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Paint Home Decorating Design Dilemma

Please help me choose exterior paint colors ASAP!!

14 days ago

Hi there. Desperate to choose paint colors for siding, shutters, and doors, as our painter moved us up on his schedule and will be starting later this week. I am attaching a photo of the front of the house. It's not recent, so landscaping has been redone, and the trees to the right have been trimmed back or removed to open up that side.

The house is north-facing, which makes the colors tough (for me). The current siding color is an off-white that leans gray. I had narrowed the options for siding to either Alabaster or Oyster White (SW). Still like them, but I will say that Oyster White looks surprisingly creamy in a yellowish way in spite of the orientation. Maybe not a bad thing, but I don't know. Alabaster less so, but still creamy. Wonder if Alabaster will be too bright in spite of the north thing. I am hoping to achieve a slightly warm, fresh, and charming look without being bright. Subtle.

For shutters, I am looking at Farrow and Ball Pigeon, Card Room Green. Maybe Treron? I painted a couple of damaged shutters with Pigeon and Card Room Green, and - very surprisingly - Pigeon looks quite light. It could be the formulation of the sample... plus - to get it done quickly - I did a SW color match. It does appear pretty accurate.

For the front doors, I am considering going for a green that is a couple of shades darker... such as SW Antique Pewter.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

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Comments (12)

J from Lakes Country
14 days ago

Can you help us with your roof color? On my screen it looks gray. The current white looks very crisp and appropriate for a gray roof. I am not sure that creamy shades will look as nice.
J from Lakes Country
14 days ago
And it is a beautiful house!
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@decoenthusiaste LOL! I regretted the 'modern farmhouse' when I wrote it. I think I mean a monochrome look, darker overall, with siding, trim and fascia all one color. I am just not into the white highlighter outline look so many are doing. Want to be ahead of the trend and stand out. However, I am so afraid to get it 'wrong.' We did choose a roof color that pulls all the brick colors together. It's an overall medium to darker gray, with hints of warmth and black through. We would ideally like to avoid coating the brick. We would consider after, if it looks bad. We would really like to keep it and roll with it. The garage doors will be converted to one larger door, but yes, there is brick between, with a strip of hideous siding above currently. All to be redone. Unfortunately, we are headed into winter and the siding color needs to be selected this week, or we push to next year...and we just don't want to do that.
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Of the two colors you are considering, I think Blue Depths is a better color. A pergola, like this in white from your front door along the side of the building would look really charming. The lattice is very pretty. You could move the steps to the front door out to the front more and let the rain leader come straight down.
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rivahgal1
Original Author
14 days ago
It is a slate gray. Not as light as it appears in the main photo.
kozshaq
14 days ago
Gorgeous home! I would stay with neutrals as they will stand the test of time. I would stay away from anything too gray or silver/cool as this will be too cool overall with the roof. Creamy light taupe tones will give the richness and warmth the house needs. Trick is not too yellow and not too gray. Something like Sherwin Williams Panda White is the color i’m describing. Good luck and please post pics once you’ve finished!
Yayagal
14 days ago
kozshaq is on the spot, do the above and you will have amazing colors for the house and be sure to notice the tones, they blend so easy.
rivahgal1
Original Author
14 days ago
I appreciate that. Panda White worries me a bit, though, as I wonder if it may look a bit dingy in this lighting. It is very close to Shoji White, and I actually tried a sample of that. Also, that photo shows trim in PW - not siding. The siding is supposedly Colonnade Gray. Doesn't look like it to me, but that's what it stated. I definitely don't want siding that dark. Here are a few inspiration photos.
kozshaq
13 days ago
Oh these photos are exquisite! I think this will be beautiful if you can replicate on your home. James Hardie /Magnolia home has a similar color siding, Birch tree, i’m sure you could find a paint color match.
Kendrah
13 days ago
Beautiful home. Ask your painter how many days of prep and priming. Let houzzer's help narrow down a good warm white in the next day or two. Have your painter paint large samples of your top three paints in a few different areas of the house and look at it at different times of day.

I presume doors and shutters can be painted last. If using FB for doors and shutters, get a FB fan deck over nighted. Narrow down the choices and get some Sampilze sheets overnighted. You might spend $100-$125 in shipping and sample fees but worth it to get the right color.

I don't like color matching SW or BM paints to FB colors. I've done it with disappointing results. I think it is better to find a SW/BM color similar enough to FB instead. This has worked much better for me. Here's a good matching chart: https://www.colorsbykellyhaller.com/farrow-ball-colors-matched-to-benjamin-moore

I like Wimborne White (FB), similar to Mountain Peak White (BM) - classic white with a tiny bit of cream. Review of Mountain Peak Whitehere.

I can see pigeon looking too washed out, unless you have a very creamy white against it. Your inspiration pics are subtle and beautiful, but in north light, with lots of greenery around, a grey roof, and viewed from afar, you might want to punch the green shutters up one or two notches so it doesn't appear faded out. I'd go for a green black with the door so the contrast with the shutters is more obvious.

HOUSE

SHUTTERS

DOOR
rivahgal1
Original Author
13 days ago
Thank you for those suggestions, Kendrah and Kozshaq. Kendrah... which green is that for the shutters?
RedRyder
13 days ago
The inspiration photos are gorgeous choices for your house.

I would test any color ON YOUR HOUSE as soon as possible so you can see the 4 sides in real life. I remember having paint samples on my previous house and debating with myself obsessively because it looked different on every side. Exposure does matter.
Kendrah
13 days ago
Sorry for chopping off the label. The shutter color is smoke green.
elcieg
13 days ago
last modified: 13 days ago
I took a google trip through lots of southern style homes. All were white, pure white and looked gorgeous. White body and trim, but this time do black shutters.

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