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The outside was painted and the decks done. It's turning cold out here so not investing in any flowers/mums for outside. Have an offer in on another house and will address this one when I need to regarding adding color, depending on the weather at that time.

Thanks for all your help! It was exhausting! See last post for pictures of final project.

Christy

We are finally painting our house! However, I'm uncertain as to what to highlight. I know I'm going for a more neutral light color (maybe a light sage green or cream) and white trim (we have a barn near house - typical red w/white trim). There is a lot of trim on the house, but my main concern is the windows. I'm not a fan of how the brown extends under the windows right now - maybe it's just the color, but not sure if this should have so much attention. This isn't a fancy house with great architectural details, so don't see the point. Also, not sure if I should paint the brick or not. Need suggestions!

Thanks!

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

Another view, showing the proximity of the barn.

Close up of brick door

Shingle Roofing up close

A picture I did find showing two-tones which is a good option.

I agree with you about the brown. I'd probably pick up some taupe tones from the roof and utilize that color instead.
But actually your real problem is not so much the paint as the lack of any plants, bushes and landscaping to warm it all up.
That is where my priorities would lie if it were my home.

Yes - I agree on the landscaping. Unfortunately, it's all concrete in front of the house so I would need to go with potted plants, etc. Not a huge deal, but we live in Colorado and it's been so dry here that I have to water twice daily just to keep my flower boxes alive - it's tough. I've considered painting the concrete and certainly filling in the tiers along the stairs. Probably doing this next spring.

Here is a picture of the brick. I was considering replacing the front door - not a fan of the big window. Never considered it might be a back door!

Good thoughts on the colors. I'm not going to do anything with the barn - it's a metal pole barn. I'm going to pick up some paint samples today to check them out. I was also thinking of the two colors and one for the door.

Sage is just an option. I'm actually leaning towards something like taupe or tan that coordinates with the red barns, but doesn't disappear, then going with something with more contrast on the trim and door. Just have no idea what!

I'll get a different pic on the brick - still not close enough.

I like your sample px. (but taupe is one of my favorite colors for a home so that is not surprise). The darker bottom, provided it is not too much darker, grounds the house.

I would paint out the brown under the windows as you said but leave a narrow box of color around them in a trim color. (replaces shutters).


The brick entrance gives some character to the house and I would not paint it. (Nor would I paint concrete... that is a maintance nighmare. Maybe a stain.. but landscaping is less work than either. And landscaping doesn't necessarily mean water hungry plants.

On the evergreens next to the door... it looks like you are trying to give a formal look to an informal house. Just strikes an odd note. I'd move them both to one side, maybe set back a bit.

You have px of your house. Print some off and use colored pencils to give you ideas of how some colors will work.

P.S. Paint garage doors the same color as the house

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

Christy:
As far as landscaping is concerned, there are ways around the dry lack-of-grass problem.
I notice a lot of pebbles flanking the steps and a dry grass area as well.
You could actually have an Asian influence with lots of pebbles and cactii that do not require much water. Your house, being the unique rectangular shape that it is would lend itself very nicely to this type of design.
Anyway, it is worth thinking about.
Cheers, Arepo

Landscaping - yes, I need it badly. We used to have two Aspen trees on either side of the stairs and they both died, so I'm going to do something with bushes and annuals - next year. As far as adding some interest, I found a pic of a house that had a similar style as mine and utilized the front of the house (forefront of concrete) that was interesting. I also LOVE the brick on this house, but just not in the budget right now. I do like the ideas of lights.

We do get lots of sun (live in Colorado) and we have no air conditioning so those trees are really important and sticking to a lighter color on the house is probably a good bet too.

Here is the link

http://www.houzz.com/photos/36...exterior-minneapolis

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

Some houses I drove by and liked the looks of as well - pretty popular colors right now in CO.

House 2 - this one deals with the window issue I have in a similar way.

House 3

I really like that first house you showed. It would be light enough to not attract so much heat, though you may want it with a little more brown than gray so it goes with your roof better.

I think your pine trees in front (the planted in the ground BIG ones) look really nice and I like the steps. Unless you have regular visitors that cannot handle them why change them?

Arepo's idea of a Japanese inspired landscape sounds like something to look into.

Back to the house color. I see you mentioned sage but all the px you show are more tans or grays. Is that because they are all you can find or... maybe you are drawn to them?

I would just ignore that separate unit under the window and paint it out. You want the attention to go toward the door, I assume.

Just some opinions. You will come back and tell us what you picked, wouldn't you?

astroluvr - So if I followed more of what was in the first picture, the top is all one color and the bottom I would do all another color, just keeping the door as an accent. Would you then paint out all the trim a cream color - something pulled from the brick, or a deeper contrasting color? If I could get away without having to do any additional brick work, that would please the budget!

I liked the pictures above in their contrast of trim colors and paint colors, but it might be too much for our house since we have such straight lines. The sides and back of our house are much more interesting with peaks and stuff!

metwo - It's funny that you saw these homes as gray, as I saw them as sage green - maybe it's because I saw the actual house and the picture shows different? If I were to use green, I'm not sure how much of it I would use as someone mentioned above it seemed to be on the way out. I do think of resale - I never know when we may move - so going neutral is important, which is why I'm leaning more to taupes/tans - plus I love tan against red brick. I just don't want it to be boring.

Okay - here are some base colors I'm considering. I was all set to go green then I put it up against the brick and it does not look good. I think the taupe/tan is the way to go. I'm going to pick up some samples today and check them out.

Still don't know how to highlight everything - two tones on the house? Also, are you saying to treat the large areas around the windows differently as the trim? I was originally thinking of painting out all trim one color, the house in two tones and the door in another color - possibly black (door). I was going to paint the trim around the windows the trim color and perhaps the boxes under the windows the same color as the top section of the house. Are you saying to paint the entire area around the windows a deeper color, the rest of the trim another color and the whole house one color?

First color: Sherwin Williams Downing Sand 2822

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SW Macadamia 6142

Argh - not working so I"ll need to repost later - got to go right now.

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

This is a color choice for staining our redwood deck in the back of the house (also the color that looks best with the brick).

SW Cedar Mill 3512 Stain - I think it looks different in person - not so brown

Another Deck stain option - Redwood TOner

Chrsity, this is so much a personal thing. What we like you may not or vice versa.

I still think your best thing is to print out some black and white px of house and using colored pencil or even crayon color in the house in the approx color you want (tan, green etc). Do one with darker under the windows (not my choice but astro likes it) another with it colored the same as the background , then another with the color all the same and a narrow square around the window the width of the trim. Maybe another with darker bottom, lighter top.

Set them aside and look at them for a couple of days. Even if the colors are all wrong you will be able to select the design you like best. Then you can start thinking about colors. I think you are trying to decide too much at once and maybe in the wrong order.

Oh, as an aside... the more red you have in your stain the faster the sun will fade it. Just something to keep in mind when you do your deck.

Went to Guiry's and got some help on colors. What we came up with were two color combinations... first is in the green family and second is taupe family. Here we go. Got the paint samples and will paint them up on house to get a better feel. I'm thinking these were subtle enough in color change between the two tones.

Greenish Family (though they look more taupe online): Benj. Moore
Brandon Beige (main color)
Stampede (secondary color)
Berber White (trim)

Taupe Family: BM
Baja Dunes (main)
Whitall Brown
Baby Fawn (trim)

First color: Brandon Beige

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

Stampede

Pic of a house painted in Stampede and Clarksville Gray (very similar to brandon beige but a little more green.

Taupe Colors:

Baja Dunes

Whitall Brown

Oh no.... I just read the prior two posts. Please don't feel like I don't value your opinion. If I didn't want feedback I wouldn't bother posting on this site. After all, we all are here only to give our opinions - I post to questions also and all I can offer is what I think looks good - may or may not be what someone else likes. That's just the nature of this type of site. Everyone has great input and with all else, I take what I like and leave the rest. This has been such an overwhelming task for me and I SO appreciate all the help. Please don't give up - you all help me so much.

Chrsity, thank you for your last post. I am sure you understand that I was not criticizing anyone but just giving another suggestion.

Though I will not be posting on this thread anymore I will check back later and hope to see pictures of what you have done to your home. Have fun

So - painted some boards and put them up next to brick. This also gives a much closer view of the brick. I'm am leaning towards one of them, but want to see what you all say. Let me know what you think! I can't wait to hear the trim ideas!

First Picture - the two greens together (lighter one is main color and darker is for the boxes around windows).

Main green on it's own

Two colors of Taupe

Main Taupe color

I like the first picture best but must admit that my monitor does not show it up as green.

I have options to move down one color on both base colors for less contrast. I agree that they both have a lot of taupe in them and what I'm calling green is really a very grey green. The grey taupe (baja dunes #997) actually looks the best with all my patio furniture in the back - the other colors really clash) so this is something I'm taking into consideration as well. Right now I'm leaning towards the grey taupes.

So, I can't wait any longer! What ideas do you have for trim? Right now it's hard to imagine any interest in the house.

Strange. On my monitor BM Baja Dunes looks exactly like a typical tan color -- nothing more or less.

astroluvr.....

The taupe main color was #997 and the brown selected with it was actually HC-69 (not on the same card). If I wanted to go more subtle, as you suggested, on the window boxes I could go 998 or 999, but would need to lose the HC-69 brown. Thinking it would be a lot easier to go with different tones on one card, know what I mean?

The current white color is the window frames - correct. We will not paint these.

You are correct on the window boxes. Two parallel trim boards with two horizontal boards under the windows and on the top of windows (a very small box just like the one below the window).

Yes - there are many trim boards painted the base color of current yellow. For instance, all trim around the windows and doors in the back are the wall base color.

Some thoughts I had for the color scheme was to do the base color on whole house. Do all trim in a cream color. The eaves of house (3 - two on each side and one in back) a darker accent color and perhaps the front door. For the front boxes perhaps do the trim in the cream color and the inside of box in the main color. I don't think this would look bad on the rest of the house, but the front may be a bit boring. I'm totally open to all color options. My main goal was to get the main color down, which I think I have, then to go off from there. If it helps, my interior has accents of rust colors in it. I don't want to draw a ton of attention to the box windows, but don't want to ignore it either.

Pic of back of house - don't mind all the debris, we are currently cutting and replanting trees.

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

Side of house

Okay - so here is a sketch of the front window boxes. The ones below these are just straight forward trim. Excuse the pen marks - it started leaking as I was drawing!

The shaded area is the white trim around the windows that will not be painted.

As far as the trim on the rest of the house - all trim is already painted brown, except the back of the house. There, the only trim not painted is around the windows, doors and sliding doors, but the trim is all straight forward on those.

We are making our final decision this weekend and have to present some ideas to hubby when he gets back in town. So, I'm looking to wrap this up with at least samples today. I've got a friend whose house we liked also and she's giving me her samples (green house, darker tan trim, and dark cream accents) - still uncertain if that green color will go with our patio furniture (maybe this is a strange thing to try to match pain to, but we like it and will be keeping it).

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

astroluvr - Sorry to have thrown in the option of green. I agree, looks good on other homes, but not mine. I am set on my base color, which is the light taupe. I painted these colors on my home against the brick. Below is a picture of the light and dark taupe (light on the whole exterior and dark as an accent or trim). I do agree with your assessment of the cream color for trim. I also think it would be blah and not stand out.

The front door is staying - no new door. I'm also posting a picture of the door where I painted the dark taupe and an adobe color as an option. I'm pretty much open to any accent color or door color - black too.

Hubby leaving all decisions to me on the house - he's good with the base color and trusts me to do the rest.

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

Accent colors painted on front door as some options. There is a lot of black in the brick, but hard to see in picture. I also need to consider the door on the back of the house leading onto the deck and the color of that.

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

Base Color is Baja Dunes (BM 997)
Darker Color is Whitall Brown (BM HC-69)
Rust color is Apple Brown Betty (Olympic C26-5)

Only considering the rust option for a splash of color and goes with the brick. I'm open for more contrast on that just have NO idea what color I would use instead. I only painted Whitall Brown on the door also to see what it would look like... not enough color.

I don't think that there is too much contrast between Baja Dunes and Whitall Brown. Any less, quite honestly, washes everything out. Due to the fact that I have no real "big picture" thinking on this when I use my base color I'm looking for something with more punch/contrast. The house, at this point, only has two colors - so feel the door needs to have some impact.

Did consider painting the railing - hubby not a fan. It will all just be stained with a semi-transparent stain. I'm not choosing that until I finalize the house.

I think that's it. I do appreciate your help, but I'm at a point where the painters want the colors so am running out of time. If you have any final thoughts I'm very open. Thanks!

House on Benjamin Moore Color Viewer with the two taupes below. As with all types of software the colors look more muted than in actual.

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

Okay - went back to paint store and told contractors they'll need to wait. I want to be sure.

Here is what I've come up with. Taking into consideration your suggestions about the focus on the door I opted to try a lighter trim paint and new door paint.

Option 1

Same base color - Baja Dunes #997
Trim Color - Sail Cloth
Front Door - Yorktowne Green #HC-133

I would use the base color all over, including the eaves on sides and back of house and in the boxes below front windows. I would use the trim to outline all trim and roof line (includes trim around front door). Lastly, I'd use the front door color for not only the front but the back door as well. I think this would be a very fresh look. The only reason I said light trim washed out the base color was because the sample I used was too close to the Baja Dunes - not enough contrast. I know you suggested going a bit darker on the trim colors and I just forgot to get a sample of that at the store. If I go with the lighter trim I have the option of painting my deck railings that color also and just staining the walking surfaces and hand rails (something I've been considering).


Option 2

Same base color - Baja Dunes #997
Trim Color - Sail Cloth
Accent Color - Gloucester Sage #HC-100


Another option I considered that you mentioned was using the brick tone for accent color. Around here you see a lot of the brick color on roof lines and shutters. I do really love the color of the brick and I painted a sample of that on the house. I do really like the look, but not for all the trim. If I were to use it it would be an accent. I've added a color combo for that also below. Let me know what you think!

Thanks so much!!!

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Color Combo #1 (w/Yorktowne Green)

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Color Combo #2 (w/Gloucester Sage #HC-100 BM)
This color combo goes best with my interior decor and would look best when door was open.

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Brick color

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Well, don't mean to throw a wrench into everything I've done, but so far everyone who has come over to visit likes the Baja Dunes with the Whitall Brown trim - everyone. It is actually very subtle and goes well with our setting and the brick. We have brick red barns nearby and it just seems to flow. No one likes the light trim and feels as though it will disappear with our intense sun - I do agree with that.

I really don't want to take up any more of your time because you have really been giving me so much info and thought about this. On any other house I would go for one of the above color schemes, but on this one and for where it is, I do like the two original taupes. As to the front door, still undecided. Most like the brick color or the Yorktowne Green. I'm undecided as I don't know how all that will look against the brick - unless you have another suggestion at this point.

Again, I really appreciate all your help, but I think I'm settled on the original colors. Just looks the best.

Hi Astroluvr,

I did paint samples on the house. My house actually looks like a patchwork quilt at this point. I've been painting on the front door, on the side of the brick and on the back deck area. The light trim didn't have a number to it, strangely enough.... yes, no light trim. The two taupes (colors I have for certain) are Baja Dunes and Whitall Brown.

I do like the Yorktowne Green as well, but it is a historical color and when I look through my fandeck there is no light version of that without choosing a whole different strip. Do you have any suggestions on that one? Also, would you paint the trim around the door the same color as the door or the trim color (Whitall Brown)?

Lastly, if I did opt for a trim color somewhere between Baja Dunes and Whitall Brown would you just slide down the chart one or two spaces from Baja Dunes?

I'd love suggestions on the back and front of house!

Thanks.

Well... Hubby just got back in town and had an adverse reaction to the Yorktowne... Called it blue (he just asked me if that was blue on the house). Whenever he says stuff like that I know he's not a fan. This makes me rethink the Whitall Brown as trim and maybe should try the mid tone trim color you've suggested so I have more choices for the door? Why do I feel like I take one step forward and two steps back?

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

Looking back over all your comments. I'm trying a couple of things today in hopes of getting back on track. Trying the more subtle shades for window boxes. I'm starting to see your vision

Off the top I'm thinking that one of my dark accent colors could be the Whitall Brown or something further down the scale of Baja Dunes - like Northwood Brown.

So, I'm looking at Baja Dunes as the base. Something more subtle for window boxes (would this be the trim around all the windows or just the ones on top)? If you could share where you would be putting accent colors on the house I think that would help me a lot. One of the things that keeps me from settling on a more subtle color around the windows is not having a vision of where I would bring more color in (besides the front door).

Speaking of front door. Hubby and I went out yesterday and looked at door options - something we were initially not going to do. We decided to do a solid 6 panel door - painted a color and a glass front storm door on the front. It will be a single sheet of glass and we can choose the color for the frame. The frame comes in white/cream/hunter green/burgandy/brown (like Whitall Brown)/light taupe.