Tan windows installed

6 years ago

Looking for ideas to blend in tan windows. Our builder installed tan instead of white and instead of having them all replaced, we’d rather think of a way to make them work. The exterior will be blue hardie board. Front door will be stained wood. Trim will be white. I do not like the look of tan trim.
Thanks!

Featured Answer

Julia PoNix

6 years ago

I had "tan" windows installed in my last house.

Consider that, especially since your windows aren't white, they are another color added to the mix of the exterior colors. Unless you've got a "painted lady" Victorian, I say limit to 2 or 3 colors overall (the front door can be yet another color). And the windows are one of those colors.

Your window trim, if painted a different color, can be a transition between the tan to the blue (body) that you want to use. Whatever color you put next to the tan will be important in the perception of that tan color. The blue, if separated by the trim color, will then have less of an impact on the tan.

I held a sample of my tan window frame color up against various other colors. In my case the tan had some pink in it which meant that green was a definite "no" next to it as it brought out the pink and I wanted a brown/cool look. I ended up going with Behr Trail Print--a dark grey with purple undertones and did not paint the window trim another color. (That is, window and body same color--dark grey). I did use a black trim on all doors and for the fascia & gutters. These colors harmonized as they were all in a similar family (not complimentary or contrasting). Blue color should tend to bring out orange tones.

Another way to make the tan color work is to find a similar (close enough to look the same at a distance, but maybe a tan you like a little more) or matching tan and use that on the gutters/fascia to very intentionally tie together the look of the windows with the house. Unless you hate the tan. Then, minimize it by putting the right colors next to it.

Black could be a good trim color: because it's neutral it might not call out off tones in the tan, but "neutralize" it. And it goes with blue.

Good luck with your project.

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Comments (16)

miss lindsey (She/Her)
6 years ago
You are more forgiving than I...

Is blue siding an absolute must? You could use a sage green instead with an almond trim colour and then the tan windows would seem a natural fit:
The Baywood · More Info
miss lindsey (She/Her)
6 years ago
Here's blue with tan windows. They repeated the tan in siding; you could use stone or brick (you don't mention the architectural style of the house)
The Carling model · More Info
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3babyblues
Original Author
6 years ago
This is our forever home... don’t want to change from blue. It’s a cape cod farmhouse. There will be shake above the garage door and around the bonus window so I was thinking that could be tan to coordinate with the windows. Also wondering which color should garage door be? Tan with white trim like the windows? It was going to be white before the window mistake.
visualizemaven
6 years ago
Is there any way you can send us photos? Even if the job is in progress it would be helpful.

I don't even know what shade of blue and what shade of tan and.......
3babyblues
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Ok. We haven’t chosen the blue color yet... I’m hoping for a darker blue. The windows maybe could be called almond. They’re not dark tan.
miss lindsey (She/Her)
6 years ago
This is our forever home... don’t want to change from blue

I think it's worth getting the windows you want.
3babyblues
Original Author
6 years ago
I understand that... my Dad said the same thing. The blue house is not something I would want to give up. If I can find a way to blend in the tan windows into the color scheme, it will be easier for everyone. I’m ok with that, even though it’s not my first choice.
miss lindsey (She/Her)
6 years ago
OK that's fair. Only you know what battles you want to fight.

Navy blue could look nice with a dusky red trim. Match the garage doors to the front door.
miss lindsey (She/Her)
6 years ago
A palette similar to this is beautiful. A bit blue-er on the siding would still look great if this is too green.
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Beth H. :
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
are you at least getting a discount on something because of the mix-up?

tan and blue look fine together. if you posted an actual picture of the window, not at night and not from 25 feet away, and a picture of the blue siding you're considering, it would be easier to offer suggestions. this is Boothbay blue, Hardie siding. is this the one you like?

this is it on this home. with white windows.

here is Evening Blue w/Arctic White trim, Hardie

maybe this will help. blue siding, tan windows w/white trim work
3babyblues
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for the ideas... I do like the last one with the white trim around the tan windows. It shows how the shake would look in tan too. The front door will be stained wood so the garage door won’t be able to match it. Should we go with tan like the windows with white trim? Or white with white trim?
PRO
Beth H. :
6 years ago
can you do the wood garage doors?

or the blue to match the house, white trim (no tan)
or maybe do the shakes around the doors?

can't find a blue house,,but here is gray w/gray doors
tatts
6 years ago
Almond is often a yellow-y tan, so I'd be careful with blues.
3babyblues
Original Author
6 years ago
I took a closer picture this morning to show the color and compare to the white door on the rear porch. Thank you for all the help and ideas. As long as the windows are trimmed in white, I think the tan color can be used as an accent and still work with the white and blue.
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Amelia Vallone Interiors
6 years ago
Can they be painted? I would paint windows and back door in the same color.