How to choose an exterior colour scheme
When warmer weather approaches, why not turn your attention outside and make a change to your home’s exterior? Here are some helpful tips on how to choose a home colour combination to transform the exterior of your home. Colours featured: Mt Hikurangi (Exterior) and St Clair Quarter (Trim)
Follow 5 easy steps to get you started.
How To Guides
Where to begin
Refresh your colour scheme or a tired paint job to take your home from drab to fab. The only question is — what colour will you choose?
When you pick your home’s exterior colour, don’t forget to consider an accent colour for the front door, letterbox and window frames, and a contrasting trim colour for eaves, pergolas, fretwork, railings, fascia and gutters.
It’s also important to think about the kind of surface you are painting. Natural materials like wood and clay in brown and terracotta hues are best suited to warmer tones. Whereas concrete materials in greys and blues are better suited to cooler tones.
Choose whether you want to go tonal, complementary or contrasting with help from our colour wheel or get some inspiration from our Popular Outdoor Schemes.
Bright Whites
A classic choice that’s perfect for coastal, suburban or city chic. A striking all-white exterior will keep your home looking fresh and elegant, and make it stand out amongst the crowd.
But which white is right? White paint colours have undertones, which you will notice when placed alongside other colours, surfaces or even the plants in your garden. It’s important to test your chosen white using either a sample pot or colour swatch, to make sure it appears as planned.
Dark and bold
Be bold and daring and select a dark colour. Moody greys, blues and greens can help your home look regal and really make a statement. Moody greys, blues, reds and greens will help your home look solid, grounded and really make a statement. Try choosing a contrasting accent colour that pops for doors, windows and trims.
Two Tone
If your home is built from different materials, is split over multiple levels or has some clear division lines, painting in two tones is a modern, fresh way to add colour. Whether it’s contrasting colours or a monochrome palette, two tones can cleverly shift focus and play with perspective.
Exterior
Castlecliff
The popular grey-green charcoal of Castlecliff makes it an ideal feature wall, accent colour or exterior house colour. It is a softer alternative to pure black and can be paired with soft greys such as Manorburn and Grey Lynn, crisp white Mt Aspiring Quarter and soft green Ngātaringa Bay.
Pop of colour
Add wow factor with bright hits of colour on specific architectural details like doors, pot plants and railings. It can feel like a big change without the commitment of painting the whole house so be brave and choose something bright and bold.
Fence
Ōkārito
Ōkārito is a crisp, fresh white that goes with almost anything. It is perfect as a main wall colour for exteriors as well as windows and trims. Ōkārito is a versatile white that suits almost any style of home. It is also the most popular white in the Dulux Colours of New Zealand range.
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