Your exterior color won't look the same in full sun
See how intense Sacramento sunlight changes paint colors and learn to choose shades that look great year-round.
Why your perfect color choice looks different in bright sunlight
Sacramento's intense sun affects how paint colors appear on your home's exterior. We'll explain what's happening and how to choose a color that looks great year-round, not just on the showroom swatch. We've learned over the years that what looks good on a color chip or in the paint store can look completely wrong on the side of a house in full Yuba City or Elk Grove sunlight. And we've had that exact conversation more times than we can count. The problem is that most people choose exterior colors indoors, under artificial light, without considering how intense our sun is for most of the year. The questions we hear constantly are: Why does my house look so much brighter than the sample? Will the color fade? Did we choose the wrong shade? Should we have gone darker? Here's what's happening. Paint colors change dramatically in direct sunlight. A color that looks like a soft, muted taupe in the shade can look almost white in full sun. A color that seems like a nice warm beige indoors can look yellow or orange on a west-facing wall at 4 PM. In Northern California, we have strong, warm sunlight for a good portion of the year. That sunlight amplifies the lightness and warmth of colors. If you want a true medium tone on your exterior, you often need to go one or two shades darker than you think. We did an exterior project in Roseville last year where the homeowner was confident about the color based on the sample. We painted a test section, and as soon as the sun hit it, she realized it was way too light. We ended up going two shades darker to get the look she actually wanted. This is why we always recommend doing a large test section — at least 4x4 feet — on the actual exterior before committing to painting the whole house. And you need to look at it at different times of day. For homes in Granite Bay or the hillier parts of Rocklin with a lot of sun exposure, we generally recommend staying away from very light colors unless you specifically want a bright white or cream look.
5 mistakes that fade your exterior fast
Sunlight in Sacramento changes how colors look. Learn what homeowners get wrong and how M.A. Smith Painting gets it right.
A color looks great under trees or in morning shade. Direct sun bleaches it in months. Test swatches in full midday sun first.
A color looks great under trees or in morning shade. Direct sun bleaches it in months. Test swatches in full midday sun first.
Homeowners trust us with their exterior
See how M.A. Smith Painting has helped Sacramento-area homeowners choose the right exterior colors and transform their homes.
Our team helped us pick a color that looked perfect in our yard. Two years later, it still looks exactly as vibrant as day one. We're shocked how well it's held up in the sun.
Michelle Torres
Homeowner · Granite Bay
We almost picked a shade that looked great in the showroom. Our crew explained how the afternoon sun would wash it out. The color they recommended is perfect. Best advice we got.
Robert Chen
Homeowner · Elk Grove
The prep work and paint application were flawless. But what really impressed us was how much time our team spent making sure we picked a color that would look good year-round.
Jennifer Walsh
Homeowner · Citrus Heights
We had three quotes from other painters. Only M.A. Smith walked us through how sun exposure changes color perception. Their expertise saved us from making a costly mistake.
Marcus Johnson
Homeowner · Lincoln
Get the right color on your home
We'll help you choose an exterior color that looks great in full sun and stands the test of time. Call for your free quote.