When it comes to period properties, the exterior colour is a key element that can make or break the overall look and character of your home. Whether you live in a pretty Victorian townhouse, a charming country cottage, or a stately Georgian manor, the right paint colour can enhance a property’s distinct features.
A delicate light hue will contrast well against a leaded window and a dark primary colour can draw attention to a home’s historic features, such as statues, unique parts of a garden, and intriguing gargoyles positioned there centuries earlier. Clever use of external colours on an old property can highlight its best features, such as original wrought iron railings, ornate exposed beams, and combed weaves on thatched roofs.
In this article, we'll explore the important stages of consideration when selecting the perfect exterior paint palette for your period property.

Consider the natural environment
A natural first step in choosing your exterior paint colours is to consider the setting of your property. Both the location and natural landscape around your period property might influence the colour scheme you want to harmonise with an already stylish garden. If your home is nestled in the countryside or near woods, earthy, nature-inspired tones, including deep greens, warm browns, or rustic ochres may blend beautifully. Conversely, a property situated in a more urban context or surrounded by neutral-toned buildings may call for a brighter, higher-contrasting colour scheme.
Pay close attention to the dominant colours in your home's immediate environment, whether that's the greenery of trees and gardens, the muted shades of neighbouring stone or brick buildings, or the varied hues of a coastal setting. Incorporating these contextual cues into your paint selection can help your period property feel seamlessly integrated into its surroundings.

Research any limitations
It’s equally as important to be aware of any legal or historical constraints that might affect your choices. In fact, when a property has certain historic features that have granted it listed status in the UK, there can be rules and regulations on painting external walls. Similarly, there may be lead paint hazards to be aware of, when painting old windows. Therefore, during the process of choosing your exterior paint colours, you’ll need to consider how they will blend in with the surrounding environment, while adhering to any further regulations.
Period properties are often situated in historic districts or picturesque village settings, where a cohesive aesthetic is highly valued. You might need to check with Historic England if you are unsure about painting the exterior of your property, and it is located in an area of historic interest. Even if a property isn’t listed, it’s still respectful and considerate to note the prevalent colours, tones,and styles in similar buildings and the wider area before deciding the colour to use especially if you prefer unconventional schemes.

Be consistent across external features
Now comes the time to focus on the property itself, with consistency being key. Aim to achieve a cohesive look throughout the property, whilst also sensitively considering original colour and materials used for both the main house and surrounding structures. Where possible, therefore, try to maintain wooden garage doors, repair chipped stone walls, and replace missing brickwork.
A consistent colour scheme across your period home will create a polished, harmonious look. You might even consider painting the front door, garage door, and any other prominent walls or feature areas, such as wood or iron surrounds, paving stones, and window sills for a coordinated palette to marry up exteriors.
You can research what colours look good together and complement each other too. Most well known brands offer paint palette cards and showcase online matching schemes that look good together, giving a wider variety of similar colours that can make choosing the exact coat more tricky than you think. If you are struggling, perhaps the original colour of a period property is always going to be the safest and most suitable choice!

Respect old and traditional designs
Within every street in any town, city, or rural setting, you’ll find an incredible blend of traditional, old properties sitting alongside their contemporary architecture. Merging old and modern architectural designs are welcome and a mark of progress. However, one key factor to keep in mind updating, repairing, or refreshing any part of an exterior character property is to preserve its appearance within its authentic setting.
While you don't necessarily need to match your neighbours exactly, it's generally advisable to choose a palette that complements the existing architectural character of the neighbourhood. This helps maintain a sense of visual harmony and ensures your period home doesn't feel out of place. We’ve already touched on possible local authorities and planning department restrictions around acceptable exterior paint colours in designated conservation areas, so be sure to check any relevant regulations before making your final decision.

Highlight elegant period features
One of the joys of owning a period property is the wealth of its architectural details and character-rich features that add visual interest and historic charm. Besides the walls and traditional sash windows, often the intricate character can be found in the finer details. If you’re lucky, you might have antique limestone tiles on a pathway leading up to your front door or a rustic stable door as a remaining nod to an agricultural past.
If your property has beautiful historic architectural details, you can use external colours to rejuvenate and celebrate these stunning original features. In doing so, you’ll attract attention to them, particularly if they are in well-used routes to the property and open areas outside such as, the walkways, external stairs, or landscaped sculptures in a garden.

Create symmetry with the architecture
When selecting paint, aim to showcase distinctive features for an appealing facade. For example, on a Victorian home, you might consider pairing a muted base colour with a bolder, contrasting trim around the windows, doors, and other decorative woodwork. For a Georgian townhouse, a more uniform, monochromatic palette is great for highlighting symmetry and elegant proportions of the architecture.
Similarly, attention-grabbing colours on exterior features can create an impressive focus point and enhance kerb appeal when you come to market your property. You can use paint colours to refresh and maximise outdoor features, such as window shutters, flint stone work, and sculptured architectural surrounds. These all deserve to be shown off to help you achieve the best asking price for your property.

One of the most common design challenges with period properties is striking the right balance between preserving the building's historic character and highlighting the property’s most unique and attractive character features. Selecting the right external paint colour to fit the age, setting, and features of a period property all play a large part in emphasising a home’s special character while expressing its modern appeal.