As a semi-adept DIYer who has bigger ambitions than she does skill, deciding to undertake the painting of my home required the help of my friends at Santa Barbara Paint Depot.

I grew up watching my parents do all the work on our family home, from painting and wallpapering to trimming and mowing, to painting our family’s two-story house.



One summer my sister had the brilliant idea to dig our above ground pool deeper. It was a group and family effort, but we dug our pool two feet deeper and enjoyed the extra depth!

So, deciding to tackle my own DIY projects is in my blood-but I knew this was going to take the help of Santa Barbara Paint Depot.

Step One: Choosing the Right Paint

My home is in its original condition with the same paint that has been on since it was built in 1995. I like the color, minus the mauve trim, so I knew I wanted something similar to this color.

But the choice of paints and colors was completely overwhelming.

When I went into Santa Barbara Paint Depot, Art Prado took the time to educate me about the types of paints I needed for each area of the exterior of my home.

Benjamin Moore was the paint of choice, known for its durability, timelessness, reputation, and superior adhesion. I did enough research to know that Benjamin Moore was also easy-to-spread, quick drying, and cost-effective.

Art quickly advised that I would be using Regal® exterior paint in a flat finish (105) for the exterior walls and Regal exterior paint in a low lustre finish (103) for wood surfaces such as shutters and my attached fencing.

So Many Colors from Which to Choose! How is a DIYer Supposed to Decide?

Any DIYer should do research before picking a paint color. The first task for me was to drive around my neighborhood and look at colors I liked, didn’t like, and downright refused to put on my home.

I’ve always been attracted to neutral house colors for the base color and picked up the Exterior Collection booklet for design and color inspiration. I also wanted to know what colors were “in” and found the blog, “Greige, the New Color of Champions” very helpful as well as this one, “Tips on Picking the Right Paint Color.”

Then, of course, this reading led me to “Benjamin Moore Introduces the New Color of the Year 2021 and Color Trends 2021 Palette” and inevitably to this blog, “How to Incorporate the Benjamin Moore Color of the Year 2021 and Color Trends 2021 Palette into Your Home.”

I spent some free nights playing with the Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio App and exploring paint colors on this Benjamin Moore site. Finally, I was smart enough to buy and try several paint samples after reading this blog, “Ask Us How a $6.50 Sample Pint of Paint Can Save Money and Disappointment.”



The winning colors are Stone Hearth (984) for the base and White Dove (OC-17). Here’s a rendering using the color overview/find your color tool on the Benjamin Moore site. I wanted to add a pop of color to the door, so choose Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year 2021, Aegean Teal 2136-40.

Come in to Your Friendly Santa Barbara Paint Depot for Help With Your DIY Needs

Santa Barbara Paint Depot is the home of your DIY paint and stain needs. We offer advice with a smile, service you can count on, exceptional Benjamin Moore products, and years of professional paint expertise.



Let us help with your DIY needs today!