Christina Haack's Brilliant Exterior Paint Trick Makes Small Homes Feel Bigger

Part of picking the best house paint is choosing a color that works not only aesthetically but also practically. Design star Christina Haack pulled that off with the perfect neutral shade that adds curb appeal and makes the home look bigger. It was Haack's paint choice for her home design on "The Flip Off," where both profit gains and bragging rights against her ex-husband were on the line.

"Once we finish all of the repair work on the stucco, we'll paint the house a crisp white, which is a little trick to make the house appear larger than it is," Haack said (via YouTube). She even carried this color to the property's exterior wall around the backyard. With this paint choice, the California residence got a makeover that left it looking clean and spacious.

Haack also pulled off this presidential paint trick for a design in "Christina in the Country." This time she painted a yellowish-brown brick facade a crisp white. It instantly gave the 1970s home a brighter, bigger, and more modern feel. This crisp, blank canvas look is even a design the HGTV star would pick for herself, as Haack's Tennessee vacation home bore white vertical siding. Granted, the 5,200-square-foot home probably doesn't need any enlarging design tricks.

There's science behind this white paint trick. The color visually pulls the surface forward, making the object in question seem more noticeable and, therefore, larger. Further, since the color is reflecting light instead of absorbing it, a white coating has the practical benefit of maintaining a cooler home during the summer.

Some might think that a white exterior is boring, but Christina Haack proves that isn't the case. She added contrast to the "Flip Off" home with a charcoal gray roof, window trim, garage door, and wood-slat fence. The dark pairing balanced depth and color without dampening the white paint's enlarging illusion. Haack implemented a similar design style in the "Christina in the Country" property, again opting for contrast with dark features like the balcony railing and awning. The neutral shades means you can play with other design elements and experiment with front door styles that create major curb appeal.

White is a timeless color that complements any aesthetic. This allows plenty of flexibility for landscaping and hardscaping. No matter the architectural style of your home, a crisp white will be lovely and may even increase its value. It's an exterior paint color that can help your home sell faster, too. One thing to note is that a white house does require more maintenance to keep clean. The key is investing in a high-quality exterior acrylic paint for wood, stucco, and vinyl siding or masonry paint for brick. When you're done, you'll have the biggest house on the block — at least, it will feel that way.