As we mentioned at the end of our previous post, we are fast approaching the last chance to think about exterior decoration. The dry, crisp weather, that we so often get in September, makes it the perfect month for painting outside. Shortly after this, temperatures don't usually get warm enough to allow the paint to cure as effectively, and that's even if the rain stays away!
Our homes reflect who we are so it's no great surprise that, whether we live in a rose-clad cottage, a traditional Victorian terrace or a sleek, urban new-build, we want the outside of our homes to look fantastic.
The front door is usually the focal point of any house so finding the perfect paint will put you well on course to transforming your house into a home that warms your heart each and every time you return.
The difficulty is that there are so many thousands of paint colours to choose from. It can be hard to know where to begin. That's where we'd love to help. We hope that this post will give you an inkling of the kind of advice we can give you in Relics of Witney Limited, so if you're feeling thoroughly muddled then do stop by or email us.
We suggest that you start off by looking at houses you admire. Walk around your neighbourhood: is there a particular look that many of the houses are aspiring to? Is this an image that you'd like for your home? Are you the kind of person that likes to blend in with the good taste of others or do you prefer to stand out from the crowd?
Search out books, websites, blogs and magazines that show different styles of curb appeal. Turn downs corners in interior books, bookmark your favourite sites and rip out pages of magazines. Doing this will begin to give you an idea of the feel you would like for your home. It may feel like pointless vandalism at first but a pattern will slowly but surely begin to emerge of the style that most reflects your taste.
It's a good plan to look at the architectural aspects that you can't change about your home, before you begin to focus on what you can: roof tiles, steps and building materials, for instance. These features will tend to have an underlying hue in common, veering towards warm or cool, which will be a start in leading you in the right direction for your final choice.
For example, if your house is red brick with brown roof tiles then warmer colours may look better. Whereas if your house is built using Cotswold stone, with a slate roof, then muted colours will tend to fit in more naturally.
Your front door doesn't need to be a perfect match for any one element but, in order to create a unified effect, consider colours from the same end of the spectrum.
The next point to consider is the orientation of your house. The more sunlight that the door receives throughout the day, the more the colour will fade, so it may be worth considering a paler colour, if you want minimum upkeep.
Conversely, sunlight makes colours appear much lighter than they might inside a house. If your heart is set on a more intense colour then pick paint in several shades darker than the hue you have in mind.
In our next post, we'll be revealing our favourite choices for front doors. What are yours?
Images via neosnaps, Slatters cottage, Papers Paints, La Fattina, neosnaps, Mesquite Real Estate, Glassier, Thirty Two Ltd, Eddie Ross, Relics of Witney Limited
