Is your classic white house looking a bit dated or dull? Are you seeking a simple way to give it a quick facelift without a major renovation? Updating your exterior shutters with a bold, beautiful color is one of the easiest ways to breathe new life into your home’s curb appeal.
Well-chosen colored shutters can provide the perfect pop of personality to enhance your home’s style. Whether you prefer a dramatic contrast or subtle complement to the white exterior, the right hue can enliven your home’s entire look. From timeless black to cheerful reds, ocean-inspired blues, and nature-influenced greens and browns, the options for colored shutters are plentiful.
Why Give Your White House a Makeover?
There are many great reasons to give your traditional white house a simple makeover. As trends and styles change over the years, updating the look of your home’s exterior helps keep it current. Colored shutters offer an easy facelift without the hassle or expense of repainting the entire house.
Replacing old, worn out shutters is also a great opportunity to enhance your home. Damaged or missing shutters not only look unsightly, but they can cause weather damage around windows. Installing new, well-fitted shutters improves function and form.
Finally, updating the shutters is an affordable way to increase curb appeal and potentially boost your home’s value. Stylish details like colored shutters can really catch buyers’ eyes.
Most Popular Shutter Colors for White Houses
When considering colored shutters for your white home, start by exploring some of the most popular, timeless options:
- Classic Black – A traditional look that adds striking contrast.
- Navy Blue – For a bold, nautical vibe perfect for coastal areas.
- Gray – Available in lighter soft tones or darker charcoal hues for subtle elegance.
- Forest Green – An earthy, peaceful color emulating nature.
- Dark Brown – Exudes a warm, welcoming cottage or craftsman feel.
- Charcoal Gray – Sophisticated and modern alternative to black.
- Olive Green – Relaxing color with calming, peaceful connotations.
- Patterned – Add visual interest with stripes, checks, or designs like shutters.
Key Factors to Choosing the Perfect Shutter Colors
Selecting the right colored shutters to complement your white house involves careful consideration of several factors:
Architectural Style – The existing design details of your home will influence your color selection. For Victorian, stick with traditional black. On a Craftsman bungalow, dark brown shutters would suit the style. Meanwhile, charcoal gray complements Modern architecture.
Desired Look – Are you aiming for an elegant facade or a casual cottage? Do you want a subtle accent or bold contrast? Decide on the aesthetic you wish to achieve. Muted tones tend to look more refined while vivid shades make a dramatic statement.
Surroundings – Consider your home’s surroundings when choosing shutter colors. For wooded areas, earth tones like green or brown complement the landscape. Near water, blue or gray evoke the coast. In urban settings, classic black is ideal.
Trim Colors – View other exterior details like the entry door. Complimentary colored shutters should pick up on other trims without completely matching. Avoid clashing hues.
Personal Taste – While trends come and go, stick with long-lasting colors you’ll enjoy looking at each day. Select a hue that fits your personality and style.
Design Tips for Selecting Complementary Shutter Colors
These simple design principles will guide you in choosing colors that enhance your white house:
- Contrasting shades, like black, make the white pop while blending tones lend a cohesive feel.
- Tie together the front door and shutter colors for visual harmony.
- Coordinate with other exterior elements like the roof, trim, and landscape.
- Avoid colors that clash with the white siding like bright primary hues.
- Use deep, saturated hues for drama vs soft, muted shades for subtlety.
- On smaller homes, darker colors tend to look best, while larger houses can handle lighter shades.
- Consult a design professional if you need guidance selecting a palette.
Setting the Right Visual Impact
A white house with colored shutters makes a statement. Consider what impression you wish to convey through the hues:
Traditional Timelessness – Classic black shutters are eternally in style, presenting a formal and dignified facade.
Modern Boldness – Charcoal gray or navy blue shutters look crisp, allowing contemporary architecture to stand out.
Formal Elegance – Softer gray or brown shutters lend an air of refinement befitting stately homes.
Casual Warmth – Cottage-style houses benefit from welcoming shades like red, green, or brown.
Cohesive Harmony – Matching shutters to other architectural details creates a unified effect.
Eclectic Contrast – Using shutter colors to accent key facets like windows draws the eye across a house.
Emphasize Architecture – Well-placed colorful shutters complement ornate trim along gables, dormers, and windows.
Curb Appeal – The right colored shutters enhance perceived home value, pleasing potential buyers.
Patterned vs Solid Shutters: Which is Best?
Homeowners have two basic options when selecting material for colored shutters:
- Patterned – These incorporate stripes, checks, or other designs adding visual texture. They work best on traditional homes seeking a playful accent. Avoid overly busy patterns that look mismatched or tacky.
- Solid Color – These single-hue shutters offer a clean, seamless look. Solid colors appear more modern and coordinate well across different architectural styles. They also pair effortlessly with other exterior elements.
There’s no universally superior option between patterns and solids. The choice comes down to individual style preferences. Many homeowners opt for a combination, using solids on most windows but adding patterned focal points for character.
Paint or Stain: Comparing Shutter Color Options
Architectural shutters are typically painted or stained to achieve the desired hues:
Paint – This applies pigmented coating for an opaque, consistent color. Paint adheres well to most shutter materials and holds up over time. It hides flaws in wood grain.
Stain – This allows the wood’s natural grain to show through tint. Stains bring out the richness and variation in the wood. However, uneven absorption can cause blotchiness.
There are pros and cons to each method. Paint works well for uniform, bold colors on any material. Stain enhances wood shutters for transparent, blended hues that reveal texture. Consider your color palette and the existing material when deciding on paint versus stain for your shutters.
The ideal colored shutters can turn a plain white house into a customized beauty. As you venture to give your home’s exterior a simple facelift, keep these key tips in mind:
- Select colors that complement your home’s architecture, surroundings, and existing details.
- Test samples first before fully committing to a color.
- Seek advice from a design professional if needed.
- Consider both color and material; paints vs. stains produce different effects.
With proper planning and upkeep, freshly painted shutters in vibrant hues of your choosing can give your white house just the style boost it needs. The end results will have your home looking refreshed, invigorated and picture perfect.
So embrace colored shutters to add that special splash of personality to your home’s facade. Relish the charm and renewed curb appeal your white house gains with this simple, stylish upgrade.
