Exterior Trim: Little Details with Impressive Appeal

Now that summer’s in full swing, your attention has turned from lawn care, landscaping and cleaning those gutters to the exterior appearance of your home. These long June nights on the porch or deck might make you yearn for a change – or at least a fresh look. There are a few ways to achieve that, ranging from the simplicity of scheduling a good power wash on your siding to the more extensive repainting of the entire exterior. But here’s one quick trick to consider: Just paint the exterior trim.

It’s a good idea to carefully inspect the entire outside of your home for any signs of insect or water damage, or for areas where the surface is distressed by time and weather exposure. But if you’re happy with your exterior color or existing siding, and still want a change without a major home improvement, a new color – or even freshening up the old one – can give you a smart investment pickup in curb appeal. You’ll be impressed by the spruced-up look that even painting the shutters, trim or door gives you.

There are a few things to consider with exterior trim, though. First, what kind of house do you live in? One popular trend is to choose colors that are consistent with the architectural heritage of your home. So if you’re in one of the various American Foursquare designs popular in northern Indiana, in an older bungalow or Victorian home, it may be worth exploring the color palette that’s been identified for the era your home was built in. Many quality exterior paints are available to bring that unique look to life.

Quality paint is the key word for any exterior painting job, and especially with trim. You’ll want to buy the best quality paint – consider an acrylic – to protect your home from sun and UV exposure, while offering better mildew and moisture prevention. It’s worth the slightly higher prices in the long run.

You’ll need to decide, too, if you want your exterior trim to blend or contrast before making a choice. If you’re looking for a splash of bold, consider an accent color for your door that flows with your porch rails or that porch swing where you spend so many of these warm evenings. But do choose wisely – we’ve all seen jarring colors that just do not occur in nature, or at least we privately think shouldn’t be on the block. If you want distinctive flamingo pink on your window trim, go for it, but be sure you know exactly what it will look like (without sunglasses!) before regretting what seemed like such a good idea.

Remember, too, that you need to consider your gutters, downspouts, soffits and the other exterior elements of your home when choosing the color and texture of a new exterior trim paint product. Even the style and color of your roofing will affect the overall appearance of your home with the new trim.

When the job’s done, the new trim work on your home – or your business – helps to create an inviting space with a relatively minimal investment in keeping your property looking sharp and well-maintained.

For more information on how Matthews Painting can help, request a quote or call us at 574.834.3575.