Window shutters were a familiar sight back in the day. They were used mainly to protect windows from the outside elements. Today, though, shutters are almost purely for aesthetic purposes. If your home already has window shutters, they provide an excellent opportunity to change the appearance of your home and enhance its curb appeal without spending a grand.
House painting in Pleasanton is a relatively quick, easy, and cost-effective way to change the look of your shutters and, ultimately, the look of your home. You can paint your shutters with the same color as your siding for a harmonious look, or you may want to make a strong statement by painting your shutters with a contrasting color.
Whatever choice you make, keep in mind that the right shutter color should work well with the rest of your home and, at least, not upset your neighbors.
Tips on choosing shutter colors
The following suggestions can help you choose the right paint color for your shutters.
Tip no. 1 – Look at your home’s exterior colors.
Your home usually consists of three color elements – the base, trim, and accents, with shutters being the accents. These are the components that make up your home’s color scheme.
The color for your shutter should not compete with the existing colors of your siding (the base) and trim. Rather, the shutter color should complement them. Being an accent, your shutter may blend with the rest of your home or provide your home with a nice pop of contrasting color. So, keeping the exterior colors in mind will help you choose the right shutter color.
Tip no. 2 – Look at your home’s architectural style
When choosing your shutter color, you should also factor in your home’s architectural style. Is your home’s architectural style traditional and classic or contemporary and modern? For example, black or dark brown shutters are ideal for traditional white homes. Classic red brick homes are more versatile – you can choose either bright or dark colors for the shutters to complement the rest of your brick home.
Tip no. 3 – Look at your window trim colors
You should also look at your window trim as another basis for choosing the right shutter color. Since the shutters and trim belong to the same window, paint your shutters the same color as your window trim to ensure that the colors won’t clash.
Also, painting your shutters with the same color as your window trim will make your windows look larger. Choosing matching colors will make your window trim and shutters look like one piece.
Tip no. 4 – Take a walk around the neighborhood and observe their homes
We have mentioned not upsetting your neighbors when choosing a shutter color. Taking a walk around the neighborhood and looking at their homes can be a great way to derive shutter color inspiration and ideas. Observe the color schemes used on your neighbor’s homes, and you may use their look to help you pick the right colors for your shutters.
Tip no. 5 – Check your HOA rules and regulations
It’s also a good idea to check your HOA regulations before picking shutter colors. There may be guidelines that you must comply with or board-approved color palette options to choose from.
That way, you can come up with the right shutter color that will help make your home stand out without clashing with the other homes in your neighborhood.
Tip no. 6 – Consider the natural light and your home’s positioning
Since the shutters are part of your home’s exterior, you know they will be seeing lots of natural light. Observe how your shutters will look when natural light falls down on them at different times of the day. In general, your shutters will look lighter when fully exposed to sunlight. Depending on how your home is positioned, its facade will look at its brightest when exposed to the morning, mid-afternoon, or afternoon sun. So, you should keep this in mind when choosing your shutter color.
Frequently asked questions about shutter colors
The following is a set of frequently asked questions – and their corresponding answers – about choosing shutter colors:
1) “Do my shutters have to match trim?”
Trim and accent are two of the three elements that make up your home’s color scheme. Since shutters are considered an accent, you don’t have to match the two.
The number 3 tip mentioned earlier – matching your shutter color with the existing color of your trim – is just a suggestion if you want your windows to appear larger. Otherwise, you can choose any color for your shutter as long as it complements the trim and does not clash with it.
2) “Do my shutters have to match the front door?”
The front door is the focal point of a home. So, the front door is where you should play with color, especially if you want to make a strong statement.
That is not to say that you shouldn’t play with colors on your shutters. But since the front door is usually the first thing that guests, neighbors, or passersby will see, you want it to stand out by choosing a bolder or richer color. On the other hand, the shutters should take a “backseat” with a neutral or muted color.
But if you want your shutters to become the focal point of your home, use a bold color for them and a neutral color for the front door.
Whatever route you choose, the bottom line here is that the shutters do not have to match the front door.
3) “What is the right color for my shutters?”
There is no single “right” color for your shutters. The choice of your shutter color will depend on various factors. It’s a good idea to go through the following questions:
- What are your home’s exterior colors?
- What is your home’s architectural style?
- What is your home’s siding made of? (Wood, brick, metal, stone, concrete, etc.)
- What do your neighbor’s homes look like?
- What is your favorite color? (Everyone has a favorite color)
- Do you want your windows to appear larger?
- Do you want your shutter color to blend or contrast with the rest of your house? (Lighter colors will make your home appear larger, while darker colors will provide contrast and definition)
- Does your HOA have guidelines regarding shutter colors?
Going through the list of questions and giving each of them an appropriate answer will help you narrow down the color choices for your window shutters.
When doing house painting in Pleasanton, give your shutters a new color. It is a great way to refresh the look of your home, add charm to it, enhance its curb appeal, and even potentially increase its value. See how selecting a new color for your shutters can make a big difference to your home’s exterior!
