Does anyone have any ideas at all here? Even if you think it's god awful ... I would like to know. I can take it.

Thanks!

It took me a while with the set-up of that page to figure out which was yours and the front. I've tried copy it in here, but otherwise the link should work.

I do like the idea of the green for the base, but I have no idea what those other colors look like. Are you trying for similar to those on the SW houses?

I think the red and green could work with the red for the trim around windows, but I'm not seeing the yellow working with that on your house, or the green and the yellow, but not the red. I guess I think two of the colors would work and that you need a neutral for the rest. I like the three colors on the Victorians, but not on the 4 square looking one. It is simpler in style and to me that calls for simpler in color too. I'm seeing yours as being simpler in style too.

Not sure what you mean with under the porch for painting either. Are you talking about the ceiling?

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to house

I don't usually look at Flickr albums because they take forever to load on my computer, and I haven't been online since early yesterday - I was off getting barbecued at a barbecue. :-)

Anyway, unless my monitor is way, way off (which is entirely possible!) the Smoky Olive seems to be a bit drab for its surroundings - there are a bunch of heavy evergreens overshadowing the site, as well as the deciduous trees providing dense shade during the warmer months, so I think it needs lightening and warming-up. Personally, given the stucco exterior, I'd rather see something in more of a sandy/toasty sort of color for the main body, with a creamy trim and the deep reddish tone you like for accents.

Do you plan on painting or staining the fence? That would affect the final color plan as well, since there's an awful lot of fence there.

Thanks so much Lyfia for going through the trouble to link for me. I haven't posted pics in a while and honestly forgot how! I attempted to photoshop and that wasn't working so I just used the Sherwin Williams site to get an idea of the color scheme together. These aren't the exact colors (just tried to get close)I so wish my house looked like those pics!!

I was thinking of using the yellow as the porch ceiling and the square porch post tops. Also the inside window trim that is white now. There is also lattice beneath the porch.

The smoky olive is more of a grey-green. I wanted it to look more stone like because of the stucco - with a hint of color in the light.

I agree my house is simple ... very simple. Our neighbors house has 2 colors and looks great ... but I think could use a little punch. They have the neutral base and dark green trim ... but so does everyone else in this area.

johnmari, I hope you had fun at the barbecue! We weren't planning on painting or staining the fence. Should we be considering that?

Well I was planning to take a stab at this later but it's hard with the photo of the front being so small and the fence in the way. I'll give it a shot though. I had a question about the smoky olive color though. When I bring it up on myperfectcolor.com, it's a brown with green undertones. When I google to see if there are any examples, it brings up a few pics of a lighter, more sage green. Is it as dark as the sample online or is this a misrepresentation of the color?

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I think you can definetly do 3 color, but keep the 3rd to white or a very light cream, not three strong colors. I think a stone/green gray and red trim would make it pop with the red or use the yellow for the pop, Just pick one and then a neutral. All of them in strong colors I think will be a little too much fighting with your house's style.

Ok I am feeling brave and trying to post some pics ... but my message keeps getting rejected :(

Lindy thanks for checking. I didn't even know that you could search colors ... how cool is that! Your color appears more green than mine. I think mine is more grey.

Trying one last time to post. Here is a link to photobucket. I took a pic of my color samples. Also loaded a photo without the fence.

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I think these are more accurate colors! Next time I will figure out how to make my images smaller. Thank you guys for looking and helping. I really do appreciate it. My husband says he likes the yellow as an accent, but agrees also if it looks bad we should go with a cream.

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judy
congrats on your embarking on ext paint for your home -

I just went through this it was quite a process trying to get the right colors - A couple of things that helped me

1. What is your exisiting pallette - even though you are painting entire ext you still have exisiting color
Roof - gray - gutters white (Front piece missing) - yard, fence etc.... I agree w/jm - fence would look nice stained

2. things like foundation & foundation windows you want to sort of disappear so they shouldn't be painted anything bold more earthy disappearing color

3. Paint chip samples are ok when initially starting out - but ext color is tricky & is a large area to cover - I would rec buying some samples - seeing in different lighting etc... Honestly I hated most of the samples that I thought I had carefully chosen -

Are you painting or having painters do it -
A good power wash after sanding helps gutters, porches etc look better

Is the outbuilding/garage yours? will you be painting that as well?

Good luck

jejvtr,

Thanks for responding! We are in desperate need of new gutters - as you noticed the front piece has fallen down -HA! I personally just want to rip them off - they are so ugly! If I could only reach that high. We will replace them and paint them to match. The roof is also only good for another year or two and will have to be replaced.

The garage is ours and will also be painted. It is a light purple now. Seriously. People talk about our house and the colors the previous owner chose.

We are planning on doing the bulk of the painting. We will definitely power wash and prime - then have the pros do the roof area, that's just too high and angled and dangerous for us!

What would you stain the fence? It's not entirely finished ... just a few more boards to get into place. Then we can stain.

Judy
I think I would consider at least chosing what your roof will be - that will help w/your palette

Fence stain .... Think I would wait until you choose roof & house color so that it blends - If roof is black/charcol & house is in grey/green family I would stain a grey - If roof is brown, house is in yellow/tan family I would stain fence a brown

good luck

jejvtr,

I just found your old post. What a spectacular home you have! What did you end up doing? The grays were really nice but I love the collage squirrel mocked up for you. Please post a pic, I would love to see the finished result :)

Our fence is western cedar - so I know that will at least be around for a while. I am not so sure of the roof and I am in no hurry to change it $$ - but if anyone wants to throw out some ideas for a roof color - that color could be worked into the painting plan and addressed later.

Here's a first pass. Wow, that's a tricky color. I'm not sure if it looks like your chip in real life but tried my best to make it match your photo of the samples. I also wasn't sure where you wanted the yellow color. I did the inside of windows and a bit on the porch. I did a medium gray roof but feel like it needs a darker color now that I see it posted. It's too close to your house color.

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I thought I posted already ... here goes again. Sorry if I double post. Thanks so much for photoshopping for me. I know it's not easy because I have tried many times. I wish I could say I love all your efforts ... but Wow - my house just looks strange. I am at a loss as to what would look good. I saw a house similar to mine with a similar base color and it looked really great ... that is how we came up with the gray green color. I actually stood outside this persons house with color samples. Is it possible photoshop just makes it look strange or are these colors really just not a good combo?

ANY suggestions on what WOULD look good?

I think I will get some sample paint and slap it on and see what gives.

I should also mention I live next to a cemetary so ... I don't want to be too drab. I see my neighbors house with the neutral creamy color and green trim. Then I look across the street from me to the house with a more white color base with the same color as neighbor's green trim ... I just want something a little different. Does any one understand me?

Any ideas?

I'm so sorry. I did that one and thought...hmmm, this color is not right at all.
Just looking at your chips..on my monitor they are very gray and drab. So maybe it's just the monitor that is making it look that way and in real life, it's nice. I don't know? Exterior paint color is very hard because it takes on a life of it's own on such a huge space.

A cemetary...ohhhhh. I think you need something bright and cheery. How about some blues to try? Anyone else have some suggestions?

Here is another olive with more green in it just to see how that looks.

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A little lighter and brighter green
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Switching gears to blue with white trim. I know it's not the direction you were wanting but just throwing it out there. Kind of a teal color on the bottom and inside the windows.

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judyindisguise-

Here's a wintertime pic of our (not quite completed) house, it's Hardi plank Mountain Sage with Hardi Sailcloth trim and brick red windows (Cinnamon Toast, Eagle brand). On my monitor it resembles your colors.

Good luck, it's a difficult decision.

Sandy, that's turning out really pretty! On my monitor yours is more of a forest green and no gray at all. I think Judy's chip has too much gray in it..just my .02

Lindy great job!

Wow photoshop Lindy, You have been busy ... a great big THANK YOU! I really appreciate this. It is definitely helping to see what I am thinking. I like the darker green. I think the blue is a little too much like what I have going on now, but it does look crisp and that is really nice. I think you may be right with my green - too gray.

Sandy, your house is awesome! Your green is more green it's true, but I like it. The color scheme is similar though - so why then does it look so grand on your house and not mine??!!!

I like sandyponder's color scheme and I also like the blue one Lindy did. I think I'm liking the blue one because of the simpler tone on tone paints that imo goes better with your house style, though I'm guessing it is too close to what you currently have.

Here are some other combo's

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Not sure how they'd look with stucco since they are all wood, but I looked for houses of the more rectangular style.

Great job Lindy as always!

Hey Judy, I feel bad that you weren't happy with the colors. Where are you with your decision? Did you head back to the paint store or did you get a sample of the first color you liked? Anyway, just wanted to show you another green with landscaping..maybe that will help?? Also, wondered what it would look like with shutters. Trying to get closer to Sandy's colors a bit.

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Lindy - I really like the first one you did of the last set. I think it works because it has a neutral (the whitish color) along with the other strong colors.

Judy, take a look at the attached link. 1,3,4,5,6 are all stucco homes. With all the trees you have around you, I'm not so sure that any green as the base color is going to be the "right" color. Might you consider a terra cotta or sand color as the base, and then use the green and lighter sand for the trim colors?

This link is detail of the Ashley Smith house http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/kec01/?action=view&current=DSC01641.jpg

Here is a link that might be useful: fl wright homes

You guys are awesome. Lyfia thanks so much for posting those. I see what you mean with the tone on tone colors. Lyndy are you kidding? Please don't feel bad at all. I am SO grateful that you are taking time out to help me. THANK YOU my dear! Now that landscaping is gorgeous, but I think DH (and siberian husky)would kill me if I took down his fence :o I stumbled across these pics and this is more along the lines I am envisioning ... Do you see it? Or am I way off here?

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Oh the fence...ooops, forgot that part! Okay, here's one last shot at this. I tried to copy some of the colors from your most recent inspiration photos.

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aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh (restful sigh) finally got the little one to sleep :)

Patser, thanks for the link. I like 5 the best. Stucco is tricky. I think stucco looks best in stone like colors. I chose this green because it looks gray and green in different light ... stone with a little something extra. It's funny you mention terra cotta - last year I was certain I wanted a terra cotta house with green trim. I don't know what changed my mind, but it's like my tastes changed.

Lindy ... THANK YOU!!! I always wondered if I should add shutters. I like the look. I got some samples and will try to get some paint on those walls this weekend. DH is happy the fence is back - HA!! We needed to put it in the front yard. I always miss being able to see the porch when driving by. But with a 4 year old and a busy major road and the dog ... it just had to be done.

After seeing the pics I found ... do you think this color scheme could work on my house, or is the general feeling my house is too simple?

Thanks again for all your input!! I am excited :)

Judy, I'm going to have to paint my little house this summer and I'm having trouble visualizing and choosing the colors so I'm glad to be able to follow along in the process as others choose house colors! I think your color plan can work on your house - I especially like the last image posted by Lindybarts. One thing I noticed in the last set of inspiration pictures you posted is that the tones are a bit more muted than your swatches. Especially the reds are a little more ""brick" but they look really nice with the gray-green and sandy yellow. Have you tried a slightly browner red with your base colors?
I think shutters will look really good on your house too!

I think the style of your house is more simple and I certainly don't mean that in a bad way, but I'm not crazy about having three different colors on it. Have you thought about painting it yellow. Zipdee used Compatible Cream on her house and it's a nice color.

Laurie

Here is a link that might be useful: Zipdee's house