Whether your home is new or old, the colors you choose will dramatize -- or disguise -- architectural details. How do you find a color combination that will bring out the best? Begin with these beautifully illustrated books.
1. America's Painted Ladies
The Ultimate Celebration of Our Victorians, by Douglas Keister. This and other titles in the Painted Ladies series include lavish photos of elaborately painted Victorians. Mind you, the colors may not be historically accurate, but they are dramatic and inspiring. ISBN: 0140238573
2. Victorian Exterior Decoration
How to Paint Your Nineteenth-Century American House Historically, by Roger W. Moss and Gail C. Winkler. An easy to follow step-by-step guide to selecting historically accurate paint colors. Plenty of paint samples and full color photos.3. Benjamin Moore's The Art of Exterior Painting
By Leslie Harrington and James Martin. Tips, ideas, and step-by-step instructions to help you choose colors and create a beautiful look for a variety of architectural styles. ISBN: 00286368484. Authentic Color Schemes for Victorian Houses
This slim paperback is reprinted from Comstock's Modern House Painting, 1883. Twenty color plates show color combinations for the same Victorian home. ISBN: 04864177435. Daughters of Painted Ladies
America's Resplendent Victorians, by Elizabeth Pomada and others. Many different Victorian era styles are captured in brilliant color photos. A number of "painted lady" books are on the shelves, and they are all good sources of inspiration. ISBN: 05254833736. Bungalow Colors: Exteriors
Paint Color consultant Robert Schweitzer shows how to paint bungalow style homes in historically accurate color schemes.