In this video, This Old House host Kevin O'Connor explains how to choose the right exterior paint schemes, with the help of some clever software.
Steps:
1. For this particular Queen Anne, preservation planner Sally Zimmerman advises choosing a three-color scheme. Large, elaborate Victorians can support up to seven different colors
2. Choose colors for three areas: the body (shingles or clapboard siding), trim (window and door casings, rake boards, fascias, etc.), and movable parts (including window sash, doors, and shutters)
3. Take a digital photo of your house and upload it to a computer with a paint-imaging software program. Here, we used Benjamin Moore's Personal Color Viewer software ($10)
4. Start by choosing a color from the software's palette for the house body; pick a color that blends with the color of your roof shingles
5. Next, select a trim color that complements the house-body color
6. Select a sash color to accent the trim color
7. Use the software program to change and manipulate the colors to create a desirable paint scheme
8. Buy quart samples of various colors and test on small sections of the house, trim and sash
