Once you paint the exterior of your house, it should be such that, you need not bother about it for the next 10 years. So think carefully before you choose the color combination for the paints of the exterior of your house. Given below are a few tips on how to choose colors for the exterior, depending on the type of house you have.

For traditional houses:

    * For a Foursquare house do not use the usual colors of white for the walls with green for the trim. You can get ideas from various history books. You will find that the top and bottom of these houses were painted in different colors. Choose colors that were historically used for these houses.
    * Queen Anne Victorian style houses. For this house you can use as many as 10 colors to paint the exterior. You can choose to use fewer colors but try to contrast the colors. You can use subtle or stark contrast.
    * For tropical cottage do not use bright colors for the shutters. Use your most dramatic color for the door and complicated window mullions. If the mullions are ordinary blend them into the color of the house.
    * For an English Tudor house, the color of the roof of the house, determines the rest of the color scheme for the exterior. So you may not be able to experiment with colors. Use colors that compliment the surrounding of the house use natural colors on the exteriors.

For houses that have a Classic style:

    * For a Ranch the color of the exterior walls will depend on the color of the brick used in the Ranch. If the brick is tan, white or copper try to blend the colors that you use for the exterior wall with the color of the brick. If the brick is red use a contrasting color for the walls, as it is impossible to get the exact red color. Blend the color of the trim with the color of the wall. Using one color for the house will give an illusion of height. Use any dramatic color for the door.
    * For a farmhouse people prefer a color like yellow that emphasizes the farmhouse mood. For the window trim and roof trim use an earth color that will off set the bright yellow color. Use a different color for the porch ornamentation. Use teal for the front door and windows for effect.
    * For a Craftsman Bungalow the classic combination of green and brown is the best to use. The roof of the bungalow is normally heavy and attractive; therefore a brown trim will emphasize the roof. If the trim is in poor condition then blend it with the color of the house. If it is in good condition highlight it by using some light shade.
    * If your house is Split-Level you can bring the different levels together by using dark colors. Use a combination of warm and cool colors. Blend the garage door with the exteriors. Use bright color for the entrance door.

For houses with an Exotic style:

    * For a Spanish Colonial house use dark color to highlight the tiles. Hence for the exterior walls use a light color. Highlight the fence, path, steps etc., as they are part of the landscape.
    * For a Colonial Georgian house use three or four dark colors for the exteriors. Do some research to find out what colors were used historically and then choose your colors.
    * For an Eclectic Suburban house use a few neutral colors to bring together the uneven design. Try dark neutral shades for the walls and light shades for the trim. Blend the garage into the main structure and use the brightest color for the door in front. Using neutral shades is a sign of sophistication as well.
    * Art Deco style of house is normally set in warmer climates where it is easy to use bright colors. Paint the exterior walls in neutral colors so that you can use darker shades to highlight other details like trims, railings etc.