need exterior color ideas - overwhelmed!

10 years ago

Hello! I am a first time homeowner and the house is in desperate need of paint (not only aesthetically, but the wood needs a good seal). I am at a loss for color!

The house is ranch style, built in the 80s and it looks that way. Currently it is beige with pink trim (a lot of trim), a sandy brown roof and offwhite limestone (w/ a big white garage facing the street).

I would like to update the colors (to at least give the appearance that the house is modern). I was thinking painting the house with a modern style medium grey but not sure what to do about the trim. I would like to keep it in the neutral range as our neighborhood is pretty tame (there are earthy blues/greens/yellows as well as white/tan/grey/brown). I was thinking doing a fun funky color for the door.

I am open to all ideas! Trying to figure out something that works with the limestone and the tan roof is proving difficult for me! Please help!

Thanks in advance!!
Jen

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PRO

CHISM BROTHERS PAINTING

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

I like those color combos listed above too. the SW Dovetail is the way to go! Just make sure you do a sample near the roof...make sure it works with your roof and stone work. But from the picture it looks like it will. Can you post a few more photos of the home?

I love that orange color too! What about pink? That would be fun. I hear that is a popular "pop" color for 2013. Dovetail, Extra White or SW 7014 for trim and SW 6840 for front door (Exuberant Pink) Send some after photos!

http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6840/

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Comments (23)

tessinseattle
10 years ago
Pale gray exterior with either tangerine or chartreuse door. Bingo! It will look awesome.
Modern Exterior · More Info
Jennifer Lazzaro Saul
Original Author
10 years ago
Oh I like it! What about the trim? Beige/ivory?
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tessinseattle
10 years ago
I think I would have the trim match the exterior wall paint (so gray) for visual continuity since the limestone breaks things up already, then go for a really bright punch of color for the door (and maybe the shutters?). I love the way tangerine pops against gray and if you pick a warmer gray (like the one pictured) the sandy tan color will be pulled into the palette a bit. Chartreuse would look great also with the tan and warm gray. I'm partial to tangerine only because it's our front door color and I reference it in the plantings near the house (poppies, calendula, orange canna lilies) but chartreuse looks great with pale green perennial ground covers.
tessinseattle
10 years ago
This site is great for inspiration. Go to "browse rooms," click on "exterior," then enter into the search bar "pop of color" and you'll find all kinds of great stuff.
Jennifer Lazzaro Saul
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks so much for the input! I am very much into the chartreuse! I think it looks amazing! I will definitely look into some warm greys!
libradesigneye
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Good warm grays for this limestone are going to be sw dovetail family - trim can be lighter tone like the stone but definitely paint the stark white garage door down to at least the trim color. I think your stone is wonderful! Lots of people have fake these days and there is no substitute for real stuff! With this more modern color approach, you need to pull off the shutters - they don't belong on this house anyway.

Now for my color take - I would head towards green for the siding, not a khaki green brown, but a rosemary green gray - like http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6178-clary-sage/ and do all the trim in the deeper tone since we are contrasting your stone - like http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6181-secret-garden/
I would still pull the shutters, but as a front door, since you have a double door so the color you use there is going to be kind of pow - i like eggplant purple - ben moore has peerage http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-ca/paint-color/peerage
It will be a little subversive, and definitely modern, but the earth tones will look great with the roof while the trim and entry will provide that pop.
Jennifer Lazzaro Saul
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you for your input! I am a big fan of the dovetail grey, i think that would look good with the light limestone, it will definitely make it pop. That is exactly the color I had in mind!

As far as your color scheme idea I really like that as well! My husband is really leaning towards green. My main concern is that our property will look "too" green, blending in with the green grass/plants (I know this can be taken care of with some landscaping but our budget doesnt allow for that yet!) I will look up some houses with the color scheme you mentioned!

Thanks again these are absolutely wonderful ideas and really helpful!
Carolina
10 years ago
Here are some ideabooks that my also be helpful to find a nice colourscheme for your home. Good luck!
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/query/Front-Door-Colors
PRO
K.O.H. Construction Corporation
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I Have the same stone on my house, here are some colors for you too look at Green is one of them.
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Carolina
10 years ago
That pink is fabulous. What will the neighbours say! ;-)
PRO
CHISM BROTHERS PAINTING
10 years ago
The pink will look great, because based on the photo, the front doors are shaded and set back...the pink will look a little deeper in color, not too hot.

Any chance the shutters can come off the front? they don't look like they belong there.
elcieg
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Has the limestone been painted or is it natural? If original, I would leave it. Take a look at BM AF 170, a deep coffee, for the front door and BM 509, a soft green for the accent color…vertical siding leading?

If the limestone must be painted, BM mayonnaise, Shaker beige for the vertical siding and garage doors, French press for the trim and cypress for the front door.

NO SHUTTERS :>)
Jennifer Lazzaro Saul
Original Author
10 years ago
carolins - thanks for the link! It has great ideas for pops of color!

Chism -I am leaning towards the dovetail and thanks for the suggestions of the trim! I am liking the eider white (although i will have to test as it may be too cool for the roof). The pink is fabulous! I am afraid that I cannot go that color for 2 reasons.. 1. our trim is pinkish and I have gotten so sick of it being on the house (it is a terribly peachy pick) and 2. My husband will likely not go for it!! HAHA. I am liking the super bright door ideas though! I think if we go with the dovetail then we can pretty much choose any color we like for the door, exciting! As far as the shutters, we want them gone and will likely paint around the windows the color of the siding - we just have to make sure they actually come off, if not, we will figure out a way! I will take more pictures of the house when I get home. I truely appreciate the help!

KOH - Thank you so much for the link! The house is beautiful and I do LOVE that green! I am just concerned that with our heavy green landscaping (if you would even call it that) the house would get lost!

judyg - The limestone isnt painted and we have no plans on painting it, we would like to keep it natrual! I do like those colors.. do you mean do the door the coffee and the trim the green? What would i do for the siding? the dovetail? I am not sure what you mean by vertical siding leading :/

:) :) :)
Jennifer Lazzaro Saul
Original Author
10 years ago
Here are some more photos.. I'm not sure if the shutters come off, it looks like it is part of the window frame..
elcieg
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Something like this picture. Glad you do not have to paint the limestone. Trim out your windows in the brown. Paint the front door the same brown. Use the cypress green as your accent color…either your garage door or the vertical siding leading to the front door. If you paint that wall green and put some climbers, like clematis, on supports, it would be lovely.

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cypress green:

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Jennifer Lazzaro Saul
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for the lovely ideas! We plan on getting some testers this weekend!
Carolina
10 years ago
Please keep us posted, we always love to see the end result.
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Bilowz Associates Inc.
10 years ago
Love the trees in the front of your house. If you intend on sprucing up your exterior space, I would have to agree with K.O.H. Construction Corporation that an earthy olive tone/green may work well with the limestone and also compliment the trees. Very structural to what the eye first sees. You could add some smaller perennial or annual plantings that add a touch more interest. Use height, texture and color to offset the natural greys and earthy greens on the house.
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Carolyn Choi
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
As much as I love trees I dislike houses with a prominent garage and the entrance set back in a tunnel . If it were my house I would remove the tree and create a courtyard with a pergola coming all the way out to the garage- like the one in this pic - only reversed in your case.
Gary M. Lane · More Info
This would balance entrance and make garage less prominent.
PRO
Bilowz Associates Inc.
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I assume the question is really about the exterior color of the house and not necessarily how one would change the façade of the house. A color that ties into the existing landscape seemed important. So much could and should be done from a landscape design perspective and I love your idea of a courtyard. (I can see from the photo that these trees, which have some size are actually growing too close to the house, which often happens from poor planning.) It seemed the exterior color of the house and the limestone seemed to be the question at hand. Adding height, texture and color with select plant material is a cost effective way to enhance whatever color is chosen for the house to perk up the beds that are already in place.
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Carolyn Choi
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Yes, Bilowz Associates, I'm aware of what the question was but considering the entire design I think that more importantly the overall appearance of the house could be improved by unifying garage and entrance . As to suggestions on colors I think these would look great .
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PRO
Bilowz Associates Inc.
10 years ago
Jen, I hope you find your perfect color.