you will want to highlight with your color scheme.

If you have an old Victorian home, you can have a lot of fun with multiple color details, emphasizing different moldings and trims on the house. Using that same scheme on a newer home will look as if you have gone overboard, and the colors become distracting instead of flattering.

Choose a color scheme for what you have, not for what you wish you had.

When you are pulling chips together to make a scheme, a general rule of thumb is this; choose one body color, one window/trim color and a fabulous front door color. Many people add a second window/trim color for details and highlights.

A great way to get started is to use a mid-value body color for the house. Mid-value means not too dark, not too light middle of the color spectrum. Then you can choose deeper or lighter trim and accent colors to make the scheme pop.

Have some fun with your front door; it's the place where you want to create a welcoming impression. People end up being very close to it while waiting for you to answer the door, so you might as well make it something interesting to look at.

Finally, test your colors in larger swatches on your house. Evaluate them in all lighting conditions, to make sure they look just a good at 8 a.m. as they do at 8 p.m.

If you DO want to get your neighbors involved, this is the time to invite them over to vote on their favorite scheme from the samples you have on the house. Turn it into an excuse to get to know each other a little better and have a barbecue.

It's the right time of the year, and who knows? maybe they'll even help you with the paint job!

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Robin Daly is a third generation co-owner of Daly's Paint and Decorating in Fremont. You can reach her at 633-4200 or news@theseattlesun.com. She LOVES to hear from you and answer your decorating dilemmas.

Send questions or comments to: news@theseattlesun.com