Help Us With Choosing House Paint Colours

It can be difficult choosing house paint colours. There are quite a few points to consider and it is not just about choosing a colour you like. So we would love to hear your thoughts on the paint we should get for our container house project!

Considerations When Choosing House Paint Colours

Weather

The weather where the house is situated can have an impact on the colour you might choose for your house. Do you live in a hot area and want your house to look like a cool oasis? Then you would choose a “cool” colour (blues and greens). Do you live in a cool area and want your house to be an inviting warm haven? Then you’d choose warm colours (yellows and oranges). Perhaps you’d prefer your house to blend into the surroundings, in which case you might choose a colour similar to the soil in the area or inspired by the natural vegetation .

Darker colours can also absorb heat and make a house in a warm area hotter than it needs to be. Lighter colours can, in turn, reflect heat and make your house cooler. But there are always those colours that prove to be the exception to the rule.

Dark blue for example, is a dark colour that would theoretically absorb heat. However, it is a “cool” colour, so the impact of heat absorption is not such a worry.

Quality

Most paint sold these days are of a rather high standard, but some are not. A good thing to look for is the longevity according to the manufacturer. Paint with a longer lifespan is likely to cost a bit more. Do your maths as the labour to repaint the house will likely cost more than the price difference in a better quality paint.

Pigment

One last point to consider is the colour pigment itself. Off-the-shelf colours have the pigments added while the paint is being manufactured. They tend to be popular choices with many people and are a set price. If you have a particular colour in mind, chances are that you will have to have it mixed to order at your supplier. This will increase the price of the paint.

A dark colour could contain a lot of pigment which might affect the sticking power of the paint. Too much pigment can result in a paint that can easily brush off once dried.

Choosing Our House Paint Colours

With all the above in mind, it is likely that we will choose a good quality, off-the-shelf exterior paint for the container house project. But, it’s lots of fun considering all the colours that we could paint our house if there were no limitations.

Using a graphics programme, we drew an “artist’s impression” of our completed house and played around with colour ideas. We used the South Side of the house for our impression because it gives a good view of the roof, although this side is not the front of the house.

Blue?

We also asked a group of our friends for their ideas of colours. Surprisingly, one colour that is very popular at the moment both online, and among our friends, was dark blue. Not only that, but we saw a house painted in dark blue not so long ago. Very stylish – we like it.

Herewith our artist’s impression of the container house in dark blue:

Choosing House Paint Colours artist's impression dark blue — Please excuse the people sitting on the roof

We love the blue. I think this more unusual colour lends itself well to the unusual design. However, it is unlikely that we will be able to paint our house this colour. It is one of the pricier options.

Green?

After some thought, we also came to the conclusion that as much as we like the blue, a different colour might suit the area better. It is hot and dry in summer so most of the scenery is in yellows, browns and olive greens over the summer months. We thought it might be nice to go with an olive green. This colour could be very effective too.

These two colours were our favourites from the few that we played around with. We are currently collecting off-the-shelf paint swatches from the various manufacturers and a final decision is yet to be made. But now we want to hear from you!