28
May

How to Choose Stucco Paint Colors

Exterior of a home with a green stucco paint job

If you asked us to name one great way to enhance a home’s curb appeal, it would have to be a fresh coat of paint. Few other features are as impactful or immediately striking. But what if you have a stucco finish? What does that mean for your paint options? You’ll want to make sure you’re choosing the right kinds of stucco paint. Choosing the right color can elevate your home’s architecture, highlight all the right features, and complement everything around it to make a genuinely pleasing sight.

Here’s everything you should take into account when choosing stucco paint for your home’s exterior.

Consider Your Home’s Architecture and Style

A great starting point of consideration is the architectural design of your home. Depending on its style, there are several options you could go with.

Traditional Homes (Colonial, Spanish, Mediterranean): Warm beige, soft whites, terracotta, and cream complement these styles beautifully.

Modern or Contemporary Homes: The colors that generally fit well with homes of this style are crisp white, charcoal gray, deep blue, and sage green.

When you find the right color match for your home’s architecture, you can achieve a timeless, cohesive look.

Coordinate with Existing Features

There’s one more thing to consider before you pull the trigger on a stucco paint: How will it look as a whole when taking shingles, window trim, doors, and landscaping features into account? Here’s what we recommend:

  • Roof Color: Choose a paint that matches or contrasts nicely to achieve balance.
  • Trim and Doors: Use these as an accent.
  • Driveways and Walkways: Consider the materials used here, the two big ones being asphalt and concrete.
  • Landscaping: Stonework, mulch, and the colors of your plants should all be considered.

When you create a unified color scheme with your stucco paint selection, you’re making your home look great no matter what angle it’s viewed from!

Think About Sunlight and Climate

The way natural light interacts with your stucco paint colors is a big consideration to make—and one that homeowners all-too-often overlook until it’s too late. Depending on the time of day and weather conditions, colors can shift dramatically (remember that viral dress?). Here’s what you should consider:

Hot and sunny climates: We recommend choosing lighter colors that will effectively reflect heat. Additionally, you should consider fade prevention with UV-resistant paint.

Cool and cloudy climates: Darker colors may be ideal here thanks to their ability to absorb warmth. They can also add nice depth and visual interest!

Of course, don’t follow these recommendations blindly. When it comes down to it, your stucco paint decision should be based on how sunlight hits your home throughout the day.

Understand Stucco Texture and Color Depth

Stucco has a unique texture that affects how your color selection appears once it’s been applied. As rough surfaces have a tendency to absorb more light, even vibrant colors can appear subdued.

  • Rough Stucco: Has the potential to darken a color’s tone
  • Smooth Stucco: Reflects more light and appears to match the color swatch more closely
  • Matte Finish: Offers a soft, traditional look
  • Low-Sheen Finish: Is slightly more durable and reflective

If you want to achieve the exact final look you desire, it’s important to choose the right finish and account for the surface texture your stucco offers.

Test Before You Commit

You wouldn’t buy a car without giving it a test drive, right? Follow the same philosophy here, because there’s nothing worse than painting your home’s exterior only to be underwhelmed by the results. As there’s usually a big difference between what you see on a color swatch and what the final project will look like, it’s important that you don’t skip the testing phase. Here’s how you can sample stucco paint:

  • Apply the paint samples in multiple places on your stucco so you can see it under various light conditions.
  • Take the time to observe it at various times throughout the day. We recommend giving it a look in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
  • Clouds in the forecast? Good! It will give you a chance to view the paint samples under different weather conditions.
  • We recommend painting a large swatch for accuracy—about 2×2 feet.

There’s not a single best paint for stucco. It largely depends on the circumstances, so it’s important to experiment a little!

Ready to Choose the Perfect Stucco Paint Colors?

We get it. Choosing the best paint for stucco exteriors is a big undertaking. It involves more than just finding a color you like and calling it a day. But when you have a solid understanding of how the paint complements the home and everything around it, you’re going to be much more confident in your selection.

Need a little help getting started? No worries! We’re here to help. Get in touch with us and let’s give your stucco exterior a makeover!