Painting the exterior of your house is a big ticket item, so there is every reason to choose conservatively, so you will continue to enjoy it for 10 years or more. Paint companies have upped their game, and paint lasts longer than it used to. Here are my main considerations when helping a client choose exterior color.
Natural Surroundings, Vegetation, Hillsides
Do you have distinct vegetation that enhances the house that you will be keeping, such as trees, shrubs or hills (can’t be moved!). Also, is your house shaded by trees? or always in bright sunlight? Near a body of water?
Neighboring Houses and Structures
An English architect-designed home show I’ve watched used an old train station as part of the view and “borrowed” the color for the house trim. It was very subtlely harmonious. Similarly, consider your neighbors house colors. You don’t want to match your neighbors, but you can stand out by using a different version of a color you like. For instance, khaki, it’s a great environmental color, since it contains green, which goes with vegetation, and brown, which goes with earth, but there are endless variations of it.
Existing Colors in the House Structure
Roof, brick or stone siding you don’t want to paint, driveway, fencing, walkway: All of these elements have color, and the house colors can and should harmonize with them, either through contrast or analogous color. If you have a terra cotta roof, let's use that color somewhere in our paint scheme.
Simplify Trim Embellishment
The modern convention which I prefer is to simplify the trim colors of the house, even on a very large house. This creates more impact, and is restful to the eye.
Good luck with your exterior color, and contact me if you need help in Contra Costa or Alameda counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.