4 ideas to update your exteriors for summer

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4 ideas to update your exteriors for summer

Now is the perfect time to begin planning exterior painting projects that will create a beautiful outdoor space to enjoy during the summer months.

As the weather grows warmer, let your colour palette escape outdoors and design schemes that thoughtfully connect your interior and exterior living areas. Our family of hard-wearing exterior paints are available in all our colours, providing durable finishes to transform outdoor walls, woodwork, metalwork and more.

Explore inspiring ways to update the outside of your home this spring to deliver joyful, long-lasting colour all year round…

1. Paint exterior woodwork for a beautiful highlight

To transform your outside space, you might be planning a complete transformation or a very simple update. Painting outdoor woodwork is a quick and easy way to give your home exterior an instant refreshed look. Whether it’s garden furniture or window shutters, introducing a pop of colour will provide a beautiful, joyful highlight to stand out amongst the greenery.

Our Intelligent Exterior Eggshell finish is ideal for painting both bare and painted woodwork and requires no separate primer. Simply clean and sand to provide a good surface for painting, then apply two coats in your chosen colour. This versatile finish is fully water-based, meaning it is low in odour, easy to apply and dries in just 2-4 hours. We recommend waiting 16 hours before applying the second coat.

Read our guide to painting outdoor woodwork.

Wall: Shirting in Intelligent Masonry Paint, Shutters & Trim: Grey Stone in Intelligent Exterior Eggshell, Chair: Garden in Intelligent Exterior Eggshell

Wall: Stock in Intelligent Masonry Paint, Door & Frame: Invisible Green in Intelligent Exterior Eggshell, Table: Bassoon in Intelligent Exterior Eggshell, Bench: Hopper in Intelligent Exterior Eggshell

Colour inspiration for exterior woodwork

Nature-inspired shades work wonderfully in exterior settings, as they sit comfortably within the natural surroundings. Opting for brighter greens like Garden will provide a vibrant, lively finish, or consider dark, earthy colours like Invisible Green.

Muted blues are a great choice to provide a touch of contrast alongside verdant foliage and blooms. Shades like Celestial Blue and Grey Stone will pair beautifully with white render for a timeless colour combination.

2. Introduce bold, vibrant hues to energise the space

Our exterior spaces provide the perfect opportunity to incorporate some of the boldest shades on the Little Greene colour card. In interior settings, particularly strong or vibrant hues work best in small proportions as accent colours, otherwise they can overpower a scheme. But in an outdoor environment, we can embrace these shades with confidence, transforming entire walls with their richly coloured hues.

Our recommended finish for outside walls, Intelligent Masonry Paint combines beauty with practicality. It’s suitable for brickwork, new render, cement blockwork and existing paint, and is designed to last up to 15 years before re-painting is required. Intelligent Masonry Paint dries to a beautiful matt sheen of 5%, providing a tough, water-resistant coating that will protect and weatherproof your home.

Read our guide to painting an exterior wall.

Wall: Heat in Intelligent Masonry Paint

Wall: Phthalo Green in Intelligent Masonry Paint, Bench: Slaked Lime in Intelligent Masonry Paint

Bold colour inspiration for outdoor walls

To choose a colour for exterior walls, it’s important to consider the mood and atmosphere you want to create. Rich burnt orange and terracotta hues like Tuscan Red or Heat will evoke the warmth of the Mediterranean. Introduce natural jute, rattan and linen textures through your soft furnishings and accessories for an inviting, relaxed look.

Bright and intense colours like Trumpet, Phthalo Green and Green Verditer will provide a fabulous backdrop to a sociable outdoor kitchen or dining area. Create a fun, energetic setting where you can host lively, al fresco lunches on sunny afternoons.

3. Create a relaxed seating area with natural shades

Whether our outside spaces are large or small, many of us are seeking a beautiful, peaceful spot where we can relax in the shade. Introducing calming, earthy colours on exterior walls and woodwork can help us to immerse ourselves in the tranquillity of nature.

If you have a tiny terrace or courtyard, consider painting the outside wall in a soft, warm neutral with natural undertones, such as Lute. Adorn the space with trailing greenery and potted plants to create a secluded oasis of relaxation. Deep, yellow-based greens like Jewel Beetle will blend beautifully into the natural surroundings to give your outdoor seating area a cosy, cocooning quality.

Wall: Lute in Intelligent Masonry Paint, Door: Shirting in Intelligent Exterior Eggshell, Table: Sage Green in Intelligent Exterior Eggshell, Chair: Lute in Intelligent Exterior Eggshell

Ceiling: Slaked Lime in Intelligent Masonry Paint, Wall: Jewel Beetle in Intelligent Masonry Paint

Earthy colour inspiration for outdoor living areas

4. Refresh your front door with an inviting colour scheme

As the entrance to the home, the front door is certainly an important aspect to consider when planning exterior projects. Updating the shade of your front door can provide a wonderful sense of welcome, as well as adding kerb appeal to your home exterior. There are endless colour possibilities to consider, from something bold and vibrant to a more classic, understated look.

Greens and neutrals are a timeless choice for front door schemes, as they feel very natural within an exterior environment. Using shades from this palette can create an elegant sense of transition as you enter the home. Muted greens, warm neutrals and off-whites often feature within our hallways and living spaces. Embracing a shared colour palette in this way can create a sophisticated, cohesive scheme that flows from the inside to out.

Discover Ruth’s advice for selecting a front door colour.

Wall: Travertine - Light in Intelligent Masonry Paint, Trim: Rolling Fog in Intelligent Masonry Paint, Door: Ambleside in Intelligent Exterior Eggshell