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Manufacturers suggest combinations of compatible colors. Sherwin-Williams's new "Color" collection cards superimpose colors on house silhouettes to indicate which colors work best on siding, doors and trim. Benjamin Moore's Color Preview cards use arrows to show what colors should go where. The Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse chain, which sells Valspar brand paints, goes a step further. Fill out a form at one of its stores, send in a photograph of your house and a "Color Doctor" -- actually an architectural historian named John Crosby Freeman -- will mail back a scheme based on your color preferences and his expertise. "I provide prescriptions to cure color anxiety," says Freeman. The service is free. Freeman points out that although exterior colors are a personal choice, the results are very public. "There are no set rules for choosing the colors. But if you live in Philadelphia and pick chartreuse, there may be consequences," he says. What's more, an exterior paint job is expensive: In the Washington area, a typical 2,500-square-foot house could easily cost $3,000 to $12,000, depending on condition, amount of preparation and trim, according to Duron's Gene Merrill. So before taking the paint plunge . . .  When in doubt, choose a light to mid-toned neutral for the
body of the house. You can't miss with creams, grays, taupes or
muted greens -- colors from nature's wood, stone and leaves. Consider architectural features you can't change -- brick,
grout and the roof. If the roof is brown, black shutters might
look severe; try a softer espresso. Watch out for orange brick. On a color wheel, blue is orange's
complementary color -- which means they can look good together.
Stick with mid- tones: Restrained slate blue would work, not bright
cobalt. Related hues -- light and dark shades of the same color -- work
well for shutters and trim. Reserve experimental accents for the
front door. Jazz up a subdued main color like gray by using three more colors.
From Duron's "Colors for Home" card: light gray trim,
charcoal shutters, yellow door. Some styles, such as Queen Anne, lend themselves to two-tone
coloring. To avoid a top-heavy look, the darker color should go
below and the lighter shade above.
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