UPDATE:
Due to the high number of requests we are not able to continue doing full house paint color renderings as listed below. I know some people really need help so instead I am offering an intense Zoom consultation for paint colors etc.
The difference is that we will render only a portion of your house showing you various colors on your monitor instead of email.
Rates are $140 an hour.
I am sorry about this and unfortunately I am not able to recommend anyone. In your search please be sure that the person has historic preservation and architectural background both. Many people can choose colors but the placement is what is important – even for a new contemporary style house. Here is your one and only resource to do it yourself.
Please read the following carefully. Our Paint Color Consulting service will prevent your home from looking like all the others. Let us bring your home to life with proper color selection and placement. Understanding the architecture, the style and period of a house, and what features need to be what colors can be the difference between a home with amazing curb appeal and one that looks cheap and structurally off balance. Make your home look its best, save time, and save money in just a few simple steps! Painting your house is expensive so do it right the first time. Beauty is NOT in the eyes of the beholder but shapes in architecture such as rectangular windows are what effects our inner senses and the correct color placement allows these shapes to be recognized and enjoyed.Complete the form at the bottom of the page to get started
See your house in all these colors.
Choosing Exterior Colors
Choosing exterior historic paint colors for your house is not easy. If you need hand-holding, we can do that. Our paint color consulting service makes it a lot easier. We show you photos of your house in various house color schemes and period paint colors as if it were actually painted. We do NOT use colored pencils or gimmicky paint color visualizers as others do. Check out new and historic paint colors samples of our work here .
Historic Paint Colors and Exterior House Color Schemes – Hand in Hand with Architecture
Color is all around us. It adds excitement and emotion to our lives. From something as insignificant as the color of your shirt to something important like your house, paint colors, stimulate our senses and affect our mood and emotions.
Exterior house color schemes play a critical role due to the large expanse of “canvas” you have and the large impact it makes in your neighborhood. Your house color choices affect the senses of everyone passing by. This is why the process of choosing paint colors for homes is crucial. There are paint colors that work together and those that work against each other.
There are exterior house color schemes that over the course of history were popular in certain architectural styles or during certain periods of history. We have a library of historic paint colors for homes that will suite every style and period of house. You will also have access to original paint brochures for each year so you can see what colors were offered.
Avoid Color Placement Mistakes
What is most important to the appearance of paint colors for homes is COLOR PLACEMENT . I can’t stress this enough!
There are certain structural features on a house which need to be displayed correctly to give your home the appearance it was designed to have. To accomplish this, the paint colors you choose must be placed on your house in the right locations to work together with the form and structure of the building.
This is where most people fail when having their house painted. Seriously 9.5 out of 10 houses have color placement wrong. They may have chosen the most beautiful exterior house color schemes that work very well together, but if placement of these colors on the house do not follow the architectural form of the building, it will make it look off balance. I plan to write a book on this for there is a lot of information.
Most architectural errors are realized by our subconscious mind, but few of us have the time to really notice any disharmony.
Our Virtual Paint Color Consulting Service
We offer this service for mostly old but new homes too. This service is EXCLUSIVELY for homeowners and business owners that demonstrate pride in ownership and a respect for historic architecture (providing your home is historic). With our paint color consulting service we will help you select an exterior house color scheme that will be appropriate for the style, age and setting of your contemporary or historic home and also reflect your taste if appropriate for your house.
We promise to guide you to make your house look like the best house on the block. If your house does not currently have the ability for the best curb appeal we must decline your project but will explain what needs to be done to achieve the best curb appeal.
We offer two options:
Full Rendering Service – NO LONGER AVAILABLE
The full front of your house will be rendered. With this you will not only see numerous color schemes on the photo of your house but you will also see how correct color placement improves the beauty of your house.
The cost for this paint color consulting service starts at $425.00 for the most basic house and increases based on house size, details on the house and details in front of the house, trees in front, stuff on the porch, etc. An average price is about $475-575. Some houses can be in the $800 range. Prices are usually lower November-January.
Zoom Consultations $140/hour – new and better and less costly option.
For qualified homeowners, this service is similar to the Rendering Service but all work is performed in front of you. Due to the short amount of time only a small section of your house is rendered. Color placement is explained, your house is critiqued, and questions are answered. Paint color options are shown on a part of your house at this time. This is an intense meeting that is recorded for you to play back at home.
IMPORTANT !!!Photograph Guidelines: The photograph you submit will have a dramatic impact on the finished project. Please read our guidelines before submitting the form. If you would like a quote I would need to see a large sized image over 2 megs to do so. If the photo is bad you will NOT be notified.
Click here to read Photo guidelines
Please check your photos for size and clarity before contacting me. Pride of ownership must be demonstrated – please no trash cans in front of the house or junk on the porch. (Those undergoing restoration excused) I am sorry but I am extremely busy and do not have the time to respond to homes lacking pride of ownership. Thanks!
Full rendering service below is currently not available
Step 1: Project Details and Price Quote
Complete the form to the right and attach a large format (2 megs) photo of the front of your house (see link above for instructions) taken straight on with minimal shadows. We will provide you with a basic critique of your home and if your house is accepted we will provide a no-obligation price quote for our exterior color consulting and/or makeover service. We will get back to you within 2 business days with a firm honest critique of your house and a quote for your project. If you are not interested in a critique and what can be done to improve curb appeal our service is not for you. Additional photos can be submitted later if needed.
Step 2: Image Preparation
To prepare the images we must remove the existing color and meticulously outline every feature. Color placement is corrected and we can also add new doors, windows, curtains, shades, and shutters etc. during this step but must know this at the beginning.
Step 3: Choosing the New Colors
This we will do together. I will first send you renderings of your house showing your house with my top recommended colors based on the style and period of your home along with a more detailed critique on how the best curb appeal can be achieved. When working on your house I may notice repair issues you may not be aware of and will include them in my critique report. I will also send you our custom color charts to inspire you to select other color combinations you may like along with a pdf with 30 plus pages of information to help you better understand your house and color and things you probably never thought of that you should know. The renderings will show how different colors and shades affect your home’s appearance and feel. Proper color placement and contrast can really make an impact on curb appeal.
There is no limit on the samples you can get and we will work with you by email or/and phone until you are satisfied with your colors. This rendering phase is for 30 days. I use Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams colors and will provide the info for you to see the color swatch. If this is not your thing, we are accustomed to and happy to hold your hand. If there is something you choose that is not right we will let you know and keep working until we find an alternative.
Sample of our custom paint color chart.
Step 4: Color Placement
Our color rendering will make it easy for your painter to follow. If there are areas in the back of your house or on your garage you are unsure of color placement, we will send you enlargements of certain areas or color placement maps.
Our Policy
We welcome all old and new houses and will provide a home assessment on what you can do to get the best possible curb appeal for your house. Your house is our priority – not your money. Our guiding principal is to improve the aesthetic and historic integrity of every house. Sometimes this might not align with what the homeowner desires. We will try to educate and guide the homeowner to understand this perspective. We will be completely honest as we critique your house which may not be what you would like to hear. Our standards will assure the best possible curb appeal. If the homeowner’s desires is detrimental to the integrity of the house, we will decline such projects. Your house is our priority, the homeowner is our second.
