Message Boards

My home is cream colored stucco with brownish colored stone. I have a Mahogany front door and white garage doors. I have 3 extra exterior doors that I am wanting to paint a color other than white. I have one that enters the garage next to the double white garage doors. I have another on the lower level next to the single white garage door there, and one on the back porch where I also have a white vinyl Anderson french slider that will remain white. There really is no other color on the exterior of my home except the bronze garage wall lights and front porch light.

My question is would it look ok and be appropriate to paint these 3 exterior doors a brick red color given the other aspects of my home that I described above? I am so tired of the boring white of these doors. 2 of the doors that are located next to the white garage doors are 6 light doors and the back porch door is half beveled glass.

Please share your thoughts and ask any questions of me that might better help you in offering advice and opinions.

In my current home, soon to be sold, I painted my white doors cafe expresso. They look fantastic, even though my garage door is white. It just really gave the house a lot of class. Go to the paint store and get some swatches or some sample pots of color. You will know right off what feels good to you.
To be honest the cafe expresso would probably look great with your exterior!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: luvmyhouse,

I'm in a lime green mood! But brick colored doors would look okay as well.

Is it out of the realm of possibility to paint the garage doors? What color is the trim on your house? Personally, I prefer garage doors to be unobtrusive and not painted an accent color...especially if on the front elevation. That is, unless they are a major architectural feature (read really special, pricey, custom doors).

To my way of thinking the red you suggest seems a little out there, unless it's really close to the mahogany of your front door?

On the other hand, if you love the look you're going for, and, knowing your talent and expertise, it'll probably look just fine.

How's that for vacillating?

I would probably keep the doors white, as I like to have a hierarchy of color when it comes to exterior doors. I do the front door in the deepest, or most intense color as it will attract the most attention, and therefore direct people to that location. As the other doors are less important, I don't like them to attract as much attention.

That isn't the only way to lay out color for exterior doors, but it is the method that works the best in my opinion.

If you want to play around with the color decision, a good way to explore is to take a good photo of the exterior of your house and then print off several copies just on typing paper. Using colored pencils, or markers or even crayon, color in the doors in different color ways. That can really give you some quick direction.

Your house sounds beautiful, and personally, I would bring in the color in the form of plants and flowers.

I love to experiment, so I'd say get a quart of the color you're thinking about and try it on one of the doors. We know you aren't afraid to paint! If you decide you don't like it, just repaint it.

We have a door on each side of the house. None of them are seen from the other. The front door is kind of a deep ocean teal green. The door on to the kitchen is white, the one off the back porch is the paler green that we are using as the secondary body color for the house, and the second door in the living room that goes to the side porch is white. I didn't go with matching them all. I chose door colors to contribute to the overall affect I wanted to achieve for that specific side of the house. Things don't always have to be one way as you well know.

If you don't want to experiment with actual paint, get a good pic of the whole side of the house each door is on as previously mentioned. You can use the CBN tool to preview what different colors might look like on the house and be able to change them quickly. Here's a link to download a trial version. http://www.cbnsystem.com/softw...lector_download.aspx

Here's a link to a quick tutorial on how to use the CBN as it can be a little confusing to get started. The trial version won't let you save it and I don't remember if it will let you export, but you can do a screen print and save it in MS Paint. http://youtu.be/y39IKpCegBY. Give the link about 1/2 hour since I'm still uploading it.

Have fun!

My home's facade is similar in material and coloration as yours (stucco/stone plus some cedar). I chose to paint my exterior doors (except the front) the same color as my stucco since they are surrounded by the stucco. I found that Ben Moore's Manchester Tan is very close in color to my stucco. My front door is currently black as our my front facing shutters. The window trim is white. My newish double garage doors are a white as they are side facing and resemble carriage doors w/ black hardware (an architectural feature in my book).

I agree that street facing garage doors should blend w/ their surround and not called attention to w/ the exception of quality, high style doors such as mine. I also agree that the front door should be a focal gage to welcome guests and treated differently (in most cases) then any other exterior door.

BTW, my stone portion is made up of blue grays, rust, a reddish hue, golden hues and brown. My roof is newish and resembles new cedar shakes. The portion of my front facing cedar is a solid stain from SW called Pecan (if my recollection is correct, but don't hold me to it ). It's a pale golden hue that echos some of the stone.

I agree w/ those who cautioned about introducing a red for your exterior doors IF that color isn't present in say, the stones or the roof. In your case, judging by your description and location, I tend to think a white or the surround color (if it's stucco) would be ideal. Just MHO tho. If you can post a pic or two, it would help w/ suggestions.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Froo Froo,

I walk alot and look at houses while I'm out. I think a shot of color creates a dramaitc effect.

Follow your insticts. You have great color sense!

I agree COMPLETELY with Cocok.

I want to thank each of you for your opinion and thoughts on what I'm contemplating. I appreciate each thought you share.

Luvmyhouse, I have tried an Espresso color on the upper level door going into the garage next to the two white garage doors. I've lived with that for a couple of years. But something about it does not work for me on my home. I love that look on others homes, but I am wanting a change for mine. If not to a color then back to the original white I had.

Sms29s66, I'm not that bold to go lime. A brownish red is the most I'm willing to think about. Thanks for the encouragement.

Belstone, I can't go wrong with your advice. I really appreciate your thoughts. I cannot paint the white garage doors. I have all total 3 big garage doors...2 on the upper driveway level which is the main level and one on the lower driveway level. The lower is not seen from the road and back porch door is not seen either, but the upper level main driveway door is seen. Thus my dilemma.

Cocok, When we built this house, I went with all exterior doors white except for my solid mahogany front door, side lights, and transom. I lived with that for many years. I experimented with espresso on one door going into the garage. It was okay, but not anything special for my house. The white gave a cohesive unified look. Somehow, my doubts that I'm having do seem to be grounded in something. Thank you for verifying that. I will share pics in the following posts of my home so that everyone can get an idea of what will be seen from the street. It's only one door. The other 2 are not seen from the street. Thank you!

Bella, my brave friend. I knew you would tell me to experiment. Any other time, I would have been willing because I love to paint....but my 9 month old granddaughter has curtailed my experimentation A LOT! I keep her 3 days a week and have little time to call my own to play with paint. So...that's why I'm wanting to have sounding boards here. I will see if I can get this CBN to work for me. Thanks for sharing it and the tutorial. I'll keep you posted.

Froo Froo, thank you for sound advice. I will share pics of my home that I have on this computer already to show what I'm talking about. Your home sounds lovely. The color scheme sounds very nice. I so appreciate your thoughts. Let me know once you see my pics if you have any other thoughts. Thanks!

Annie, I used to be more daring. I would just follow my instinct and then if I didn't like it, undo it with no thought. But my priorities have changed over the past year. My time is limited on my decorating projects, so I am not as brave and now I tend to want to think it to death. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Love, Lu, I truly appeciate your affirming Cocok. I knew there was a reason this thought was bugging me about using a reddish brown color. I really need to hear everyones further thoughts now that you viewed my outside pics of the one door that will be seen from the street.

I'll attach some pics in the next posts. Share any other thoughts because you all have given me lots to think about without me making a decision yet.

I am considering a color similar to Benjamin Moore, Country Redwood but would be open to thinking about other reddish brown colors to experiment with if that is the direction I decide to go.

Here's my front door.

This is one of the doors on the main level next to two white garage doors. This is the door that I'm considering painting a color such as BM Country Redwood...or may just leave white. What do you think? I'm sorry it's so small. I don't know what happened.

Here's a Nighttime Winter pic which is the only one on this computer of the entire front of my house from the street. You see how the 2 large garage doors are positioned and one of the white doors that I'm thinking about painting. So what do you think??? Still the same thoughts? Your opinions are helping me.

One last pic to consider...sorry for the quality of these, but they were already on my computer. Hope this gives you an idea of what it all looks like. The door next to the stone wall is one of the 3 that I'm thinking about.

One other note, during the Spring and Summer, I do have lots of color in my landscaping with flowers and shrubbery, but I was considering this extra color on the doors for the body of the house. I'm concerned it would take away from home though and not look quite right. That's why your thoughts are important.

As someone (cocok?) pointed out, your front door is the one that beckons...as it should. If you leave all the white (garage doors, trim, windows), the door next to the garage should probably remain white, too. Otherwise, guests might be confused as to which one to approach. The only other color choice I see is to pull a color from the stone, but I really think that the white works best.

Just some quick painting for a general idea.

Next

Gorgeous house, but I still believe the door near the garage should be white so that the front door becons visitors and there's no question where to enter.

You want red?
You should go for the red -- especially if it is a brownish red.
Worst that can happen is that you need to repaint if you are not happy with the result.
Frankly, I think it would work fine -- depending on the red (kind of like the red that Bella posted).

I'll preface what I'm about to say by admitting that I've been looking at sarcastic FB pictures for the last couple of hours, but no matter what color you paint your secondary doors, if someone has trouble finding your clearly defined front door, they may have more problems than you really have time to deal with anyway. For most people that's probably true although we did have this one lady at our last house that would come up to the kitchen window in the dark and start talking. Talk about scaring the bejeezez out of a person!

I love the brick red but I would try to make it as different from the natural mahogany as possible. I wouldn't want you to take away any impact from the natural (and probably expensive) wood. Perhaps B.M. HC-51 Audubon Russet? I would also be inclined to paint the garage doors. Three different door colors is too much variety.

Thanks so much for the mockup Bella. That color resembles the BM Audubon Russet that Charles D mentioned....at least on my monitor. I'm still not sure. When I compare that to the white door, I am leaning white, but who knows? Why am I so indecisive. I guess I'm hoping someone says just the right thing to take my indecision away.....sigh, silly I know. I'm rolling my eyes at myself.

I truly appreciate everyone's comments and thoughts. I'm weighing them all.

There is one thing that cannot be changed and that is the white garage doors. There is NO way that I could persuade dh to allow that. So with the garage doors staying white, what are your thoughts on a brownish red door? I think if I'm interpreting your answer correctly Charles D, you feel that unless the garage doors are painted the same as the doors entering the garages, then don't introduce a third color???? Is that correct?

Just for reference, this is the BM Country Redwood color that I was considering for my 3 doors. I still haven't made a decision, but I am truly considering everyone's thoughts. As Bella said, If I choose not to paint them a color other than white, it's not because I think anyone would have difficulty determining which door is the main door. I hope that my front door is prominent enough for visitors to know that's the main door.

Here's my inspiration photo which is the side door of my friend's home who doesn't live in my town.

Stopped back by to share a special pic with you. This is the "distraction" that doesn't allow me much extra time to paint and play with decorating. This is my granddaughter. Many of you may remember when I shared pictures of her nursery that I decorated in her home. This is the rocking chair that belonged to my husband, and that I used with our 2 children. I painted it and personalized it for our granddaugher and now she enjoys it. She has added so much to our lives. I love being a grandmother, and I know many of you can relate.

I think your house looks lovely. I like the white, and I would keep it for sure. I would not draw attention to that part of your house, when the front door is so pretty.

I would not paint that side door, or paint it a shade darker or lighter than the house, but then you have trim around it to leave white so the door will stand out anyway.
Does it need repainting? Is that why the issue came up?

I am not saying someone would confuse which door to go in, clearly you have a front door.

BTW, that DISTRACTION is adorable! I would say she is a great excuse to put off projects for a while! What a cutie, you are blessed!

Your granddaughter is ABSOLUTELY adorable PL. Thanks for sharing her pic. Seems just yesterday you were sharing the nursery decor with us Have fun, fun, FUN !!!

Thank you jovtfam4 for your thoughts. I appreciate the input.

Mary Ruth, thank you for your input. Yes, all 3 doors need repainting. Actually, the door you see in the pics above, will be replaced because the door facing needs replacing, so the entire door and framing is to be replaced. So I'm going to paint all the secondary exterior doors with a fresh coat of paint. That's why I'm trying to decide now which color to go with.

Thank you for the comments on my GD. She is a busy little girl these days crawling everywhere and pulling up on things. She's not far from walking. She requires my constant attention when awake. I love it though.

ETA: Thank you Georgia Peach. Time does seem to fly, doesn't it?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: paintlady,

I must say your house is beautiful, and your grandaughter is so cute,,,,,,I could see why you have such a distraction, I would be with her all the time...enjoy and spoil her, wich I knw you are...so pretty.......

I think your home is beautiful just the way it is! And your granddaughter! too cute for words. she's getting big so fast.

My GD's first birthday is today and I can't believe how fast time is flying by.

Thank you all for your sweet comments about my GD. I appreciate it.

As for the exterior door decision...I am a visual person. I am going to get a sample of the brownish red color paint and do a trial run within the next few weeks. I have to at least see for myself. If it looks out of place, then I will know when I see it actually in person. I do appreciate everyone sharing their thoughts. You all have given me food for thought. I love the fact that this is a great place for advice and to bounce ideas around. Thank you.