SFGate

AMN I would go with matching the body color. Good move, asking that be painted over as part of the deal. Congrats on your purchase.

judyg


Yes, keep it one color and spotlight all your trim. Congrats.

houssaon I agree that the area should be painted the same as the body and the columns the same as the trim.

Greg the PAINT-IT! guy No contest. I agree, hands down!

Bethany Fuller We were hoping to go with a color other than the exact match to the existing blue in order to keep with a more traditional Craftsman style (2-tone) exterior. Any suggestions on colors to replace the orange/brown with?

Thanks, y'all!

Jayme Hobbs A darker grey or wood look that is not so orangy?

wmpj Tan would look good in place of the orange.

Jayme Hobbs couple more

Sandi Love your house !

kathleen MK Love the style. Take the gray blue of the rest of the house and lighten it couple of steps on the paint chip. Keep the white/creamy trim but think about adding a little pop of red/burgundy on the door. Taupes or Tan would work. Love Jayme Hobbs' examples.
Get a porch swing!!

chelseabeagle I love the blue and white, but would paint the 'orange' a cedar color.

chelseabeagle Id paint the columns the dark blue but leave the gables the cedar color.

hewillneverforsakeyou I agree. What ever color you choose. Pick two in the same family. If you stay with blue, accent with same blue just lighter or darker. Don't be afraid of color. Here's your chance! Keep the field basically one color so you can highlight the trim and show it off. Spotlight a new color on your door - red, sunshine yellow, grey... whatever. Congratulations! You will love your bungalow. Ours was a green color very similar to the one judyg posted. I miss it so much. Wish you the best!

ksublett Take your main body color formula (looks like fairly dark blue) and have the paint store use a 1/2 strength of the formula resulting in a lighter shade of the same color. The continuity of color will be calming but the change in tone will add interest and pop. Generally if you go darker on the outside and lighter on the inside is makes the interior of the home feel bright and welcoming... but your main body color looks pretty dark and doubling the depth of color would be too dark on the porch so I'd go light porch, dark body and keep trim consistent to tie it all together and highlight the architectural details and windows. Congrats on your new home, wishing you many happy memories! Oh, I forgot, add a pop of different color on the door, with blue body a deep, rich Red is usually nice.

Jabelone Whatever color you select for the gables (light gray or taupe?), the columns should definitely be white.

ncole2849 Congrats what a beautiful home. i would go with a grey/green and cream trim! and maybe try a different color for the front door something that would stand out!

LM Designers Great house, go with the blue you love already. One color with white trim.

Jayme Hobbs love this look

decoenthusiaste I've always liked this one - I think it is the whimsey of the purple trim that appeals to me!

tallyhill SHERWIN WILLIAMS--- (not a shill, but a customer!) has a GORGEOUS "CRAFTSMAN" palette that they have had since at LEAST 2003...they STILL have it....GO FORTH and find a SW paint store and ask them for the Craftsman Palette...at least a dozen colors... Gorgeous "RUSKIN" green, HUBBARD yellow...something called "BUCKRAM BINDING"...stunning and fun. My best buddy did her whole house in this palette in 2003 and I was recently searching for a color and was SHOCKED that they still have them all in current brochures, they are so timeless. They all are Historical Restoration approved and apparently that is why they are still so widely used. Great fun house! Good luck!

Gregory's Paint & Flooring I like the idea of neutralizing and not to have such contrasting colors, a little blue goes a long way. I amfraid if you paint it all the blue, it will be too overwhelming. I know it may be hard to repaint the entire house. But I would try to get as much as possible as part of the purchase agreement. I would paint the body of the home a bit more neutral, something like: HC-79 Greenbriar Beige, Trim OC-1 Natural Wicker, Cedar Shakes Oxford Brown Solid Stain, these are from the Benjamin Moore Historical collection. Congrats

Sigrid I painted my house all blue with white trim and it looks great and a hell of a lot better that it did with neutral gray, which had all the charm of paint on a battleship. Most paints are made by mixing several colors. Different shades or colors made with the same ingredient colors will look good together. Also, paint companies have suggestions. Find out what blue you have and work from there.

designmepro a lavander or satin white .. or dove white will be nice colour.. coz it can blends any kind of furnishing you do have for outdoor..and it will also match your floorings .. and it refresh minds entering the house.. just an advice.. you will still rule ...

Jean Tuck I like this building and only in my humble opinion that I find The house is indeed one I love the curb appeal for. The orange color in my opinion would best be a soft beige/white.That would be if it was for myself. But if someone likes to mix colors up the keep your color grouping 2 three shades of your favorite color for excellant curb appeal , and I was encouraged through group ideas and magazines to make my color schemes this way through working with design. I love this type home.Would capture my thirst to renovate cosmetically to some of the things needed economically with products for this to happen to be materials suouced through local providers.Sort of win /win for everyone.

Barbara Potvin I like the idea of the dark blue.

hetherfether Atlanta is full of historical neighborhoods....why not take a leisurely drive around a couple of them and see what those folks did with the paint colors on their homes? If you find colors you like, either take pictures or go knock on the door and ask...people are usually flattered to share info. I've owned a couple of bungalows and know the history well....darker foundation color to make it look grounded; second, lighter body color and then a different color for trim - lighter or darker depending on your personal preference. I think the porch posts should be painted all one color; painting the trim cuts them up visually. Is the builder supposed to have the painting done before you move in? Why not ask to put a 3 or 6-month deadline so that you aren't feeling rushed to make a decision you might otherwise regret later? Also, traditionally, the porch ceilings are usually painted a light blue so that bugs mistake it for sky and don't build wasp nests, etc. in the corners....it always seemed to work for me. It's a lovely home - wishing you much joy and happiness making memories there!

Fran McDaniel If you are intent on keeping the blue, I agree with others that a earthier brown, say one of the S-W Roycroft browns or bronzes. I have a similar pressing need to finalize my siding colors on our Craftsman style rural home. I am really loving the Hardie Countrylane Red with Khaki Brown trim and possibly a sage green accent /front door. Also Owens Corning Teak roof. I can not find a single house photo of anyone using these color combinations. Am I totally out in left field?

pagepanther The columns have a choppy look with the way they are trimmed out now. We love Benjamin Moore Hampshire Gray on our Craftsman Era home. Not really gray -- more of a muddy olive.

Jayme Hobbs If it were my home, I would work with the blue. Wouldn't want to take the time, $ or energy to repaint a home I just bought! I recommend reviewing pics of actual Craftsman type homes-reviewing color combos... and go from there...but really am feeling it is unnecessary to repaint the blue....Best Wishes!!

Bethany Fuller Just to clarify, we aren't going to touch the blue and repainting is not going to cost us any additional money. Changing the exterior paint colors was in the terms of our offer on the house. It is the orange/brown color that just doesn't fit. We drove through several intown ATL neighborhoods and got some good ideas. We stopped by a local Sherwin Williams and grabbed several paint samples from the Arts & Crafts and Traditional collections. I think we will end up with all white columns, and either a darker blue on the upper levels (replacing the orange/brown) or a dark brick red). We will eventually replace the door to a more colorful or natural wood option, as well.

B.C.B. inc Maybe finish the shole house in one color with the white trim and then maybe you might have to change the color of the front door to get your POP. Also another option might be to make the house just the dark blue, the columns white and make the foundation color a bit darker.

Christine I have seen a few HGTV shows and the craftsman colors are kinda like Victorian colors. Deep and bold. I would go Blue, lavendar, green with a true Craftsman wood door. Blue all over. Lavender porch roof, Green pitch and a kick ass craftsman door and then trick that pretty baby out with colorful flowers and grasses and rock gardenesque landscaping. Have fun. New homes are always so enjoyable.

noankwaters Having read through all comments and looked at all pictures offered, I like painting the orange to match the rest of the house. The picture of the green one that way made it look larger to me and not so chopped up. Love the white trim and certainly white columns. Then treat yourself to a pop of color on the front door or a lighter wood. I love the Craftsman style and it's a beautiful house! Congratulations!

4leo Keep the Orangey/ rust with creamy tan trim, and change the Blue to a walnut brown! Sorry there are very few Blue Craftsman homes I've seen that are authentic! Stay with the earth tones, that is what the prairie school was about!! Good Luck!

Michelle Lindell I love the orange!

saraj11357 I love the way it looks now! Very Classy! Looks like the pride of the neighborhood to me!

cyn222 Same color all around. Orange is unique, but makes home look smaller.

Dani Pollard I think the perfect colour would be 'Domino' by Dulux. It's a dark grey with a blue base so it would complement the existing dark blue and it looks fantastic with white trim. Good luck and be brave. It's only paint! ;)

Femke Braamhorst darker blue in photoshop
Or suggest any color and I will show you..

yukispon I like the blue in the photoshop. I'd even make it a little more charcoal blue.

Femke Braamhorst charcoal blue?

bananamamma After looking more closely....suggestion? wait a year or two then decide, it looks to be in immaculate condition, why go through the trouble right away, live with it awhile. That was some sage advice someone gave me a looong time ago regarding the exterior landscaping, I think it works just as well for the paint colour too....don't you??

bananamamma Traditional Exterior design by Seattle General Contractor Christopher Templeton BUT in your BLUES

cocoam Since this red/orange is so harsh and not in keeping with the craftsman's softer earthy tones, you might consider going with a mossy green to gray/brown -- will make that white trim really pop. Or, you could go for a cedar shake color (more tan/brown/red) since so many craftsman-style homes have the shakes on the gables. You're right to want to tone the color down no matter what you decide! Congrats.

Rio Brewster Keep the blue. It is obviously a new house so I wouldn't worry too much about whether it's a traditional craftsman color. Go with a slightly lighter or slightly darker shade - but definitely paint the columns white. If you like the banding detail you can paint that the lighter blue, but I think once it is all white you'll want to keep it that way.

Carrie I love both of those colours together! I think it looks great but since you want to, I'd paint the blue.

Marilyn Wilkie I agree with Carrie above. I love these colors. Very eye catching. The house just jumped out of the page. But I never go with the consensus.

lazidazi Consider Green. Blue & Green together are exceptional compliments.

suebrou I would paint the shakes a natural cedar color and the posts either the blue of the body paint or the white from the trim paint.

Katy Bell Hamnes Exterior Paint has a profound effect on the overall vibe of the entire house. I love the idea of going with a charcoal gray. I'd paint the front door a cottagey green blue - like Ben Moore Woodlawn Blue, and keep the trim a classic warm white- Ben Moore White Dove. I also like the idea of driving around the neighborhood; I wouldn't repeat anything I saw, but it'll give you other ideas. Study the contrasts of the exterior paint colors. Do YOU like that? At the end of the day, YOU have to love what you see as you round the block. Beautiful house w/ great character. Love it well!

Marilyn Wilkie I see why they chose the color they did for your house. They are opposites on the color wheel. Complementary. http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/color-wheel-primer/index.html

christol I like Femke's charcoal blue, it adds depth. I wonder how the columns would look in the trim color?

mary malone I would paint all that is now orange in the pretty grey color that is on the steps. I think it will look great with both the blue and with the trim. it gives you two/three colors without being too contrasty.

deedled I would paint the beems white and have them strip the paint from the Brown/orange parts/spots and stain the wood a natural tone!

pitbulls all blue might look too dark.Would you consider a gray with bluish undertones?

nmh246 The link below is to a color scheme paint chart from 1918 that will give you color choices. One of the common points of Craftsman design is to have the gable ends (the triangular parts near the peak of the roof) a contrasting color. The oddest part of the current design is that the orange extends beyond the gables to the pillars below. Those pillars should be a contrasting color. Even if they were painted the same color as the trim it would be better. I would be tempted to paint the gable ends a dark maroon, the trim cream and leave the blue near the entrance to make it distinctive from the rest of the house. Blue, dark maroon and cream is a favorite color combo of mine; very Craftsman, but it all depends. If you want to keep the true Craftsman look, all one color is not right.
My own craftsman house is painted in maroon, grey and the trim is pale grey and black. I had to use grey because blue just did not work with our light.

Do remember that the ultimate color will depend upon other colors in the neighborhood and the light exposure of your house. Reality is different than color charts.
http://pinterest.com/pin/124482377171099555/

njgardengal When we were ready to paint our first house, a 3-bedroom side to side split in central NJ, (it was newly built but a sun-faded unattractive shade of avocado green w white shutters), I explored the surrounding neighborhoods. I looked for similar shape houses oriented toward the sun in the same direction as my home.
For the record, the blue on the porch looks good, so I would use a lighter, perhaps a bit grayer blue for the body of the house and I hope you keep all the trim a crisp white.

pivoines I like the photoshop with the darker blue, but think the columns would look better all white, like the rest of the woodwork.

Marilyn Wilkie Here is a link to an article on Craftsman style color choices.
http://homerenovations.about.com/od/Exterior/ss/Craftsman-House-Colors-and-Ideas.htm

Jean Tuck like that in tones of blue

Javier Marquez Do you want modern colors? Do you want classic look? or do you want to match colors from the neighborhood?