Earlier this year I received a call from a new Atlanta homeowner who needed the help of a color consultant. The remodeling was almost done, but he couldn’t decide on paint colors for both interior and exterior. Here is what I found when I arrived that day:
Salmon Exterior – Before
While this “salmon” exterior works well with the unchanging elements of the home — primarily the roof and stone — it was time for an update. I mean, who wants their home to be known as “the pink one”?
As we began the color consultation, the homeowner informed me that he had already met with one designer who tried to steer him in a direction he didn’t want to take. See below:
Exterior Palette #1
People often ask me, “Patsy, how do you go about selecting exterior paint colors?” Here is the process:
- Take note of the “look and feel” of the subdivision or area.
- Notice the colors of the houses on either side. The home I’m working on should not be a duplicate of either of those color palettes.
- Ask the homeowner what direction he/she would like to take. In the end, it’s his home and he should be happy with paint color selections.
- Always work from the unchanging elements of the home. You may have seen colors on a home down the street that look fabulous, but will those colors work with your brick, your stone and your roof?
- Finally, working from color palettes, look for the best blend of hues to marry the unchanging elements of the home.
While the sample colors painted on the windowsill and body in the photo above were not bad choices, they simply were not the direction the homeowner wanted to take. (Refer to point #3 above.) He was looking for something much warmer and more inviting. So what did we select? (Please notice I said “we.” I am not there to “dictate” colors to my clients, but to guide them through the process and prevent them from making costly mistakes along the way.)
After – (SW6128) Blonde
Isn’t this lovely? Since the homeowner knew where he wanted to go all along, it was simply a matter of finding the right hue of “sunshine” for his home. The body is Sherwin-Williams 6128 “Blonde” and the trim, SW6126 “Navajo White.”
The moral of the story is this: always listen to your client. Determine the direction he wants to take, then gently guide him toward making the best choices. If he’s headed in the wrong direction, explain why that’s not the way to go; but in the end, it’s his home. He must be happy with the color selections. In this case, the homeowner knew he didn’t want the dark, brownish gray body the first consultant tried to steer him toward, but was very pleased with the results of the “honey” hues.
Credit: “Before” shots taken by Mallory Pearson, who was assisting me that day. Thank you, Mallory!
If you are having trouble selecting paint colors for your home, either interior or exterior, call Patsy, your Atlanta color consultant, today! 770-843-2307
If you want your home to glow, the colors to flow and the clutter to go, call Patsy Overton Interiors. 770-843-2307 Accredited, Licensed, Insured