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A home nestled in the woods is an ideal candidate to be painted brown. With a rock base and brown body, this home appears to be just another structure set in among the trees and earth, especially as its proportions stress the vertical.
by Thomas Lawton Architect
Adding an accent color, such as forest green, to some of the details, such as the window frames, further strengthens the home's connections to the site while also breaking up what could be an overwhelming amount of one color.
by Thomas Lawton Architect
The addition of an accent color definitely enlivens and enriches an exterior that's painted brown. While a brown body color will accommodate just about any accent color, keeping a similar hue for each will soften the overall mass of the house.
by Smith & Vansant Architects PC
A more polished and urbane scheme is a better fit for a suburban setting. In this case, a brown body color paired with white trim gives the exterior more presence and stature. This scheme works especially well for a large structure like this one, as the white trim and accents break down what could be an overwhelming mass.
by MCCORMACK & ETTEN ARCHITECTS LLP
While dark brown paired with bright white trim is a classic color scheme, a nice variation is to combine medium brown with cream trim. This will yield a softer and quieter exterior while retaining the architecture's classical formality.
by Christopher A Rose AIA, ASID
Brown isn't always dark, and it can be combined with varying tonalities to articulate each element of the exterior. A very light brown body combined with medium brown for the eaves and dark brown for the window and door frames allows each element of this Craftsman style home to be distinct.
by Alan Mascord Design Associates Inc
Dark brown, like black, tends to fade into the shadows. This is a chance to dematerialize a particular aspect of the structure. Painting the very top level dark brown, as was done here, keeps the focus on the lower, brighter portions of the structure and allows the roof to float above it all.
by Gardner Mohr Architects LLC
Brown isn't just for horizontal and vertical sidings. It lends itself to a stucco exterior, especially in a more traditionally designed home. I find that, because of the lack of detail and the monolithic quality of stucco, it's best that the color be lighter. Dark brown would simply be oppressive unless there is an abundance of other details.
by Dennis Mayer, Photographer
While the focus here has been on traditionally designed homes, brown can work for more modern aesthetics, given the right circumstances. It's ideal for a home such as this one, which is rooted in place and employs natural materials. As such, it follows many of the tenets of the Prairie and Craftsman styles even if its form and structure are more International style.

More ideas for exterior paint colors
by mark gerwing

Comments

Home Decorating Shop UK A spot on article, accompanied by excellent photography. It is a shame that the colour brown has been maligned and misused in much of contemporary style. When used correctly, it certainly has a wealth of potential behind it.
5 months ago · ·
nita47 My house color is "Desert Sand" but I call it "Chocolate Milkshake." Appetizing!
5 months ago · ·
Ann Navarro This is a great information for all house owners who are hesitant for house painting brown. With the information and pictures in this article, surely more owners will consider this paint color for their houses. And I do loved the color of it too!

http://www.streamlinepaintingdenver.com/house-painting-denver.php
5 months ago · ·
sandy My answer to the question is NEVER. :p
5 months ago · ·
simps214 This is one of those ideas that looks great in the images and I would NEVER be able to pull off.

In the photos the brown has such a calming effect, evoking thoughts of nature. Knowing me my house color would remind people of something decidedly less pleasant!
5 months ago · ·
Chroma Design Another great article, Bud! Your observations and analysis for each example were well articulated.
5 months ago · ·
Virgil Carter Fine Art Informative and interesting article, with excellent examples. Well done!
5 months ago ·
midmodfan When to paint a house brown? The article gives the answer: when appropriate. Good examples!
5 months ago · ·
Hi-Lite Manufacturing Co. "Perhaps this is because these styles are celebrations of the natural and organic world that rely less on a cool and cerebral machine aesthetic and more on emotion and craft."

You, sir, are a philosopher.
5 months ago · ·
patricia beharry I cannot imagine the last house in any other colour. And I am one who has painted her house yellow.
5 months ago ·
trees2tall We are in a wooded subdivision in Washington state and have completely renovated a 1970s home. And we painted it BROWN---Suede is the color name. We paired it with a lighter (almost peanut butter) color with stone to anchor the house. It's beautiful. We get so many compliments (even people driving by taking pictures). Brown has always been my favorite color!
4 months ago · ·
otey3822 as a real estate agent I know brown homes traditionally have the longest days spent on the market, however, in a wooded setting, near a lake, on a contemporary home...these are instances that can break the rule.
4 months ago ·
hillonthehouse I thought the first house was from my neck of the woods (near Asheville, NC), and indeed it was. I recognized the southern mountain aesthetic and the treehouse style popular in a certain development. The first two houses you show here are my favorites because they embody a more organic Arts & Crafts and Adirondack look that fits a natural setting. In many developments in the mountains they require siding and trim that blend into the surroundings - so lots of brown and gray and green and no white trim!
4 months ago · ·
Tres McKinney Design Great article! The images you show are all excellent illustrations to support your thoughtful text. Brown in the wrong hands can be be really disappointing but you have shown multiple ways to make it work beautifully.
4 months ago ·
splitlevel My house is on the side of one of the mountains that surround the beautiful Western university town where I live. I painted my house brown so that it wouldn't stand out from the mountain like light-colored houses do. I enjoy the fantastic view of the town and the mountains and I want to be as unobtrusive as possible to my neighbors in the valley.
4 months ago · ·
stargazer51 Thank you so much for this article. We live on a knoll surrounded by 3 acres of pasture that's green in the winter and tan in the summer. I've been painting various sages and olives in patches on my house but haven't found the right green. A little voice in the back of my mind kept whispering "try brown." I am about to pull out my Ben Moore Classic Colors fan deck.
4 months ago · ·
turkeyegg1 Bud, thanks for the great idea book. I am validated that we decided to leave our house in the woods brown. I couldn't resist painting the garage and front door teal to offset the brown a little, but can't imagine it being any other color!
4 months ago ·
CAROLE MEYER These are beautiful brown homes....great post. Thanks
4 months ago ·
Tres McKinney Design The comment about brown houses being difficult ot sell in many locations is probably true.
I always recommend against "Crayola brown" colors. Gray brown, deep taupe and green/brown are the most successful and sophisticated hues in the brown family. Think gray browns of tree bark which is not chocolate brown. If you are in a woody or natural setting the gray or greenish brown painted homes sit seamlessly in their invironment. Mocha browns with tan trim look great in more urban or suburban areas.
4 months ago ·
Bud Dietrich, AIA @Tres McKinney Design - I totally agree that the brown selected needs to be not just the "Crayola" brown. Those are the houses that probably sit on the market.
4 months ago ·
mirandew our home is brown, tan...and i love it. it stands out from the rest of the cookie-cutter McMansions in our neighborhood.
4 months ago ·
anke I absolutely love the color combo Christopher Rose used! In fact I think that might go on my house :)
4 months ago ·
surfor Thanks for this article. We live in a forest, and although my husband wanted a white house, I thought it was not appropriate for the setting. I painted the house brown, and it blends in perfectly.
4 months ago ·
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