Color is a very important aspect of any landscape. Whether you are updating your home color scheme or moving to a new home, it’s something worth considering. This is the same case when building a new home — you must consider the color scheme. Color not only improves the curb appeal of your home but also increases its value. It’s not just about your house. You must also consider all other structures in and around your home, including the landscape.
The best way to make your home attractive is to link your landscape and house colors. Some flowers and foliage in your landscape should take some colors from your house.
The Color of Your House Should Provide the Backdrop for Your Landscape
Before you plant anything in your yard or paint any outdoor structure, consider the color of your house.
If you like contrasts, then choose contrasting colors for the house and the yard. For example, you have a light brown (beige) house. Planting magenta blooms will provide the best contrast. This is particularly true if the blooms have chartreuse or yellow accents.
Another way to match your house and landscape is to use the colors on your house in your yard. For example, if your house has some yellow on it, you need to have some yellow flowers in your yard. This will create some sense of harmony in the home.
Flowers and Your House
As you select your plants or flowers, consider which colors to include. Sometimes, you may have some colors on your house that wouldn’t work well for your landscape. A case in point is the color black. It won’t be easy to match the black color on your house with black in the yard. This can only work when you are thinking of painting some outdoor fixtures black.
Palettes can be dramatic, natural, or sophisticated, depending on your taste and style. So, we recommend you buy a color wheel. The wheel will help you identify colors that will contrast or offer attractive harmony in your home. It’s quite easy to match your house colors with your garden if it includes the colors beige, brown, or green. These are the colors found in nature the most.
When your house colors already blend well with the landscape, you can simply add flowers for contrast. In this case, it’s best to use colors that will show up perfectly against the house.
Varying Plants and Flower Colors
Misusing colors can spoil the attractiveness of your home. Here are a few tips to make good use of color.
Using Bright Highlights
If you have a burgundy and green house, it will provide a perfect backdrop for plants. Green is nature’s predominant color. It, therefore, serves as a unifying factor in any landscape.
On the other hand, red complements green — they are on opposite sides of the color wheel. So, red will contrast well with green. If you are looking to complement colors rather than contrast, then subdued red and moss green are the perfect pairing.
Using Dynamic Contrasts
Yellow and purple make a good combination at the border of the house and the driveway. You can consider using yellow tulips and mahogany and golden daffodils in these areas.
For a spectacular contrast, combine these with rudbeckia, goldenrod, and purple asters. If your climate can’t support these plants, ask a professional landscaper for the best substitutes.
Working with White
White draws attention, so you have to use it with care. In most homes, white forms the focal point visitors notice first before anything else. If your house is white, planting evening primroses will provide excellent contrast, particularly their soft yellow flowers.
You can also use white repeatedly in the yard to at least draw attention away from the house. For example, you can use white garden structures or white-variegated plants to match the house with the outdoors. Using white repeatedly also works well with pastel houses and even houses with just one white trim.
If your house has dark shades, using clear white can provide a very strong unpleasant contrast. White also doesn’t sit well with green houses. So, it’s better to use yellows or creams to provide a harmonious tone in these cases.
Matching House Colors and Plant Colors
As stated earlier, the color of your house is what determines the colors of plants and outdoor structures to have. Repainting a house to match it with the outdoors is expensive. That’s why it’s better to match the color of outdoor fixtures with that of the house. Some planting schemes that can help in color matching include:
Green or Beige
Green and beige are neutral colors — hence they are very easy to deal with. If your house is green, it will naturally match the surrounding foliage. For contrast, you can add yellow, lavender, soft rosy red, or violet-blue plantings. Don’t use too many bold colors.
White
Expert use of white, pink, yellow, or blue plants on your landscape will match well with your house. Avoid rich, dark colors. These will look a little harsh when used against white. If you have to use dark colors, do so sparingly to not spoil your white.
Yellow
Yellow can match almost any color. That makes working with a yellow house easier. If you want to match your yellow house with the outdoors, there are many plants you can choose from. This is because many plants produce yellow flowers. But if you want contrasting colors, you can choose purple or lavender. You can also use cream or golden-variegated foliage.
Brick Red
If you have a brick red house, don’t use lavender pinks or purple-reds on the landscape, as these will clash with brick red. Yellow, orange, and scarlet are neutral to brick red. Burgundy leaves or violet-blue flowers are the best to match with brick red because they produce excellent accents.
Brown
You can match brown with soft colors, such as deep and pale yellows and pinks. You can also use burgundy for a mellow, rich look. Don’t use reds or purples against brown because they won’t show well.
Conclusion
Working with colors isn’t a walk in the park. You need to learn about different types of colors and the combinations that can work harmoniously. If you cannot mix and match colors in your home, it’s better to work with an expert.