Owners of historical homes know that choosing paint colors is really a nerve-wracking and crucial decision. Ready-mix paints have been available because the middle the main nineteenth century and from that time property owners have had to select their colors without really understanding how their finished home will look. After all, a two inch paint chip looks quite different from a 3,000 square foot house!
In a trip to New England within the 1840s, famed novelist Charles Dickens commented, "All the buildings looked as though they'd been painted that morning ... Every home is the whitest of white; every shutter may be the greenest of green."
If you have a mature home and wish to choose colors apart from green and white, here are some guidelines"
1. Light colors "advance" a house while dark colors make it "recede". Which means that lighter shades will make your house appear larger and nearer to the road, while darker shades help your house be seem smaller and further away. If you want your house to blend in and be less noticeable, therefore, a darker hue is best.
2. Light dramatically affects how colors appear to the human eye. In cooler climates the sunshine is diffused and bold colors are intensified. In southern climates, the harsher, brighter sunlight will cause pale tints to appear washed out.
3. If you want your gutters and downspouts to be less noticeable, paint them the same color since the house.
4. Make sure any mildew troubles are solved before painting. Test suspicious spots with household bleach and when they change color, you definitely possess a mildew problem.
5. Moisture problems must be eliminated before painting. If they are not, water will ruin every splash of paint.
6. Some paint manufacturers offer color 'families' to simplify choosing. That is, there are several colors that go well together and get rid of the agony of figuring out the precise right shade for that trim so that it will relate well to the primary exterior color.
7. It's always possible to get expert help. This is especially desirable should you own a historical landmark and wish for it to be restored to its former appearance. Historical paint consultants are familiar with shades offered at time the home was built and can often investigate to find out original colors. These people understand chemical alterations in paint and can usually evaluate which the initial colors appeared as if before they faded to today's milder colors.
8. There's software available that allows home owners to scan inside a picture of the home and then check out different colors without making a real commitment. It's powerful to see your home in Colonial Barn Red or Patriot Federal Blue prior to actually placing a drop of color on the exterior.
9. You may consider staining your historical property, instead of painting it. Stain cost less and it won't peel off or crack the way in which paint does. This is because it actually sinks into the wood, instead of coating it therefore it will instead weather and dim with time. Stain won't cover up any imperfections within the wood the way paint does, however.
Owning and living in a historically significant house is a privilege and maintaining that house is an obligation to take seriously. Therefore, avoid hasty color choices and take the time to choose wisely.
Author Resource:
Having a repair or re-roof on your property can be a difficult project. Make sure you rely on a Augusta GA Roofing Company that will do the job right. We handle roofing in Augusta, GA for a wide range of clients. Please contact us to learn more.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")