Start with what you cannot change: roof, brick or stone, windows and the neighborhood. Choose body, trim and accent colors that work with those, test large samples on more than one side of the house at different times of day, and check vinyl color limits and any historic district rules before buying.
Roof shingles, brick or stone, window frames, gutters, and sometimes a stained door or deck are expensive to change, so the paint colors should work with them. Pull the undertones from those elements: a roof with warm brown in it calls for a different body color than a cool gray roof.
Outdoors and large. Paint samples on the sunny and shady sides of the house and look at them in the morning, mid-day and evening. Outdoor light washes out color, so exterior colors usually look lighter on the house than on a chip.
Yes. Benjamin Moore says not to paint vinyl siding darker than its original color or with a Light Reflective Value below 57 unless the color is on its approved vinyl palette, because dark colors absorb heat and can warp the siding. Sherwin-Williams offers a VinylSafe palette in Duration Exterior. Fiber cement and wood do not have this limit.
In historic districts, often yes. The City of Easton requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior alterations visible from a public way in its Local Historic District, and Bethlehem's historic review boards review exterior changes in its historic districts. Homeowners associations may also have color rules.
Most homes use a body color, a trim color and an accent for the front door or shutters. Architectural styles with more detail, such as Victorians, can carry more. Each added color increases cutting in and labor, so the scheme and the budget are linked.
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Local guides with housing-age and climate data: Lafayette College, Easton | St. Luke's Easton Campus | Lehigh University, Bethlehem | SteelStacks, Bethlehem | Wind Creek, Bethlehem | Lehigh Valley Hospital, Cedar Crest | Dorney Park, South Whitehall.
Start with the roof, brick, stone and windows, then pick body, trim and accent colors that share their undertones. Test large samples on the sunny and shady sides of the house at different times of day. Check vinyl-safe limits and any historic district or HOA rules before you buy.
Bright outdoor light washes out color, and a large surface reflects more light than a small chip. Exterior colors usually read lighter on the house than on the sample card, so many homeowners choose a shade slightly deeper than they think they want, after testing it outdoors.
Only within the manufacturer's limits. Benjamin Moore says not to go darker than the original color or below a Light Reflective Value of 57 unless the color is on its approved vinyl palette, and Sherwin-Williams offers VinylSafe colors in Duration. Dark colors outside those lists can warp vinyl.
Only in some places. Easton's Local Historic District requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior alterations visible from a public way, and Bethlehem's historic review boards review exterior changes in its historic districts. HOAs may have their own rules. Check before choosing.
Sources: Benjamin Moore Aura Waterborne Exterior Soft Gloss (N632) technical data sheet; Sherwin-Williams Duration Exterior product page and customer information sheet; City of Easton, Local Historic District; City of Bethlehem, Historic and Conservation Districts. Figures checked October 2026.
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