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TanCalGal Gable is too plain. I'd install a vertical board and batten on gable. Maybe thin boards to give the appearance of b and b.


After that I'd paint all the same in a light color, similar to what U have.

solraven Right now it's very monochromatic with red brick and roof being similar in color. I like olldj22's advice of vertical board. If you're looking for color, I would go with something like Coastal Plain by SW. It's a muted green, but will pop because it's surrounded by so much red brick color.

zaffuto Thank you for your feedback! Adding in vertical boards is something I had thought about however right now all we are planning to do is utilize paint. The green color by SW is ve nryice. I had bought sample of Ben Moore's Willow Creek and Bear Creek yesterday but they don't have the prominent green color as what you suggested. You think more green than gray would match our brick and roof better?

Also, how would it look if I painted the gable different from the columns and trim? I then have to also take the garage door and shutters into account and had thought about making them a dark gray green.

Thanks,
Andrea

The Virtual Designer- Kitchens & Bathrooms I lost you and someone found you in cyber space on houzz. What a network!
Anyway, here are my suggestions...

solraven Zaffuto, if it was my house, I would consider doing the garage door and the gable in something like Coastal Plain, which is a greyish green, but keeping the trim crisp white, including the shutters and columns. BTW, you're house is beautiful! I just love ranch style homes. I think because they feel very grounded and earthy to me. :)

zaffuto Thank you for that compliment! So, I am excited about everyone 's feedback. I just got a sample of coastal plain. I'm wondering if darker shutters would work? Also, my husband has said the only request he has is that we don't use white, tan or beige for the house.He was ok with light gray though. Thanks. Andrea

solraven I think dark bronze (your window color) would look nice as an accent. From the flora it looks like your south facing and in in N. FL, so you should get plenty of light on the front of your house. Were you planning on painting the front door as well?

zaffuto My windows have black trim but I guess you meant the color they give off. Yes, we're in FL ( central) and there's a lot of sunlight on front of house from 10-4. I wasn't sure about door. Its wood with pretty carved detail that seems to really show with the stain it has now. I really like yourbronze suggestion Did you mean bronze on shutters, columns and trim? I'm wondering if there is so much color going on that I should keep columns, trim and shutters all same color? Thanks, Andrea

The Virtual Designer- Kitchens & Bathrooms Hi again- just read your husbands requests regarding colors that he would prefer to get away from and basically when finding colors for a home, you look for contrast. Even though I've put white here and there, your house color scheme would work with a hundred shades with will still make the ol' house sing.
I have always found the Behr paint website useful and there is a home on this website similar to yours and I think you’ll like it too. Also, the landscaping on this ranch style home would look perfect at your place.

http://www.behr.com/Behr/home#channel=INSPIRATION;view=3;vgnextoid=4e97f3e98119c110VgnVCM1000006b0910acRCRD

and you might like this as well…

http://www.behr.com/Behr/home#channel=INSPIRATION;view=3;vgnextoid=4018351ae319c110VgnVCM1000006b0910acRCRD

Happy painting

zaffuto Thank you! Wonderful feedback from all of you! I'll check into these links you provided.

zaffuto The Virtual Designer I can't get to the pictures c on the Behr website. What section would I look under to see those two pics? Thank you!

casacomoda Zaffuto, I went to the Sherwin Williams website to check out the Willow Green recommended by Solraven. I do like that color, but while there I discovered that they have a great website and very easy to navigate exterior color combinations. There is one that I think you might really like. I believe that it is under Exterior Color Combinations and then Suburban Traditional. I could really see your gable and garage painted in Rare Gray; the decorative element on the gable, the edge of the gable and your shutters painted in Pewter Green; with the columns and all other trim in Casa Blanca. This is not really white, more of a cream color, but it would be a minimal amount on your house. I would do the front door in Black. Check it out. There is a pix of a house with this combination and although the roof is a different color, I still think it would look great on yours. Good Luck. We repainted two years ago and I know how difficult it can be. Took me forever to get just the right colors, but all worth it when you do.

The Virtual Designer- Kitchens & Bathrooms Hi again- Go to the Behr website, Inspiration- Exteriors- Architectural Style- Ranch Style. From memory the house I'm referring to is about no 3 of 6 photos. Hope you find it, let me know if you can't.

zaffuto Thanks, I found the pics in the websites. This has all been so helpful! I did go and put sample of Coastal Plain on one side of the gable and Ben Moore Willow Creek on other side. I suppose because I don't do this for a living, but its so hard to visualize what works without it all being done. I really like the idea of the greener color bringing out the red in the brick and roof if I use Coastal Plain, but with just a portion of the gable done I'm not sure if it works? The Willow Creek matches but then I wonder if it adds enough contrast? My husband now is open to lighter trim because he realizes we need some contrast.

zaffuto I just took pictures of the gable with WillowCreek on the left and Coastal Plain on right. I would appreciate feedback if either of these colors work really well. Thanks, again.

zaffuto Gable with Willow Creek on left, Coastal Plain on right.

yvonnecmartin Willow Creek would be my preference, but both are better than white.

zaffuto Thanks for your feedback!

TanCalGal Willow Creek.

solraven Could you take a pic later in the day when there is more light on your roof? The roof looks like a dark gray or beige in this photo. Thus far, I still prefer a green. I think Willow Creek looks too neutral. However, I think Coastal Plain has a bit too much blue for your home. Looking on my paint fan, I would say Clary Sage SW#6178 or Svelte Sage SW#6164 might be closer to the look I was thinking of. I'm also taking into consideration that you live in the sub-tropics. I have discovered that the colors and styles that I grew up with in NJ, and learned to love, need tweaking to suit the climate and lifestyle of the Sunshine State.

zaffuto Again, thanks for all the feedback! I will take a pic later in day as well.

zaffuto I just took the pics again with more light on roof. Thanks!

TanCalGal In sun: I think, the Willow Creek is too gray next to the red roof. Red is a form of brown, so I would choose a beige tone rather than a gray tone.

solraven Thanks for the sunshine pics! :) I still prefer something green, but less blue than the Coastal Plain. What do you and your husband feel about the colors?

zaffuto I like the idea of making the red stand out with green, but I just don't know until its completed I suppose. I definitely don't want it to look monotone. I'll attach a picture of a house with colors that my husband and I liked the looks of. Not sure if it has same colors as my house though.
Thanks,
Andrea

solraven Andrea, I was thinking of something along these lines. This house is across the street from me and I always thought it was a pretty combination. At Christmas time, the colors were accentuated with bright red, green and white lights. Unfortunately, the house faces north, so there isn't any direct sunlight on it.

zaffuto Oh, that is pretty! It is a bit hard to make out the colors, though. Well, I'll try sample of Svelte Sage and then I also liked Behr's "woodland sage" and will sample that as well.

Thanks!

solraven It's red brick, with bits of white on the brick. The stucco is a sage or olive green and a terra cotta tile roof. The garage door is a beige color which I think is called Almond. It was my only other choice for our impact garage door.

allthingsmodern I like olldj22's idea of adding vertical texture to the gable, a wide plank vertical bead board texture. This would repeat the width of the lower vertical pillars and vertical shutters giving a grand plantation look to your home---- place another palm tree to the left side of your home and you are set!

zaffuto Thanks for the comments. Later on we'll probably look into adding some vertical lines, but we were trying to keep it more simple at this point. All these insights have really helped me plan for the exterior, even long term, so I appreciate it all.

DIAspoton i like the vertical idea for the future. have you thought of boxing in the columns and adding a painted railing to create a true front porch?

denise1234 I had that same brick on the porch wall of my house. It was difficult coming up with color that would accentuate it and not fight it so I had it removed and applied stucco like the rest of the house. In addition, you also have a multi-color roof. All these colors are fighting each other. The one common denominator seems to be the gray that I think I'm seeing in your roof. I vote for pulling out the gray in your house for the gable, garage door and possibly the columns while keeping the shutters in white or off-white. White and brick are classic. Here is the before and after so far of my house, which is still a work in progress.

zaffuto Thanks. The before and after photos are helpful. Pictures don't seem toget the exact color across; our roof has three colors red, brown, black but the brick has red, brown, gray. I love pics I've seen on Houzz.com of red brick with gray/green colors so I'm trying to recreate it. Today I plan on sampling Svelte Sage Sherwin Williams, and Behr's Woodland Sage. They still are primarily green with more gray or tan in them if that makes sense. I think once I decide on gable color the rest will flow more easily. I'll send pics once I do samples- again. :)

zaffuto Ok, I've added in two more colors. From left to right Willow Creek, Woodland Sage (Behr), Svelte Sage (SW), and Coastal Plain (SW). I put in a few differrent views because colors take on a different look depending on angle. Let me know what you think! Thanks.

TanCalGal From here:Behr WOODLAND SAGE.

The Virtual Designer- Kitchens & Bathrooms Woodland Sage for me too

solraven I'm not feeling any of them. I still think it needs more green. I like the amount of color the Coastal Plain gives, but more green, less blue.

I'm having flashbacks of some of our painting dilemmas. We've been painting our entire house since we bought it a year ago, and some colors, like Coastal Plain on the sides (the front is green field stone) was and instant hit. Even our painter was commenting on how nice it looked. It instantly made my eyes happy. But we decided to paint the back of our house (north facing) a more cheerful blue. We had the painter paint the entire thing three times, because we just weren't feeling it, until we went darker and used SW Open Seas. I always find it interesting how a color will work great in one space, but if you move it to another, it feels a bit off.

TanCalGal I often post this blog advice on choosing a paint color. According to this designer U should not paint on walls of house. U R then comparing one paint color to another paint color & the eyes often like the brightest color, not the best color. When I compared the colors, I put paper over the other colors and looked at each color in relation to roof etc. Still, U R there in person. http://www.lindaholtinteriors.com/2011/07/testing-wall-color-101/

zaffuto Thank you for the feedback!

zaffuto If you can, I'd like feedback on these two new colors. The middle brown is Behr Lost Summit and the smaller sample of greenish color (right side ) above Coastal Plain is Shady Willow. I like Shady Willow but am not sure if its too dark? Or, does a brown like Lost Summit look best or maybe even using
the color of my garage door for the gable as well and making shutters darker? I think Woodland Sage color (second from the left) looks good but I'm not sure if I like the color in general. I'm running out of room for samples on the gable. :) I've pretty much decided that the trim and columns will remain a lighter color- I think the contrast is needed. Thanks so much for the feedback!

TanCalGal For some reason just noticing the window trim is black. I like color repeated several times, not used once & then not again. I'd consider, the gable the same as the garage (a very pretty color) and the shutters black or charcoal to repeat window trim and lantern.

zaffuto Ok. thank you. That is along the lines my husband and I had been thinking initially; I was just concerned about making everything look too monotone. BTW- I love the colors of the picture you attached. That is the look of all my pics in my Ideabook and a look my husband and I both agreed upon.

The Color People The gable dominates the house. It really won't be helped all that much my changing the siding or what ever. Painting a color close to the roof color will make it go away. You want your eye to be focused on the front porch, not the gable. Paint the columns and all the trim a bright cream, the interior ceiling as well so that the entry is bright. Paint the garage door the same as the gable and paint the front door and shutters a bright color like and orangy red that will grab attention and focus what people notice.

zaffuto Thanks for the feedback!

denise1234 First - is it possible to remove the accent piece on the gable? It is more indicative of the gingerbread you would find on a victorian house, not a ranch....it is misplaced and it draws the eye upward to the very thing you are trying to make disappear. If you can't remove it, paint it the same color as the gable to soften it.

Second - I agree with The Color People on painting the gable and garage door the same color. If you can't repaint the garage door, paint the gable the same color as the garage door. If you can repaint the garage door, paint it and the gable a color close to the roof color to make the gable go away. (Lost Summit looks like a good prospect from what I can see on the monitor but you will have to be the judge of that.) The main purpose I see is you don't want too many colors on your house since your brick and roof are already multi-colored.

Third - the trinity addition above has great color but the brick is uniform in tone as compared to yours so the addition of olive green and black is an easy one. As lovely as it is, I don't think it will work on your home due to the multi-colored brick and roof. There are several houses in our town that have the same brick as yours as an accent on their homes. Most of these homes have been painted in the brown/tan family. Others I've seen that are blue or green look off to the eye.

Fourth - I agree with olldj22 on painting the shutters the same color as your windows. I think this would make your windows stand out instead of fade into the brick. Not sure about the trim but white/off white is never a bad thing!

You're doing great by the way, it's a tough job selecting color!

denise1234 One more comment. If you paint the gable to match the roof, should the trim around the gable be the same color? Otherwise, it will still stand out.

zaffuto Wow. Thanks for all that. It really helps! I agree with you and am pretty sure its the way that I will go. I loved the idea and look of the green like Solraren suggested, however once I put it on my house I just wasn't sure. Maybe that's how I'll feel with any color unitl its complete and I get used to it. I'm glad you mentioned the suggestion about the trim around the gable; I was wondering if it should match the gable or the rest of trim and columns.

gielliott All of your color choices fall flat because they are all close to either the roof or the surrounding greenery and don't make a statement. It is a large gable. I would love to see it a rich gold, nothing too yellow, that would harmonize with the browns and reds of the rest of the finishes. You could add vertical battens on that gable to get the look of board and batten and it would not be expensive. Bringing in some yellow and red foliage in the plantings would brighten up the landscape, and some ferns hanging on the porch would be very southern plantation looking. Gold looks great with black trim and wrought iron too.

solraven You know, I like Lost Summit better too. I thought a contrasting green would look nice against the brick, but I'm really not feeling it either. I still think the trim should be in a contrasting color. If you do the shutters in black, I think the trim on the fascia boards and columns should be either white, or something light.

Zaffuto, I have to thank you. Earlier this week, our painter said he could come by and get started on the front of our house. I, too, have a front gable that I had been wrestling with, and was about to post it on houzz to get an opinion. I had started typing a reply about Lost Summit, when the painter knocked on the door to ask me what I thought of the gable in all white. It was after I saw your Lost Summit, that I realized exactly what color I needed and where. I guess trying to help you with your gable, helped me with mine! :)

solraven Zaffuto, how's the painting going? Do you have any updated pics?

nancy22032 I'm so glad you are painting the gable - a house in our neighborhood looked exactly like yours and that big white gable dominated the whole dwelling. I like the Lost summit (the brown in the middle?) because it blends the gable with the roof. The garage door color would be good too. Once the gable is muted, the lovely columns and other features will shine.

zaffuto Thanks for the input. I will be glad to paint it and see, especially the gable because it seems the hardest portion to find a color for. Our first choice is to match the gable with the color of the garage door now. We'll see....

tatelundy The idea of vertical boards (board and battan)is for a Craftsman house not a colonial ranch. I would not do this!!!! YOu really want to stay true to the architecture or else it will look odd. It looks like one other has given you a great photo of a good idea. Good Luck.

zaffuto Good input. What other photo are you referring to? There are a few up here.

Thanks!

zaffuto Well, we finally have the front painted!

Andrea

nancy22032 Congratulations!!! What a beautiful home. I love the soft color you selected for the gable - it seems to match the garage door which is a very good idea. Your work resulted in a quiet, refined apperance - its the kind of house that when people drive by they say "I'd like to have that house".

zaffuto Thank you! That's so nice to hear especially after all the back and forth I went about trying to decide on colors.

denise1234 I love it! I agree with Nancy. It looks quiet and refined and very elegant. The change in shutter color made a world of difference too! Good job!

tatelundy Simple, understated and elegant! Way to go and congratulations!!

zaffuto Great! Thanks so much for the nice feedback- it has been SOOO helpful through this process. :)

denise1234 Zaffuto, are you happy with the results?

zaffuto Yes, I really love looking at my house now. Initially, I wasn't sure about leaving the trim on the top of the gable off white versus the same color as the gable. We thought by having it as it is, it would tie the columns and rest of the trim on the house together. Then after all the positive feedback it reinforces for me that we made a good decision. When you see your house for the first time after it's painted it's a bit of a shocker- took me a bit to get used to it.

zaffuto Now I need to find easy to care for flowers/plants, preferably yellow, to accent the front to the house. I think splashes of color would work well.

TanCalGal zaffuto- I think I'd paint the round decoration on the peak, the same as white trim. Also think of having white flowers to repeat the white trim.

denise1234 zaffuto - my house went from cream with taupe trim to dark brown with white trim and i was also in shock at first. but i love it now. i think your decision on the peak trim was the right one. i know i mentioned painting the peak decoration the same color as the peak but now that i see it completed, maybe olldj22 has a good idea. it would still blend into the cream quite well but either way, the house looks so nice!

zaffuto Thank you for the feedback! Will think about that. The thing is, we never really liked the decoration piece so we're trying to underplay it the best way.

TanCalGal I'm not a big fan of the decorative piece either, but I think it would look better white. I think the little bit of white will encourage the eyes to move from the columns to the peak.

solraven Painting the piece the same color beige reminds me of someone trying to cover a huge zit on their face with a blob of concealer; it makes you stare at it even more, but not in a good way. It looks like either a mistake, or unfinished. Painting it white, or even pale cream will make it look finished and like it was all planned out and intentional.