Color insights

By Kate Smith, Sensational Color.

FRESH Colors for Homes With Brick or Stone.

Take a fresh approach to coordinating the colors and materials for your home exterior. FRESH Colors for Homes with Brick or Stone is a free 21-page step-by-step guide that provides you with insights on how to create a color scheme that enhances the appearance of your home, adding to its curb appeal. 

The eBook showcases 60 combinations of home exterior options to help you achieve a harmonious and visually stunning exterior. One of the color schemes may be perfect, as provided or inspire a similar combination that works well for your house. 

Consider your fixed features first 

Exterior elements such as stone, brick, roofing and metals are fixed features because they won't change. It's essential to harmonize the tones in the fixed features with new materials and colors. Do this by identifying the 'color cast' of these elements.  

Color cast describes the predominant hue of stone, brick, roofing or any material that is not a solid tone but a mix of colors. To say any of these is a single color does not do them justice because their beauty is in the depth and variations of their tones.  

A palette that complements the fixed elements sets the stage for a unified exterior color scheme by opening many primary and accent color options. When all hues harmonize, the home exudes curb appeal. 

The updated ebook coordinates different paint colors with brickwork, stone, and roofing found on residential exteriors. Five different color palettes for each brick or stone color, with 10 palette suggestions for red brick. The color palettes also offer complementary paint suggestions for exterior trim and accents.   

Tips for creating an inspired color scheme 

Whether you’re looking for advice on selecting traditional, timeless hues or a more modern, eye-catching palette, this ebook offers dozens of color combinations sure to delight even the most discerning of tastes. In addition, you will find a multitude of tips on how to choose colors, why historic colors have stood the test of time, and what carefully curated colors can do for your exterior.  

Here are just a few suggestions. Be sure to download your free copy of FRESH Colors for Homes with Brick or Stone to check out the many tips for selecting your most pleasing color palette. 

• A well-chosen color scheme enhances the home exterior and makes it stand out for all the right reasons. Brick and stone are classic fixed features. Brick offers a more traditional, uniform appearance, while stone has a more distinctive look. 
• Brick comes in many colors and types, with red being the most popular by far. This classic, all-American look has a timeless appeal. From clean, straight lines to rustic, uneven edges, your red bricks play the lead role in the color palette. 
• A timeless palette of black and white works well with a great range of brick colors. Brighter white highlights architectural details, while toned-down white makes other elements stand out. 
• A modern mix of neutrals is a marvelous way to update your home’s look. Combine brown with gray, then add subtle contrast by choosing a taupe with lavender, blue or green undertones. 
• The warmth of stones with a tan cast makes them a popular choice for home exteriors. Tan can be neutral or lean towards another color, such as gold, greige, peach or taupe. Identifying your stone’s subtle nuances will help you find the right colors for your home. 
• Versatile neutral gray stones look great in an all-neutral scheme or can take on any shade of color: dark, medium or light. 

After helping hundreds of people choose materials and colors for every part of a house, I know that most homeowners know what they like and what will work for their home. They need inspiration and guidance as they choose each color and material for the exterior of their home, from the roof down to the front door and trim. This ebook and the others in the FRESH eBook series show homeowners how to take their vision of color for their exteriors to the next level.  

About the author 

Kate Smith is an internationally recognized color consultant and designer. FRESH Colors for Homes with Brick or Stone is one in a series of free ebooks dedicated to guiding homeowners on adding color to produce beautiful, harmonious exteriors. Each ebook, along with the Top Down Color Visualizer tool, can be found in the Projects & Inspiration section of the DaVinci website. By downloading your free copy, you're well on your way to selecting a color palette that will give you a home exterior that exudes curb appeal.