• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Interiors Addict

Heart Your Home

@interiorsaddict on Instagram   @interiorsaddict on Facebook   @interiorsaddict on Pinterest  
Subscribe
  • Job Board
  • About
  • Before & Afters
  • RENO ADDICT
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Kids Rooms
  • Bedrooms
  • Living Room
  • Shopping
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipes
  • Parenting
  • Travel
Interiors Addict
  • Job Board
  • About
    • Our Story

      Australia’s largest interior design, styling and renovation blog for the everyday Aussie. By former journalist and magazine editor Jen Bishop, the original interiors addict!
      READ MORE

      We’re big on Instagram!
      @interiorsaddict

      • About
      • Contact Interiors Addict
      • Work with Interiors Addict
      • Advertise / Find a job in Interiors
      • Press
      • Get Your Free Ebook

        This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • By Room
    • Browse by Room

      Where you can search for all our posts about a specific room. Only interested in kitchens and bathrooms? We got you!

      • Kitchens
      • Bathrooms
      • Kids Rooms
      • Bedrooms
      • Living Room
      • Home Office
      • Dining
      • Laundry
      • Outdoor & Exteriors
      • Renting
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • Before & Afters
    • Before & Afters

      Who doesn’t LOVE a good before & after? If you want to be inspired by the whole reno process, and not just the shiny photos at the end, this is the place for you!

      View Articles

      • Before & Afters
      • Jen’s reno
      • Real Renos
      • RENO ADDICT
    • TheBlock2023-jbcompetition-3Drender-after-jameshardie-13Tired brick home? Win a facade makeover with Block architect!
    • AFTERKitchen and bathroom updates extend the life of Sydney home
  • Reno Addict
    • RENO ADDICT

      Looking for reno inspo? Find it all here, from other people’s projects to the latest trends, tools and products, whether you’re DIY-ing or employing trades.

      View articles

      • Reno Products
      • The Block
      • DIY
      • Reno Trends
      • Before & Afters
      • Real Renos
    • Screen Shot 2023-09-29 at 1.13.32 pmJames Treble shares own home renovation in new online show
    • Dining and loungeMasterchef contestant’s family home gets the designer touch
  • Shopping
    • Shopping

      Want to know where to buy the latest furniture, homewares, rugs, art and more? We’re always sharing our latest finds and telling you where you can buy them.

      View Articles

      • Furniture
      • Homewares
      • Art
      • Smart Home
      • Appliances
      • Reno Products
    • Screen Shot 2023-09-25 at 11.42.22 amBe more eco-friendly with candles housed in recycled wine bottles
    • 4473037a-ef84-4db1-8449-e15b219e2cebJen’s best ways to cosy up your interior
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      While Jen’s a legitimate interiors addict, she’s no design professional, so she calls on an army of the country’s best to share their expertise with you. Be inspired by their stories too!

      View Articles

      • Decorating 101
      • Interviews
      • Expert Tips
      • Before & Afters
      • House Tours
      • Designers
      • Styling
      • Renovating
      • Real Renos
      • Covet my coffee table
    • Haymes Paint Heritage HuesHaymes Paint latest collection like a ‘colour hug’
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle

      We’re mostly about the home but Jen also likes to share other things she thinks you’ll love, like food and travel.

      • Recipes
      • Travel
      • Parenting
    • Penne-Alla-VodkaFoodie Friday: Penne alla vodka (dairy free & vegan)
    • Palazzo Segretti design roomDream holiday? Check out this design lovers’ tour to Milan
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our job board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

How to pick the right exterior colour for your home

By Guest Poster •

FacebookPinEmailTweet

By Naomi Findlay

Have you ever walked past a house and thought, “what were they thinking when they chose that colour?!”.

Your design taste is on show before anyone even steps foot inside your house; it begins on the kerbside. Inside, you have the freedom to express your personality and creativity in each and every room, but your outside colours should highlight the most beautiful features of your home while getting along with everyone else’s.

Before you pick up that paint brush, here are a few tips to ensure your neighbours aren’t running to detox their eyes from a particularly offensive shade of baby blue.

Image: desiretoinspire.net

Take cues from the architecture

Your exterior colour palette should feel appropriate to the style of your home – be it a Californian bungalow, Queenslander, Art Deco or modern duplex. Draw on the unique architectural elements – such as the character, details, textures and original colours – to showcase the history of your home.

You can choose to go against the grain, but historically accurate colours will not only enhance the street appeal of your home, they will also enhance resale value. That doesn’t mean you have to adhere to strict historical guidelines (unless your council specifies it), but a Mediterranean colour palette on a Victorian terrace will just look jarring.

Use existing elements

Unless you are planning a major exterior renovation, you should always take the existing details and materials of your home into consideration. Work with the current colour and texture of the roof, driveway and stonework, as these are the hardest (and most expensive) to change. For example, some bricks are a deep red, others a bluish brown; coordinate paint so that it matches the undertones of those materials. If the bricks are warm, stay warm!

Image: metricon.com.au

Blend in with the environment

The colours of the natural greenery and surrounding landscape should harmonise with the exterior colours of your home – there’s a reason Hamptons style colour palettes work so well in coastal locations! Coastal homes take inspiration from the sand, water and sky with soft shades of white, tan, blue and yellow.

The same thing applies with neighbouring homes. Most home exteriors are neutral for a reason. Your community most likely has some sort of colour scheme already in place; find the balance between being unique in your selection and blending in beautifully with the other homes on your street.

Choose three different shades

Think of your exterior colour scheme as three pieces of a puzzle that come together to form one beautiful façade. Your main colour choice should cover (and complement) the brick/timber/render. Ideally, the windows, railings and roof edgings should contrast against the main colour. If that main colour is a dark grey, then a stark white will frame the home beautifully (or vice versa).

The front door is your opportunity to add a dash of personality and flair to an otherwise understated colour scheme. Just make sure that if you do choose to paint the front door a plum purple, you keep it confined to the door – there’s a difference between creating a little ‘oomph’ and having your home look like a life-sized doll house.

Image: insideout.com.au

Try before you buy

Never rely on paint swatches alone. Colour shades can vary significantly from the way they appear on a swatch (Jen recently learnt that the hard way– luckily it was just an interior space!). Painting the whole exterior of your home and then realising it was the wrong colour with be a very time-consuming – and expensive – exercise.

Also, remember that different paints come in different finishes – the main ones being high gloss, semi-gloss, satin and flat – which can alter the way the colours you choose will look.

Buy a sample pot and test it on an inconspicuous area. See how it looks in different types of light and under different weather conditions. This way you can determine whether you’ll be happy with the choice for years to come.

If you’re still stuck on choosing the right colours, consider asking the advice of a colour consultant – check out this budget makeover to see how handy a colour stylist can be!

—–Australia’s rapid renovation expert, Naomi Findlay is an internationally renowned renovator, award-winning property stylist and speaker. She’s an industry leader in creating healthy wealthy spaces and creating wealth and profit from renovating property. Learn more about Naomi.

FacebookPinEmailTweet

September 6, 2017

Primary Sidebar

Popular This Week

  • Kyle and Leslie's living room Featuring in The Block ‘disaster’ room pays off for artist
  • Australian kitchen dimensions: standard sizes for every last detail
  • At home with Bohemian Traders’ Emily Berlach on the Central Coast
  • Palette Cam 15 apps to help you build your dream home
  • The best places to buy Australian bed linen online

Follow us on Instagram

Think you can't have a gorgeous plush white sofa l Think you can't have a gorgeous plush white sofa like these for practical reasons?

WRONG!

These stylish and super comfortable options from @jameslanedesign all have removable slipcovers, some which attach with Velcro for extra ease of taking them on and off. And you can even choose a polyester, viscose and linen blend or 100% linen. And chuck them in the wash at home! There's even an ivory boucle version with fully removable and dry cleanable covers!

And in good news for those in apartments, smaller homes or with tight entries or stairs, two of these are modular which makes moving them is a breeze.

So you CAN have it all! Hoorah!

Do you have a white sofa? Would you get one with removable and washable covers? 

Let's face it, a white sofa is a classic!

Read more about these James Lane sofas on the blog now via homepage link in bio.

#whitesofa #whitesofas #whitesofa #whitelounge #whitecouch #whitecouches #slipcover #slipcovers #slipcoversofa #slipcoveredsofa #slipcovered #slipcoveredfurniture #bouclesofa #whiteboucle #jameslane #jameslanedesign
They've long been a household name for their quali They've long been a household name for their quality and stylish taps but now @phoenixtapware have added sinks to their kitchen repertoire!

There's something for all tastes and budgets (matte white or black, brushed black and stainless steel). Find out more via link in bio now.

What colours your kitchen sink? I'd love to know!

#kitchensink #kitchensinks #everythingbutthekitchensink #kitchenmixers #kitchenmixer #kitchentap #kitchentaps #kitchenbench #kitchendesigner #kitchenpalette #kitchenstyles #phoenixtapware #phoenixtaps #tapware #kitchentapware #kitchentrends
Eliza and Liberty's (first pic) was my fave en sui Eliza and Liberty's (first pic) was my fave en suite on #theblock last night. How about you?

Swipe through to see the rest and head to the blog via homepage link in bio to see who did what, what they scored and my picks to shop the look. There was a lot to like if you ask me! And a few fails....

#theblockroomreveals #blockshopper #ensuitedesign #ensuitebathrooms #ensuite #masterensuite #roomreveal #showerscreen #bathroomvanities #bathroomlighting
First time EVER I've woken up at home without thes First time EVER I've woken up at home without these two here (since they were born anyway!) and I don't mind admitting I don't like it one bit!

They had their first ever sleepover at their grandparents last night and I'm ITCHING to go and get them! 

Cute outfits for their uncle's wedding yesterday. They scored a first class new auntie in @annoobie_ now official ❤️ Congratulations Dom and Anh.
Did somebody say spring?! 🌼 🌱 ❤️ Here's Did somebody say spring?! 🌼 🌱 ❤️

Here's our @amycollinswalker's picks from the gorgeous new ranges at @linen_house 

All the details on the homepage now via link in bio.

This is giving me Christmas table inspo. How do you decorate your Christmas table? Growing up in the UK it was always traditional green and red but here I go all out fresh and summery!

#springdecor #springdecorating #springdecorations #springdecoration #springdining #springtablescape #springlinen #springbedroom #ginghamcushions #gingham #linenhouse #linenaddict #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #tablelinen #tablecloths
Colour hug, anyone?! A collaboration with design Colour hug, anyone?!

A collaboration with design studio Nexus Designs, this palette from the new @haymespaint colour forecast is perfect for those looking to create a tranquil environment and has a particular focus on darker shades.

“Inspired by the qualities of an intimate reading room, confident and expressive colours such as Florida Everglade have a muted depth that embody this. Balanced and subtle, it’s also invigorating and luscious. Through all over application, paired with contemporary furniture and styling, this colour and the broader palette plays with tactility, translucency, reflection, and form,” says Myra Murtagh of Nexus. 

See the rest of the colour forecast, include collabs with @adairs and TikTok favourites @joshandmattdesign on the blog homepage now, via link in bio.

#haymespaint #colourforecast #painttrends #colourtrends #paintcolours #paintcolors #darkwalls #readingroom #moodywalls #moodyinteriors #interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Featuring in a Block "disaster" room nevertheless Featuring in a Block "disaster" room nevertheless paid off for artist @adoni.art 

Slammed for being too small, @kyleandleslie's living room was otherwise praised by the judges for being beautifully styled.

"In terms of using it as a marketing platform it’s been amazing," he said. "Even for people who don’t follow the show it’s validation that they are following an artist that’s levelling up. The exposure has translated to sales, traffic and attention and it’s everything I wanted because I’m about to launch a new collection.”

Read our chat with Adoni and see more of his gorgeous work via link in bio now.

Have you ever bought something you saw on the Block?

#theblockroomreveals #theblock #theblock2023 #affordableart #affordableartaustralia #affordableartonline #australianartist #australianart #livingroomart #livingroomstyle #livingroomideas #smalllivingroom #adoniart #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #blockshopper
Real reno: How's this for a luxe bathroom?! Natas Real reno: How's this for a luxe bathroom?!

Natasha from QLD recently finished a major reno of her Queenslander and this is her favourite room of all. We can see why!

She used @beaumont.tiles  Lux Calcutta slabs in gloss the wall and matt for the floor.

 "We have infused a Hamptons style whilst still remaining true to the traditions of old Queenslanders," she said. "Our bathroom is north west facing and captures such great morning light. We wrapped the cabinetry all the way along the vanity for ease of access for the bath, towels and accessories. We tiled all the way to the ceiling to create a more luxurious space. It's my favourite room in the house!"

#ichosebeaumonts #beaumonttiles #tiles #bathroomtile #bathroomtiling #hamptonsbathroom #queenslanderrenovation #queenslanderbathroom #luxurybathroom #australianbathroom #australianbathrooms #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Block kitchen week is always a goodie and we got 5 Block kitchen week is always a goodie and we got 5 very different looks last night which was great!

One question that kept coming up was just how important is the butler's pantry? Love to hear your thoughts. Do you have one? And which was your favourite last night? Please share in the comments.

Head to the blog via link in bio to find out who won and what the judges said. 

#theblock #theblockshop #blockshopper #theblockroomreveals #kitchenweek #kitchenpalette #kitchencabinetry #kitchenstyles
Follow on Instagram
Visit Jen's profile on Pinterest.

Get Your Free Ebook

Ebook cover

Never miss the latest renovating and interiors products, news and inspo again! Sign up for our newsletter and we'll send you the best bits from the blog, direct to your inbox. Plus you'll get our latest eBook: Just One Thing To Elevate Your Interior, featuring Australia's top design talent.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Avatar

About Guest Poster

If you have high quality, original, relevant content to share, we might be interested in publishing your guest post on Interiors Addict. Please email [email protected] with your submissions.

More from Expert Tips

Stylist’s five top tips for your outdoor space

Stylist and Blockhead Kara’s tips for AirBnB hosts

Aesthetics and the impact on wellbeing in an early school

Dulux 'Muse' palette

2024 Dulux Colour Forecast predicts rich hues for Aussie homes

Professional organiser Anita Birges shares tips to spark joy

Jen’s best ways to cosy up your interior

Victory Blinds

Bedroom mistakes: Common styling errors and how to avoid them

5 expert ideas to refresh your home for spring

The best value range from Beaumonts to keep tiling costs down

Footer

Interiors Addict

Interiors Addict

  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Jen
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy

Browse

  • RENO ADDICT
  • Jen’s Reno
  • House Tours
  • Real Renos
  • Interviews
  • Styling
  • Designers
  • Bedrooms
  • Covet My Coffee Table
  • Expert Tips
  • The Block
  • Art
  • Furniture
  • Recipes

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RENO ADDICT

Copyright © 2011–2023 Addicted Media Pty Ltd
Website care by ClickWP · Log in

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!