Exterior House Colors

Cultivating your dream home is a multifaceted process, involving literally dozens of different decisions. However one of the most primary and the most important features of your home is the color itself. The color of your home is often a starting point for all future elements, making it extremely important that you choose a color that you are happy with and can build off of. Read on for helpful tips when painting the exterior of your home.

Bold and Bright White
The traditional American look for a home is a bright white house with dark black shutters. Travel to almost any town in the country, and you are sure to come across a house with these features. This look has withstood the test of time because it is classic, clean, and appealing. The contrast of the white and black work particularly well with a house containing symmetrical features. One great thing about a white house is that it leaves you with literally endless options to accentuate and decorate the rest of the space.




Primary Colors
When thinking about painting your home, almost any color would work given that you choose the appropriate shade. However, primary colors seem to work particularly well for exteriors. Red, yellow and blue are amazing colors to use for your home. With any of these colors, you could choose a bright and bold shade, or go with a lighter and more toned down approach. Each color looks great on its own, but can be complimented nicely as well. Red houses look great with gray trim or accents, yellow houses pair well with brown, and blue looks amazing with white.









Varying Shades
One way to be able to paint your home a solid color but still add some contrast is to incorporate varying shades of one color. One way to do this is to paint the entire exterior one shade, and choose shutters, trim, or other accent pieces in a different shade. If your house is layered or has visible divisions, you could paint different parts of the exterior different shades. This method tends to work very well with green, as often times one color of green can be either too bland or too overwhelming, depending on the shade.




Back to Basics 
It may come as no surprise that for exterior painting we are certainly advocates of the classics. Beige, tan, gray-these colors are called classics for a reason. They look great on almost any style of home, and give you a canvas upon which to add your personal touches. Stick with one classic neutral-toned color, or incorporate a few different ones for a different look. No matter how you go about it, you really cannot go wrong with this color palette.


The weather is finally warm which means D.J's Painting & Remodeling is in full swing, ready to get out there and paint the exterior of your home! Give us a call today to give your home an extraordinary exterior!

Dressing Up Your Deck

Here at D.J.'s Painting & Remodeling, we cannot stress enough the importance of a good deck or patio. For this article we will explore options to expand beyond the deck itself, and add a structure or feature that really makes your deck your own. There are many different options that serve many different functions, but today we will stick with a few that are popular and easy to implement.

Gazebo
The traditional image of a gazebo is a stand-alone unit out in a yard or garden. However, homeowners have recently started to build gazebos right into their decks. Built-in gazebos offer a beautiful addition to an existing deck. They are not only a decorative focal point, but serve as a perfect area to add a dining or picnic table. Gazebos also offer an easy way to add screening to your deck, protecting you from extreme temperatures, insects, and rain. If you want to add a classic and time-honored feature to your deck, a gazebo is definitely the right choice.



Pergola
Whereas gazebos have been around for hundreds of years, pergolas are becoming the increasingly popular modern option. Pergolas are similar to gazebos, but have their own unique attributes. The open roofing on a pergola still protects from direct sun rays, but allows for the breeze to come through, and is also perfect for nights spent stargazing. The open posts also allow for dressing the pergola up, whether it be with plants and flowers, or curtains to add privacy. Pergolas have such a sleek and striking design, and are a great addition to any yard or garden area. 


Hot Tub 
Everyone dreams of having a beach or lake house. In Central Illinois, this is not always easy to come by. The easiest and most cost effective way to experience a glimmer of the joy of being in water is to add a hot tub. If you already have a back yard deck, a great thing to do is to build the hot tub right into the deck. Doing so will allow you to utilize your hot tub without sacrificing the beauty of your deck. While the view may not always be as nice as the one pictured here, you are sure to love having a hot tub on your deck.



Built-in Dining Area

 If you love to entertain during the summer months, you may find yourself scrambling trying to figure out where to seat all of your guests. Adding a built-in dining area is perfect for any occasion. It creates a designated space that makes you feel like you are dining at a cozy outdoor restaurant. Building seating around the exterior of the deck also frees up extra space in the event that you do have to add additional tables and chairs. If you find yourself eating countless meals on your deck, built-in seating may be the right choice for you.


No matter your preference for dressing up your deck, D.J.'s Painting & Remodeling has you covered. From design consult to the final painting, we can help you create the amazing deck you have always dreamed of. Call today for a free estimate!