GAF sponsored this video. Want to see the results of carefully weighing all alternatives before upgrading your home?

Look no further than this Florida couple, who decided to have their house painted in Vincent Van Gogh style to resemble Vincent Van Gogh’s famous canvas. “The Starry Night.”It wasn’t that the exterior was unusual, it was also that tourists were attracted to it – kind of New York’s Madame Tussauds. The city of Mount Dora even took them to court.

“Graffiti,”It was called by the city.

“First Amendment!”Lubek Jastrzebski (an immigrant from Communist Poland) countered the claim, arguing that the city’s code didn’t address aesthetics or house colors.

Yes, it’s a extreme example of unintended results. Even though the homeowners were legally exempted from liability, those who are considering major home improvement projects should still read the following tips to avoid costly mistakes.

* Don’t paint your house brown either. Most people know they will eventually want buyers, but not those who are obsessed with Dutch postimpressionist painters that prefer yellow and blue swirls. Zillow.com recently concluded that medium brown and taupe are the worst exterior colors in terms of resale values.

The sales price of homes painted white was $1,970 lower than that of homes painted white. This is according to an analysis of over 32,000 photos taken from residential properties across the country. “Greige,”The big winner was a combination gray/beige, which sold for $3,496 less than its drab brown counterparts.

* Tech is your friend. A renowned designer guru spoke out to the New York Times two years ago about virtual reality, augmented realities, and 3D rendering. “It’s definitely the wave of the future, because it allows the general population to make design decisions without feeling hesitant or insecure,”Khoi Vo is a Savannah College of Art and Design professor and chair of the interior design department.

Room Sketcher allows you to create your own floor plan, furnish the space and visualize it in 3D.

You might be more interested in enhancing your home’s curb appeal by replacing the roof. The Virtual Home RemodelerGAF (gaf.com), North America’s largest roofing company, allows you to experiment with different styles by either downloading a photo or selecting from one of the many styles available – everything Victorian to French country to ranch – shown on the website.

“It’s an easy way to see what would look best with your home,”Paul Dellanno is assistant marketing manager at GAF. “Because what may work for a ranch-style house may not work for a Tudor.”

The process of choosing a house style is now complete. Are you more drawn to the Camelot Shingles in Antique Slate, or the Glenwood Shingles in Golden Prairie?

The trim on the exterior walls and house trim? Or something daringer?

As Dellano explained, “you can even check how the result looks at different times of day and seasons.”

* Be wary of fads. “It looked like Darth Vader had moved in,”This is how Realty.com’s writer described the latest trend in painting black houses in Brooklyn, New York.

It’s a fact that classics are timeless.