The summer is great for road trips, far-flung vacations, and family picnics in the park, but did you know that it’s also the best time to break out those paint brushes and get to giving your home that fresh new coat of paint it so badly deserves?

Giving your home a paint job is like sending it to the beauty parlour, but the benefits go far beyond just the “oohs” and “ahs” from the neighbours. Painting your house can increase its curb appeal, help sell it faster, and even help extend its lifespan.

But what colour should you pick? What will everyone see when they drive by? We’ve painted enough homes in the Ottawa Area to see some trends taking shape.

To make your decisions less stressful, here are 2017’s hottest exterior colour trends:

White and Aquamarine

Barbados? Cuba? Some South Florida bungalow?

Nope, this trend is actually seeing a bit of a life in Canada. You might think it would only be reserved for tropical destinations (it works in those places, too), but it’s becoming a bit trendy. We only recommend going this route if you like bright and warm colours and are in one of the trendier locales of the metro area, but it wouldn’t be a bad way to draw some attention to yourself and bring some of those beach vibes up north.

You shouldn’t go all-out, though. It’s best to be a bit more tame by just using traditional white siding and brightening it up a bit by using aquamarine for the window trim. It’ll help you stand out instantly.

Gray and Red

If you’ve got a large and looming colonial home, then some stormy gray will help make it look sophisticated and aged to perfection. Use the stormy hue as the colour on the siding and then traditional white trim to give the house a warm and cozy feeling. If you really want to make a statement, make the door a vibrant shade of red.

White and Black (and some gray, too)

We are going back to basics and bringing you the most tried and true combo of them all: white and black. Giving your home a salt-and-pepper colour scheme isn’t for everyone but when it’s done right, you’ll have a home with a feeling of historic importance regardless of its real age. We recommend all white siding and rails accentuated by black window trimming and gray steps. If you’ve got a black metal roof already, then this is a natural fit.

Deciding which colour to paint the outside of your home isn’t easy; they can make the difference in terms of home value and time on the market. Of course, if you plan to stay in your home, then you’ll want a colour that you’d be happy to see every day! It’s important to make sure these combos are done perfectly because getting them wrong could be a costly disaster.

If you don’t think you’re up to the task, consider contacting Ottawa-Gatineau Painting for professional painters for all budgets.