Painting Your Surrey BC Home? Try Classic Exterior Colours

When it comes to house exterior painting, or apartment or condo exterior painting, colour selection can be confusing, with so many choices. While it may be tempting to paint your Surrey home exterior in a bold or unusual colour palette, these can get old fairly quickly. The brightly coloured home you marveled at up the block may be great in passing, but can you live with looking at it on a daily basis?

Though bold colours can work, they are a little risky. Choosing something with dazzle may wind up being both an expensive and time-consuming mistake if you come to dislike the choices you’ve made.

Exterior paint colour choice tip: look around your own neighbourhood. You may not want to copy the exterior painting choices of neighbouring Surrey homes, but they just may be your best source of research. You’ll also ensure that your house or apartment exterior fits in.

Classic Exterior Colour Palettes to the Rescue!

Classic colour palettes are called “classic” because they are tried and true favourites that have withstood the test of time, and, are the “go-to” colours for professional painters in Surrey, such as Blue Chip Painting. They are also the safest choices for house, apartment and condo exterior painting.

In a classic colour palette, colours tend to be less saturated – a little muted and less bright than their primary parents. Most often, three colours will be used: a main colour for siding or stucco, a secondary colour for trim, and an accent colour. Whatever you choose, remember you have to live with it, typically long-term, so it’s best to lean toward a classic exterior paint colour scheme that won’t grow tired quickly.

Classic Exterior Paint Palette #1: Grey or Blue-Grey, White, Black

This blue-grey, white, and black combination is a favourite for residential exteriors. You’ll see many examples of fine Surrey house exteriors painted with this palette. The medium-tone blue-grey hides dirt well and looks great with surrounding landscape greenery. It won’t offend the neighbours and yet pops just enough that it gets noticed (but without any raised eyebrows). The off-white accents are very clean and give this house its personality. If you are a traditionalist and like the classic Surrey house exterior painting style, this is safe but attractive choice.

Classic Exterior Paint Palette #2 Tan, Cream or White, Brown

Tan and brown with white or cream accents work well for both houses and strata exterior painting, particularly when there is a distinct division between floors – as is the case with this two-story home. The upper floor, being brighter, is emphasized while the brownish ground floor serves to add contrast and breaks things up. This house would look less interesting if had been painted entirely in tan. The white accents (or cream works too) add touches of contrast and give this home more personality.

Classic Exterior Paint Palette #3: Cream/Tan, Grey, White

This condo exterior was painted with a three-tone palette: a creamy-tan for siding and balcony shingles, a grey/green secondary colour for the ground level and top level, and white for window, fascia, balcony and eaves accents. These colours would work equally well for house exterior painting. With strata exterior painting, it becomes even more important to choose a “safe” colour palette, because of the large size of the building, and the fact that consensus from the individual unit owners is often required. This classic palette likely won’t cause much fuss at a general meeting.

Classic Exterior Paint Palette #4: White or Off-White, Blue-Grey, Brown

The white, blue-grey, and brown chosen for these townhomes would also work well for strata exterior painting. Though white requires a little more cleaning, it’s an old standby that doesn’t let you down. The touches of brown contrast in roof shingles and the black picket fence add a touch of “gingerbread” to these handsome row houses.

Summary

When it comes to Surrey exterior painting, classic colour palettes are safe selections for houses, condominiums, or strata exterior painting. If main and secondary colours are less saturated, you can still get away with more vibrant colours for doors and windows trim accents.

Need help choosing colours? Try this online colour visualizer to get some ideas.