Important tips for choosing exterior paint for a multi-family home
1. The target demographic
Clearly, the first consideration should be the kind of tenants you expect to live in the home. The color scheme for the home will vary depending on whether it is designed to attract millennials, retirees, or middle-aged professionals.
Younger families will be drawn to color combos that are bold and bright. Older folks may want something elegant and understated. If the home is an upscale building targeting affluent residents, a toned-down but sophisticated color palette will be more ideal.
Choosing a color scheme for a building that targets a mix of these different types of tenants may be more difficult.
2. The style of the building
The building’s architecture is the second factor to think about. If a building has large expanses of exterior walls, painting those walls in a single neutral color will make the property look bland. On the other hand, painting large expanses of wall space in bold colors will create an overwhelming effect.
If there are a lot of such spaces in the design, they can be made less imposing by using bold colors to highlight other architectural details. The colors for the different features of the home’s exterior should be chosen with the aim of giving it character and creating balance.
3. The style of the surrounding community
You want your building to stand out from the rest of the structures in the neighborhood. But it should do this while still fitting in with the general design direction of the area. Every community has its preferred style and some will even go as far as to enforce those preferences.
You don’t want the color scheme to clash with the appearance of other buildings. The wrong color scheme will draw negative attention and make it harder to attract tenants. Your building’s colors should be seen as improving the appearance of the community and as something for other homeowners to aspire for.
4. The surfaces to be painted
The type of surfaces that make up the exterior of the building will influence the colors you choose. A few of the common surfaces are masonite, brick, aluminum, and vinyl and each will respond to paint differently. The same color and sheen of paint used on different surfaces will appear very different.
Colors should be chosen to improve the natural beauty of a surface and the paint sheen must be appropriate for that surface. The longevity of the paint will also be affected by the nature of the surface.
5. The surrounding landscape and external features
The building should blend with the surrounding landscape. For instance, a more neutral pallet should be chosen for a building if it is surrounded by brightly colored flowers. But if the landscape is somewhat neutral, adding pops of color to the exterior will give the area more personality.
Parking spaces, paved driveways, and unpainted surfaces should be considered when choosing colors. One of the most important external features to think about is the roof. The color scheme should strive to harmonize with these external elements.
Finally, regional characteristics may be another factor to consider. For instance, in the Southwest, gold tones are prevalent, while earthier tones are preferred in the Midwest. If your region leans toward a specific set of colors, it would be wise to stick with those. There is a reason why these colors work; you don’t want to find out the reason the hard way.
The colors you choose for the home should:
- Inspire new tenants to want to live in the property
- Make current residents want to stay longer
- Improve the value of the property by boosting its curb appeal
- Help your multifamily home stand out from competitors
What are the steps for choosing exterior paint colors that will do all these and more?
Painting a multi-family home is more complicated than painting a single-family rental home. There are more dynamics at play since you are dealing with a wider assortment of potential tenants. As Bigham & Associates Management in Austin explains, to keep a steady stream of tenants coming to the property, you cannot be haphazard in your approach to paint selection. Colors must be chosen intentionally. Let’s look at the factors to consider when doing this.
Important tips for choosing exterior paint for a multi-family home
1. The target demographic
Clearly, the first consideration should be the kind of tenants you expect to live in the home. The color scheme for the home will vary depending on whether it is designed to attract millennials, retirees, or middle-aged professionals.
Younger families will be drawn to color combos that are bold and bright. Older folks may want something elegant and understated. If the home is an upscale building targeting affluent residents, a toned-down but sophisticated color palette will be more ideal.
Choosing a color scheme for a building that targets a mix of these different types of tenants may be more difficult.
2. The style of the building
The building’s architecture is the second factor to think about. If a building has large expanses of exterior walls, painting those walls in a single neutral color will make the property look bland. On the other hand, painting large expanses of wall space in bold colors will create an overwhelming effect.
If there are a lot of such spaces in the design, they can be made less imposing by using bold colors to highlight other architectural details. The colors for the different features of the home’s exterior should be chosen with the aim of giving it character and creating balance.
3. The style of the surrounding community
You want your building to stand out from the rest of the structures in the neighborhood. But it should do this while still fitting in with the general design direction of the area. Every community has its preferred style and some will even go as far as to enforce those preferences.
You don’t want the color scheme to clash with the appearance of other buildings. The wrong color scheme will draw negative attention and make it harder to attract tenants. Your building’s colors should be seen as improving the appearance of the community and as something for other homeowners to aspire for.
4. The surfaces to be painted
The type of surfaces that make up the exterior of the building will influence the colors you choose. A few of the common surfaces are masonite, brick, aluminum, and vinyl and each will respond to paint differently. The same color and sheen of paint used on different surfaces will appear very different.
Colors should be chosen to improve the natural beauty of a surface and the paint sheen must be appropriate for that surface. The longevity of the paint will also be affected by the nature of the surface.
5. The surrounding landscape and external features
The building should blend with the surrounding landscape. For instance, a more neutral pallet should be chosen for a building if it is surrounded by brightly colored flowers. But if the landscape is somewhat neutral, adding pops of color to the exterior will give the area more personality.
Parking spaces, paved driveways, and unpainted surfaces should be considered when choosing colors. One of the most important external features to think about is the roof. The color scheme should strive to harmonize with these external elements.
Finally, regional characteristics may be another factor to consider. For instance, in the Southwest, gold tones are prevalent, while earthier tones are preferred in the Midwest. If your region leans toward a specific set of colors, it would be wise to stick with those. There is a reason why these colors work; you don’t want to find out the reason the hard way.