Suggest external paint colors please
I am renovating an arts & crafts/tudor revival in Maryland and hope you can suggest external colors! The house was built in 1924 and sits on a 1/2 acre lot. I'm adding to the house in the rear but much of the house will be restored-- original windows, doors, siding (and much of the inside). The metal roof cannot be saved but I'm replacing with metal shingles by Berridge. The new section in back will have James Hardie Artisan lap siding (smooth), which is a close match to the existing wood siding.
I'm attaching a photo of the front of the house as purchased and a drawing of the plans for the front. The north side porch (added a couple of decades after the house was built) will be demolished. The front porch, which is unsafe, will be replaced also. The brick chimney will be stuccoed. The original house had shutters that will be replaced (other windows are casement). The entire property will be landscaped so try to ignore that aspect.
My problem is that the colors of the house are constrained by the colors available for the siding and the roof. I've attached these colors. Even so, I've still got options. Does anyone have suggestions?
I'm attaching a photo of the front of the house as purchased and a drawing of the plans for the front. The north side porch (added a couple of decades after the house was built) will be demolished. The front porch, which is unsafe, will be replaced also. The brick chimney will be stuccoed. The original house had shutters that will be replaced (other windows are casement). The entire property will be landscaped so try to ignore that aspect.
My problem is that the colors of the house are constrained by the colors available for the siding and the roof. I've attached these colors. Even so, I've still got options. Does anyone have suggestions?

| Share: |
|
More Discussions


cobble stone for trim,
colonial red roof...
and with the landscaping I would redo the walkway in cobblestone.
Or, a more daring option would be:
Cobble Stone siding,
Arctic White trim,
Deep red roof,
add red and white striped awnings to some or all of the windows...
and redo the walkway in red brick pavers.
A dark greenish black for the door for the first color suggestion - like Nationalist Green, and a BLACK door for the daring option.
I realize the more daring option is something probably only I would do! But I think it would be so pretty with a lush green landscaped yard with tons of knockout rose bushes.
Lastly,
brown roofs are boring,
gray roofs are austere,
blue roofs are bad feng shui,
and everyone I know hates green roofs.
Good luck and have fun with your remodel!! !
The house is on the border of a historic district and, although not an official historic property (former owners refused), we have agreed to the recommendations of the Historic Commission not to change the front. Thus, no wrap around porch. Colors should be historic. ispeakwhale's first suggestion would work (esp. with a red door).
However, I have been drawn to the "antique copper-cote" roof shingles ("metallic colors"). What would you suggest with that? I was thinking maybe:
roof: antique copper-cote
siding: boothbay blue (too dark? too blue?)
trim: arctic white
shutters: iron gray
door: medium/light yellow or pumpkin
Woodlawn Cream for the siding
Navajo Beige trim and shutters
the color similar to Countrylane Red (above) for the front door
OR,
Blue Bay siding
Navajo Beige for trim and shutters
Burgundy Red roof
a shade darker and brighter than Woodlawn Cream for the front door
Or,
Woodlawn Cream siding
Terracotta roof
Dark Bronze color (above) for shutters and front door
Navajo Beige or possibly Arctic White trim
I could do this all day since it's not my decision! :D
Thank you stefspad for the book idea but is the author Ray Subblebine? Or if not can you give me the author? There are many books with just about the same title.
As a side note, I'd suggest a casual, Cape Cod style for the landscaping, with a lot of tall grass. You're right about the roses; knockouts are beautiful and low maintenance plants!
Good luck!
You could add a radiant barrier to the sheathing in your attic to minimize radiant heat gain from a darker roof.
Agree on the Arts & Craft I would certainly do research on this .
As mentioned above I would add a wrap around porch & veranda too,you have plenty of space to do this. Yet I would keep the ceiling & all timber as the overall house exterior colour for light quality & cohesion. ( whatever you paint this )
I actually like the roof tone. I certainly think black would be a hard colour & not suit the house which is soft.
Whatever colour tone you go for on the cladding I would make certain this was a `heritage shade` as these are all timeless colour tones.
Have fun with your great property
Laara
Tath Hossfeld Designs
The top 4 : the left top grey looks fabulous as does the bottom right
The next 4: left top & again the bottom right.
Definately roses, asters, penstemons, salvais, alliums, foxglove .... few domed box to add defined yet traditional contrast in `form` & `shape` . Ornamental grasses in swathes such as deschampsia, panicium species .
I am UK so not 100% sure on your native shrubs.
Orchard: you have so many options with this including you could have beehives too . support the bee population
Too bad you can't do some modifications to the architecture on the facade, but I like it the way it is. Do you think they'd let you put some steps up to that great porch on the left? Connect to the walkways along the front. I like the idea of reclaiming the front lawn for some entertainment space. Pushing the plantings out to the street side of the walkways and patios creates some more intimate spaces that transition into the lawn, where you can toss a football around. It also gives you something to look at besides cars passing by. A fence along the street with a border of plantings and some well placed ornamental trees will help define that great outdoor room also. It'll be great when its done, even if you just keep it simple and remove the guard dogs at the front door.
Dark Bronze-colored Berridge shingles. Iron Gray Hardie Plank lap siding. Navajo Beige trim. Black cottage-style (not louvered) shutters. Yellow door.
I've also torn down your side porch and added the stuccoed chimneys and your arts and crafts lighting from your drawing.
Going beyond that, it would be cool to see stone on the foundation. I think it adds to the historic charm you are trying to re-introduce.
The first photo should help you visualize the stone at the base.
In the second photo, I've added landscaping, starting with a picket-topped stone wall (the wall stone would tie into the stone on the house). I agree with those above in their choices of historic-type plantings (hostas, hydrangeas, etc.), but I'd sprinkle in a few low-maintenance bushes and a flowering crab to give it a bit of color and a slight update. Yellow in the landscape plants tie to the door. The rest of the landscaping adds the color and texture to help the whole property have a nice color balance.
[houzz=