There are many television shows and magazines, dedicated to interior decorating and design. The look of the exterior of a house is very often overlooked. The fact is, the outside of a home is what we see first. It is the first impression we make to our guests and visitors or the statement we make about ourselves to our neighbours.

The following are some handy tips to help you choose colour when painting your exterior.

1) Pay attention to the colour of the roof and masonry. Use the different shades of the roof shingles,stone or brick for a starting point.
2) Use your landscaping. Trees changing colour, shrubs, flowering gardens, all important factors.Use nature as an inspiration and pick a colour from your garden.
3) Your neighbours homes. If possible, don't pick colours that will clash with your neighbours homes. If you really need to express yourself with paint colour, do it with a subtle style.
4) Drive to different neighbourhoods and look for that colour scheme that would look great on your home as well. If you find a house you like, take a picture of it to try and re-create it or even ask the home owner for the colours they have used. People are proud of their colour choices and they may not mind sharing, especially if you don't live in the same sub-division.
5) Use a colourization software program from a paint manufacturer. Most of them have them in their website and they can be helpful.
6) Visit a few paint stores and pick up some exterior colour brochures. They include suggested colour combinations that may suit your style or match your surroundings.
7) If you live in a very old house, make your choices historically significant by researching or using historical colours. Benjamin Moore has a Toronto Historical Colour palette that is Historically accurate.
8) Consider the colour of your foyer and entrance way, making sure your exterior colour choices do not clash.
9) Use a bold colour for your door. This is where you can make a statement of your own.
10) Flat paint looks better on large surfaces, glossy paint on the trim.
11) Don't accent elements such as eavestroughs, downspouts, etc. Make them blend in and become almost invisible.
12) When painting window sills choose a light colour, as dark colours attract a lot of heat and may crack or damage the paint.
13) Dark colours have a tendency to fade, don't use them on large surfaces.
14) If you need to make a safe choice, use different shades of the same colour.
15) When there is a lot of architectural detail, paint them a different colour to contrast them with the rest of your house.