Choosing exterior paint colors can be a daunting task. With so many options available, you can spend far more time choosing colors than it actually takes to paint the entire house. And that makes sense, since you and your neighbors will have to live with those colors for a long time.

You’ll want to take a good, long look at the colors that will be staying—the shade of your roof or anything in the area of your house that will remain the same. Those things are the basis since they won’t be changed, so it’s important to choose colors that will look all right with whatever shades are already in place.

You’ll want two exterior paint colors, but it’s even better if you pick three. One will be the main color that will make up the walls and large areas, as well as things like the rain gutters or other necessities that you want to disappear. A second color will be an accent color used for things like window shutters and any features you want to stand out. A third color, if you choose to use a third color, will be for trim like fascias and window trim. If you only want two colors then you can paint these things with your main color.

When choosing exterior paint colors, keep in mind how your want your house to appear. Light colors expand it and dark colors shrink it. A trim color that’s too dark will simply bring attention to the squares of the windows and other things, while not using a trim color can leave a home looking unfinished. For an easy, classic choice, your exterior paint colors should include a trim color that’s lighter than your main color.

The accent color is your personal preference. You can consult a color wheel to find an accent color that looks great with your other exterior house paint colors. In fact, it’s a good idea to look at both a color wheel and the architecture of your home when looking at exterior paint color.

If your house is clearly a Victorian style home, for instance, using one main color and an accent color that are both different shades of the same color is going to make your house look under-dressed. Victorian style houses were often bold in their exterior house paint colors, using at least three different colors but sometimes as many as six.

Let the style of your home help you narrow down the choices—you wouldn’t want the same colors on a Saltbox or Colonial era home as you would a Victorian, so your decision making is made a little easier through considering the architecture.

You’ll also want to consider your neighborhood when choosing exterior house paint colors. If your neighborhood is conservative and most homes are monochromatic, using wildly contrasting colors is probably something you want to avoid. You want your exterior paint color to be noticed, but not by neighbors who think your home is an eyesore.

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