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If you are looking to improve the appeal and value of your home with some exterior decoration, choosing the right colour with which to paint your home is of primary importance. It is not enough to select a colour which is welcoming and attractive – it has to fit in with the neighbourhood, or else you could find yourself having gone to a whole load of trouble and expense, just to repeat the exercise with a completely different colour.
Local painters in London will have an excellent idea about what is in vogue or out of fashion at the moment, and you should heed their advice when trying to sell your home. Even if you personally crave a bubblegum pink house, consider what painting the exterior of your property in such a garish colour would do to the value of your property! Sometimes even white can stand out for the wrong reasons when your neighbourhood is painted in such a way that it reflects the colours of nature, and this getting quotes from painters in London gives you the opportunity to compare more than prices.
A good tip is to take a trip around your local area with a digital camera or your mobile phone, and compile a library of the colour schemes you both like and which seem to blend into the neighbourhood for the right reasons – whilst still looking distinctive. A lot can be read into the colours you finally choose to paint your home in, as our guide below illustrates.
What the Exterior Colour of Your Home Says about You
White – White is the colour of purity, simplicity and – very importantly if you are trying to sell your home – naivety! The implication of painting the exterior of your property white is that you are innocent, have idealistic tendencies and are prepared to get knocked down on the asking price for your home.
Red – Red is the colour of health, strength and vitality. It represents warmth and optimism, but can also mean danger and be a totally over powering colour. If you are thinking of including a lot of red in your exterior decoration, you will need to find a purchaser who is equally strong, warm and optimistic.
Orange – Orange is more than just a close relative of red; it is a colour which has traditionally represented luxury and flamboyancy. If you paint the outside of your home in orange tones, make sure it reflects the area in which you live – orange houses in Dagenham may not sell that well!
Yellow – Yellow is the colour of happiness, with owners painting their houses in shades of yellow considering themselves to be wise, adventurous and imaginative. Yellow-based colours reflect a shrewd personality with a head for business and a deep sense of humour. Yellow houses sell well to like minded people!
Green – Green is the colour of harmony and balance. Green symbolises hope and peace and would possibly appeal to a female more than a male when negotiating a business transaction! Houses decorated in green usually contain modest yet patient inhabitants who will wait until their price is met before accepting an offer.
Blue – Shades of blue represent conservatism and deliberation. You will never get a quick decision from a person who has painted their house blue, and the closer to purple the shade of blue is (i.e. lavender), the more authoritive they believe themselves to be. People painting their homes turquoise are normally confused!
Brown – Brown symbolises durability, stamina and patience. Although not very exciting, a brown painted exterior indicates reliability and responsibility – you can be sure that the interior of the home is going to be in immaculate condition. Brown house sellers are often inflexible with their asking price.
Black – People who paint the exterior of their properties in black are dignified without being ostentatious. Expect the interior of a property to be minimalistic and possibly a better bet for homebuyers would be to aim for a house painted in grey – which at least shows a degree of compromise.
Before you dash out to find a painter in London who is prepared to paint your house in green and yellow stripes, consider not only how that would look in the area in which you live, but also who your potential market is. If you live in a predominantly conservative area, a blue front door will be more appealing than a red one to a potential buyer, but in a well-to-do area, black doors and window frames may have more appeal to those who like their privacy.
It may not be what the exterior colour of your home says about you that is so important, but what it means to the person who is buying it!
Lead Image courtesy of: Flickr user Team Dalog. Original image