As we enter 2024, revitalising the exterior of your home with a fresh colour scheme not only makes a strong first impression for visitors, it also can increase street appeal - ultimately adding value to your home.
To fuel your design thinking, Dulux product and colour experts have developed a host of helpful tips which can be easily applied to any architecturally styled home to make the decision-making process more seamless and result in a cohesive, design-forward exterior.
Exterior colour selection is a personal choice and often hinges on other existing elements that your home has, such as exposed brick, roofing, downpipes, fascia, gutters, window awnings, decking and stone.
“Understanding if the existing material’s colour undertones are warm or cool, or throw a specific colour, is vital to ensure that the paint colour scheme works harmoniously. These relate to the exterior elements that cannot be changed easily.” Dulux colour and communications manager Andrea Lucena-Orr says.
“You don’t want to mimic your neighbours’ colour choices, but of course, you want to work with the streetscape. Once this is determined, select colours that you are drawn to that will work with other elements and features of your home’s exterior.”
Andrea says that whilst neutrals are the perfect base for exterior colour trends, there’s been a shift to darker colours including near blacks like Dulux Teahouse, Leadman, Domino, Colorbond Night Sky or Colorbond Monument being used monochromatically to create impact, moodiness and drama.
“Conversely, for homeowners who are inclined to use lighter neutrals for material contrast, there has been a shift away from crisp whites to warmer greiges, such as Dulux Dieskau, Winter Fog, Silver Tea Set and Tranquil Retreat,” she says.
While colour plays a vital role in your home’s exterior design, the importance of product selection cannot be understated. Dulux Weathershield delivers long-life protection, a chosen product used for over ten years by over 250 Surf Life Saving Clubs across Australia who are exposed to the harshest weather conditions -from the scorching hot afternoon sun, pacific winds to sea salt sprays.
“Salts from sea spray can enter building materials through pores and cracks and can cause parts of stonework or render to crumble,” Dulux Exterior brand manager Brittney Gardiner says.
Dulux Weathershield is formulated with MaxiFlex Technology to expand and contract with the surface painted on, meaning resistant to peeling, flaking or blistering.
“Putting a Dulux colour into a Dulux product will avoid a lower quality finish, performance or colour outcome, which can happen with mixing and matching tints and brands,” Brittany says.
“Always ensure that you use Dulux sample pots to test your shortlist of colours on your home’s exterior. Choosing a colour under different lighting conditions can result in an exterior that looks different than expected.”
Achieving the right look and selecting colours can be daunting; these Dulux Weathershield exterior colour scheme tips simplify the painting process allowing homeowners to achieve the perfect exterior look without fear of making a costly colour mistake.
