How can I give this house a more "cottage" look?

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

Shingles are being replaced, but hard to choose a color that will take the house in the direction of a "cottage" look, due to the red brick/rambler style. Maybe the shingle color? Paint the brick? Paint the shutters? Help!

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sallad

9 years ago

Would defiantly need some hanging baskets around porch, maybe a rose bed beside the path and some creeping ivy against the red brick would look great, you would not need to do much change with the building

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garden design online
9 years ago
Also need more landscaping,plant hosta,hydrangea,dogwood,
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hello bonnielynn75 and THANK YOU! your comment put a smile on my face re the red on the interior side of the door. It IS red on the inside as well, he insisted on that when we purchased it. no one here has it red on the inside and I wanted it to be white on the inside. do you see my dilemma?;) I agree with everything you are saying, I suppose this is the reason why so far I was not 100% sure about the black for the door either, although I like black...Agree, there is too much wall and I find the house to be looking a bit 'bland' and would like to change that. I LOVE shutters, but read somewhere that you never put shutters on wide windows, so got unsure about that, too...but perhaps just the one as I stated earlier. Would the color on that shutter be the same as the door (if I ever settle on a door color)? Unfortunately window boxes are not an option as we have quite a few cats and they may be used as litter boxes;) please don't tell me to get rid of the cats;)... Regarding the stoop (entrance) : we need to add another step (made of cement) on top of the existing step: it was removed when the new door was fitted. We were thinking of putting slate tiles or something dark to match the roof, if that makes any sense.... It is porous cement so unsuitable for painting, I think. What place in Ireland did you visit, we are close to the Irish Sea in the country surrounded by sheep;)...
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C R
Original Author
9 years ago
what color should the shingles be? should I change the color of the shutters?
sallad
9 years ago
shingles probably a darker weathered brown and usually you see red or teal colour with cottages but might be to much against the red brick,,, if you were brave you could try a lime wash over the brick to give a very cottage feel,, it would look perfect
C R
Original Author
9 years ago
I love those shingles! I was trying to go for a "beach" cottage look. The lime wash is gorgeous too!
PRO
Material Girl Slipcovers
9 years ago
You could add some window flower boxes.
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brickln
9 years ago
I'd go with a green or tan roof, and paint the shutters in a cheerful color. Add flowers and arbors.
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PRO
lickity split
9 years ago
Natural Stone instead of lattice and court yard walls in front, fret work on porch, French curves on gable before you reroof, slate roof... maybe. Maybe a big dormer that could pass for a room with big window in it...?
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PRO
Southern Walker Landscape Design
9 years ago
I would add window boxes to the windows on the left. Also, painting the brick would go a long way in achieving the look you are after. I recently changed my shutters to a more cottage style. It was a simply thing to do, not that expensive, and made a big impact.
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PRO
Southern Walker Landscape Design
9 years ago
Also, go with a dimensional shingle. I used one on my office, and from a distance it looks like a slate roof.
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C R
Original Author
9 years ago
Yep. I'm planning on a dimensional shingle, as I'm having it re-roofed before moving in. Now it's just a matter of color....
C R
Original Author
9 years ago
Brian - what do you mean by fret work on porch?
bgfuqua
9 years ago
brown or green for shingles, fretwork is gingerbread vintage woodworks.com shutters the type where you can see the vertical boards and 2 horizontal boards hold them together, I would leave the brick alone, paint shutters green , as said above-window box , flowers, keep trim white.
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C R
Original Author
9 years ago
I know exactly the shutters you're talking about, and was going to order that type. Was hoping for a "beachy" cottage look...any thoughts on colors that would complement the recommended shingles?
Will look into fretwork and windowboxes. Thank you! :)
PRO
Construction Guaranteed
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Brightening up the shutters is a good start. GAF has some nice roofing materials that can give the cottage feel real quick.
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PRO
lickity split
9 years ago
I took this from google. There are hundreds of them.
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PRO
lickity split
9 years ago
... I don't know if it would tie just an idea
Lynn Ramsey
9 years ago
have you considered changing the brick color and changing the door?
C R
Original Author
9 years ago
I have!! It's in deciding colors that I need help. :)
libradesigneye
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Nina - if you tell us what colors your decor features inside, we can help more - might as well be cohesive. As for roof, go charcoal - earth toned roofs limit your color palette where charcoal will not. Also, the roof needs to be darker than the home color . . you could do a colored roof but it may affect your resale . . . that may or may not be an issue to you. The fretwork is a bit victorian for my taste, I think that washing the brick and painting the front door (send your colors and we'll help) will help your white trim with contrast.
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C R
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks libradesigneye. We won't be moving in for another 3 or so weeks, and we still have to select paint colors for that as well. Yikes! :) Meaning we still have a lot of flexibility.
libradesigneye
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Here are some neutrals then - try bm bleeker beige as the warm tone to water down and wash the brick, to give it an antique look. The shutters could then be a mid tone sage . . like bm herb bouquet http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/herbbouquet - leave the white trim, go for a red front door http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/strawberryfield key this tone to the rest of the brick once painted . . tone needs to match whatever red comes thru . . it will be the sweetest cottage you ever saw. Love the shingle look above on the right for the roof with the diamonds . . .
C R
Original Author
9 years ago
Those are some great options!! Now can you convince my husband to let me wash the brick? ;)
libradesigneye
9 years ago
I was thinking more about your accent colors - red, blue, blue=green, yellow, gold, etc . . . what tones are your primary art / accents / upholstery .. . .
libradesigneye
9 years ago
If you use masonry paint and water it down and just wash it once - so it still can breathe (not the elastomeric stuff) you can get him to compromise so you can have a cottage feel. If you want a look like the photo above you'll have to mask some of the brick so they come thru, and go back over others so you get more variegation (a sponge job for you after the painter is done with a once over). . . you will not have to maintain it which is what he is concerned about, you want it to weather and soften around the edges. The neutral buff tone against the white trim will be classic and charming.
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C R
Original Author
9 years ago
currently the walls are all just a very plain, neutral beige. The woodwork is oak, and seen at the foyer on both the floor and the stairs/handrail (also something that I want to paint) leading to the downstairs. The furniture in the living room, the first room you enter past the foyer, is very neutral: a curved microfiber couch in a light beige, accent chairs in a brown leather, stainless-look floor lamp, a PB lamp that is a round, hollow glass ball in blue (reminiscent of this one, but the blue is a bit more towards turquoise: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/karlie-honeycomb-glass-bedside-lamp-base/?pkey=ctable-floor-lamps&cm_src=table-floor-lamps||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-
libradesigneye
9 years ago
You may want to try out bm templeton gray on the front door .. . a lovely muted blue green shade. Consider using mission oak polyshades to darken the handrail and stair treads just one shade - you can paint out spindles if you are painting out trim - wood finishes take abuse better than stairs and can be a feature that way. You could go darker with a walnut polyshades there. . . particularly if you are painting out most of the oak trim. That works even with a lighter floor. .
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C R
Original Author
9 years ago
Wow! I can't wait to go to the paint store, libradesigneye! Thanks for all the time you've dedicated to this inquiry. I really appreciate all of your input and am looking forward to getting busy! :)
C R
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
One of the things about the inside of this house is that in addition to a lot of lighter oak there a lot of brass...I am no friend of brass, beginning with the front entry hardware....so I'm going to have to progressively change all that stuff out.
C R
Original Author
9 years ago
This is the living room (prior to us painting and moving in). See all the brass and the very light oak? Bah!
Nicole
9 years ago
Ivy would be great
ambersarris
9 years ago
A creeper would be lovely and would mix well with hydrangeas and roses which add to the look. I would go with a ticky creeper instead of ivy as it won't damage your plaster, shutters, gutters etc.
libradesigneye
9 years ago
Nina, you might like checking out the DIY spray painting work on hardware and light fixtures of rustoleum oil rubbed bronze spray paint - they've done this over at younghouselove.com (7 or 8 very misty barely can tell you spray painted coats does it). You can use the classic fixtures you've got (save $) but get an instant update - great for hardware too.

I see that the trim is painted out, the doors and crown are nice and the rooms are generously proportioned - that oak floor may be just the thing that makes it feel warm and homey, like the cottage you wanted.

Just shifting the tone on the bannister and treads then painting out the spindles and risers, adding a runner . . . .check this out. http://www.younghouselove.com/2013/11/stairs-and-stripes/
(I wouldn't take your banister that dark - thus the mission oak or walnut polyshades suggestion). They have darker wood floors, but you can see how just a bare tonal shift with mission oak on the banister and tread will repeat some of the deeper tones in the floor.

Think the sellers rug is not a great complement to the floor tone -One way to go in the kitchen and more casual spaces is to add some yellows/ dijon in linens, art, accessories to echo the sunlight of the floor rather than the orange. You might use your silver toned elements there, where more plumbing and equipment bring those in . . . add a lot of blue and white - navy and straight blues will make the floor read more golden where the blue-greens will bring out the orange more. You can start with lots of straight blues and pop blue-green accents in. Or head americana with red accents for your range of blues.

That doesn't seem to be the right answer in the living room with your neutrals . . The buttercream on the wall may work with your beige sofa but I think you might want something in the cocoa family there - go for drama with a cocoa or chocolate wall and lots of off white trim, buff frames and matts, you can paint some furniture black, find a fabulous rug with red and cocoa and off white and use lots of red and off-white textiles at windows and new upholstery. Grab some craigslist wing chairs and send them to the upholsterer for a red and buff Ikat statement near the fireplace. Wash the interior brick as you do the exterior (that can be the test run for your husband) and see how it comes together.

That could be the clue for outdoors too - if DH isn't ready to wash brick upon move in, or you want to save your political capital for something more important, go for dark navy shutters and a royal blue front door.
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C R
Original Author
9 years ago
I can't thank you enough! You're the best and have inspired me! :)
PRO
Warner Decor
9 years ago
Hi! I know that I am late on this post, but i think something that would make your front porch look a little more "cottagy" would be a wreath or moss letter on the front!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/165859373/14-moss-letter-with-burlap-ribbon?ref=shop_home_active_1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/150466013/personalized-18-wreath-hydrangea-wreath?ref=shop_home_active_13

Hope this helps you!

How can I give this house a more "cottage" look?

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