Painting is a cost-effective way to add value and boost home appeal. Interior painting has a 107% return on investment (ROI), while exterior painting has a 55% return on investment on average.
If the walls have been painted previously, remove any flaking paint with a pressure washer or wire brush. Use exterior filler to repair any cracks, and move any climbing plants and trellises out of the way as much as possible. Be sure to let the surface dry completely before you start painting.

Now, in the likely case that two coats are needed, you’d take the number of gallons and multiply by 1.7 for the second coat. This is the industry standard for second coat coverage, which normally takes 30% less material than the first coat.
If you have a showy garden that you’d like to highlight, choose a paint color that will do it justice. For instance, architect Kelly Haegglund chose a bright green door (see first image), because “it’s modern, and a complement to the greens and purples in the garden.” And I’ve noticed that darker house colors often make the colors in a garden pop. 7. But white will never be a bad choice. Above: For this house in Connecticut, Brooklyn’s O’Neill Rose Architects used low-luster Benjamin Moore Brilliant White, which principal Devin O’Neill calls “a standard that always looks good.” The firm worked with Donald Kaufman on the palette for the house and chose Donald Kaufman Color DKC-44 in semi-gloss for the porch and ceiling. Photography by Michael Moran, from Curb Appeal: Architects’ 10 Favorite White Paints.