Choosing The Right Color For Your Exterior Eaves

When it comes to choosing a colour for your eaves, it's important to remember that they are an integral part of your home's exterior colour scheme. Eaves, also known as soffits, are often the last colour decision to be made and can pose a challenge. The right colour choice is especially important with modern designs and large alfresco areas.

A good rule of thumb is to treat your eaves as you would an interior ceiling. When a colour is horizontal, it appears twice as dark as it does on a vertical wall. Therefore, if you want your whites to appear the same, use full strength on the wall and half on the ceiling. For more contrast, a quarter strength of the same white can be used.

If you're selecting a darker neutral or grey for your walls, the decision becomes a bit trickier. In this case, consider using the full strength of the trim colour for the eaves. Avoid making the eave colour too light, as this can result in a bright white ribbon around the top of your house, which can be disconcerting and spoil the overall look.

It's worth noting that the right colour for your eaves doesn't have to match the trim, fascia, or gutter colour of your house. For example, if you have a mid-tone neutral with a charcoal gutter and fascia, you may prefer a lighter option for the eaves. Remember, when selecting an eave colour, it's generally best to avoid going too light.

Eaves are the external ceiling colour

When it comes to painting the eaves of your house, it's important to remember that they are the external ceiling. As with an interior ceiling, choosing the wrong colour or tone can throw off the entire colour scheme of your house.

A good rule of thumb is to treat the eaves as an integral part of your exterior colour scheme. Choosing a colour and tone for your eaves is similar to choosing a colour for your interior ceiling. When a colour is horizontal, it appears twice as dark as it does when it's vertical. So, when selecting a colour for your eaves, keep in mind that it will appear darker than it does on a vertical wall.

For example, if you're painting the walls of your house in a particular shade of white, ask the paint shop to mix you a half-strength version of that shade for your eaves. This will ensure that the whites appear the same. If you want more contrast, you can use a quarter-strength version of the same white.

It's important to note that the right colour for your eaves doesn't always have to match the trim or fascia colour of your house. For instance, if your house has a mid-tone neutral colour with charcoal gutters and fascia, you might want to select a lighter shade for the eaves instead of going with charcoal.

When choosing an eave colour, remember not to go too light. A bright white ribbon around the top of your house can be disconcerting, especially if your house is on the high side of the street and people are looking up at it. Instead, opt for a softer white or off-white that complements your wall colour.

Additionally, consider the overall look of your exterior as the most important element. You can also make a feature of the ceiling in an alfresco area by lining it with cedar boards or installing a shiplap finish in an off-white colour. This way, you can create a different substrate and get away with a different colour and/or tone.

Lastly, don't forget that eaves are where spiders make their homes, and they can easily get dusty and dirty. A slightly darker shade of white or neutral colour can help minimise the appearance of dirt and dust.

Eaves colour should complement the overall exterior colour scheme

When choosing a colour for your eaves, it is important to remember that they are an integral part of your home's exterior colour scheme. Eaves are often the last colour decision to be made, but they can significantly impact the overall look of your house. Here are some tips to help you choose the right eaves colour that complements your exterior colour scheme:

• Consider the tone: Similar to interior ceilings, the colour tone of your eaves can affect the overall exterior scheme. When selecting a colour, remember that horizontal surfaces appear twice as dark as vertical walls. Therefore, it is recommended to use half the strength of the wall colour for the eaves or a quarter strength for more contrast.
• Avoid going too light: While the eaves colour should complement the overall exterior colour scheme, avoid choosing a colour that is too light. A bright white ribbon around the top of your house can be disconcerting, especially if your house is on higher ground. Instead, opt for a softer white or off-white that matches the trim colour of your house.
• Treat eaves as an external ceiling: When choosing an eaves colour, remember that eaves are essentially the external ceilings of your house. While they don't have to match the trim or fascia colour, they should be treated as an integral part of the exterior colour scheme.
• Consider the aspect of your house: The positioning of your house can also impact the choice of eaves colour. If your house is on higher ground or has a high side, a very light eaves colour may stand out too much and spoil the overall look.
• Consult a professional: If you are unsure or need help finalising your exterior colour scheme, consider hiring a professional colour consultant. They can provide valuable guidance and help you create a cohesive and appealing exterior colour palette.

Eaves colour should be lighter than the wall colour

When choosing a colour for your eaves, it is important to remember that they are an integral part of your home's exterior colour scheme. Eaves are often the last colour decision to be made and are sometimes grouped with the fascia, but this is not always the case.

The rule of thumb for interiors is to use full-strength white on the walls and half-strength on the ceiling to make the whites appear the same. For more contrast, you can use a quarter-strength of the same white. This rule can be applied to exterior whites as well. For example, if you are painting the walls in Colorbond Surfmist, you can ask the paint shop to mix you a half-strength for your eave colour.

However, it gets trickier when selecting a darker neutral or grey for the walls or when working with a face brick and a dark trim. In these cases, it is best to select the wall colour first and then refer to a commercial colour fan deck to see that colour in its lighter versions.

It is generally recommended to avoid painting eaves in a very light colour, as this can result in a bright white ribbon around the top of your house, which can be disconcerting, especially if your house is on the high side of the street. Instead, opt for a softer white or a colour that complements your wall colour.

For example, if you have a darker wall, you may have chosen a light white trim for the fascia, bargeboard, windows, or architraves. You can use this white/off-white as a reference point and select a full-strength trim colour for the eaves.

If you are using a face brick with a dark trim, you will need to match the brick tonings to a paint colour and then select a lighter version of that colour for the eaves.

Remember, the main point to consider when choosing an eave colour is to treat eaves as an integral part of your home's exterior colour scheme and avoid going too light.

Eaves colour should not be too light

When it comes to painting the eaves of your house, it's important to remember that they are essentially your external ceilings. Just like with interior ceilings, choosing the wrong colour can throw off the entire colour scheme of your house.

One of the most important things to remember when selecting an eave colour is to not go too light. If you make the eave colour too light against a darker wall, you will end up with a bright white ribbon around the top of your house. This can be very disconcerting, especially if your house is on the high side of the street and people are looking up at it.

The main point to remember is that when a colour is horizontal, it is twice as dark as on a vertical wall. So, if you want the whites to appear the same on both the walls and the ceiling, the rule of thumb is to use full-strength white on the walls and half-strength on the ceiling. For more contrast, you can use a quarter-strength white.

If you have a darker wall, you will most likely have chosen a light white trim to go with it. You can use this white as a reference point, but instead of opting for half-strength, go with the full strength of the trim colour for the eaves.

Remember, the right colour for your eaves does not have to relate to the trim or fascia colour of your house. For example, if you have a house with a mid-tone neutral and a charcoal gutter and fascia, you probably won't want a charcoal eave. Instead, select the wall colour first and then look at the relevant commercial colour atlas or fan deck to see this colour in its lighter versions.

It's worth noting that darker eaves can make a house more appealing. So, don't automatically think that you have to paint them a bright white.

If you have an indoor/outdoor room with a very light indoor ceiling, you might need to adjust the eave colour to be a bit lighter so that you don't completely spoil the flow. But, don't be tempted to match it unless you do have a very bright white house. Always consider the overall look of the exterior, as this is the most important element.

Lastly, don't forget that eaves are where spiders make their homes, and they can get dusty and dirty over time. This is another reason to opt for slightly darker whites or neutrals.

Eaves colour should be darker to avoid getting dirty

When choosing the colour for your eaves, it is important to remember that they are the external ceilings of your house. Getting the tone wrong can throw off the entire colour scheme.

Eaves are often the last colour decision to be made and are sometimes grouped with the fascia. However, the right colour for your eaves does not have to relate to the trim/fascia colour of your house. For example, if you have a house with a mid-tone neutral and charcoal gutter and fascia, you will most likely not want charcoal eaves.

Samantha Bacon, a colour professional, advises that you first select the wall colour and then look at the relevant commercial colour atlas/fan deck to see this colour as it gets a lot lighter. She says:

> I tend to favour slightly darker eaves. My advice with exterior colour is that you often need to select one that is much darker than you originally think and this is the same with painting eaves. A beautiful exterior scheme can be spoilt with eaves that are too light.

She also notes that eaves are where spiders make their homes and, despite your best efforts, they are often the first surface to get dirty on an exterior. This strengthens the case for slightly darker whites or neutrals.

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