My favorite of the colors you have selected is the green for the interior porch door.

I like the maroon, too, but I wonder if it should be a bit pinker.

I don't have issues with the periwinkle; that combined with the yellow makes me think of pansies.

The minty green on the chair isn't working for me with the sofa.

I am not a color expert. These are just a lay person's opinion.

...Pam

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1762284}}

I prefer the green, but how about a big, beautiful wreath on the door that says "this is what I do best, come on in"!!

Why do we have to be a bride to be, or a mother of the bride?

I saw your recent post when you were asking for color suggestions. I didn't offer one, because I liked the existing deep red. Didn't understand why the door had to match the cushion. It looked great with the bricks.

Okay, I think the periwinkle is fine, tho I might have tried to find one that was a bit muddier to work with the undertones in the siding color.

As for the front door, I think you are missing a huge opportunity there. I would paint the door a shade of the green in the couch(which needs to move away from the doorway a bit, it feels crowded). Then I would permanently mount a half-bucket or other container on that door to always have some type of floral arrangement there. It will create a wonderful first impression for your customers, but let the door be the background (the green, which nature says is a neutral) and let the florals sing.

OK, you asked so here goes....If I were the mother of the bride (or bride) considering having you do my wedding flowers, I probably would wonder why all the doors were different colors unless they tie in with some color scheme that is visible to all of them. Right now seeing just doors, that's hard to tell and looks rather unplanned to me. I like Les's suggestion above for the entry door.

If there's some reason you're using all the other different colors on other doors, could you share pictures taken from further out that would show the plan. Or am I missing something and you're just trying to come up with one color and have these as inspiration pics?? I can be very dull at grasping things late in the day....retreating into lurkdom now...

Stick with the brugundy door...make them all that color....unless you are trying to establish a business for non traditional brides....but I think those kind of brides aren't going to spend any money on flowers.
Strange for the sake of strange doesn't make it if you are trying to attract brides and their mothers.
Linda C

Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond. You've brought up some very good points and suggestions.

Pam, I like the green too, just don't think it has enough contrast with the yellow walls. I am going to put the second coat of paint on it and see if it grows on me. DH is liking it because it is soothing and calm. And thank you for confirming what I thought- that the minty green doesn't work with the other green. And what a nice link- are you the artist?

Paintergirl, I do have some dried peonies I am thinking of doing a wreath with. They would look nice next to the green of the porch door and would provide some contrast.

Natal, nothing was wrong with the original color. Just that after 20 years, I tired of it. Just got sick of looking at it. The colors I'm choosing now are a bit outside my comfort zone which is perhaps why I'm not doing so well with my choices.

Les, I painted two doors inside the garage the periwinkle too and put up some molding around the doors. Even with the white of the primer, the periwinkle looks wonderful, crisp and sharp. It just emphasizes how the yellow (which must have some brown in it) does not go well with the periwinkle on the outside door. It just looks wrong to me next to that yellow, so I know I'm going to have to change it.

And I do have plans to train a blue flowering clematis up a trellis between the garages. I absolutely agree that the more beautiful blooms around the better! And I noticed in one of the pics I posted there were dead amaryllis blooms! Everyone has been gracious enough not to mention them!

And Sujafr, you are totally right about all the different colored doors. There really isn't any reason other than the driveway and garage (where my storefront and workroom are) comes up to the side of the house, and I thought I would try a different effect than the front of the house which is very traditional.Colorful, cottagy, flowery.... but it doesn't seem to be working very well.

On the way to dinner, we passed a victorian house painted a wonderful plum color. More purple and less brown than my maroon doors. Maybe plum would be an option for that exterior garage door?

I like the green you have on the porch door, so would use that on all the doors. Put a bucket on the front door with a gorgeous floral display and place a beautiful wreath on porch door. Make your floral displays the contrast and excitement on the door. JMHO :-)

Just to clarify that I had intended to echo Les's idea of painting the door green, and personally I'd stick with either the main house color or the trim color for any side doors unless you'd like to call attention, then I'd use the front entry door color (preferably a darker green than the current one that matches one of the colors of the striped cushions).

And as vamipiressrn and les said--put a floral display on the door and let that be the focal point. You're selling flowers--not doors. :~)

Stick with the burgundy door

Barb, I like the green but think it should be a little bit darker shade. I did some mock ups just to play around with it. None of these would probably work in person, but they can help give you a visual. This green is what I'm thinking which seems closer to the darker green in your cushion.

BM Eucalyptus

BM Chinaberry

BM Huntington Green

BM Ming jade

BM Shadow

Stary Night Blue

The green you have doesn't go with the sofa fabric, but I very much like lukkirish's mockup of the darker green. Darker green door, and use more of that "peony" color from your sofa as color accents around the porch...get some plant pots in that color, paint the base of that cute table the same green as the door. Can you change the fabric in the director's chair to work with the sofa? I think the darker green door will be very welconing and I love les's idea of mounting a half bucket for you to arrange flowers in. Get a big metal watering can that matches the bucket and set it somewhere on the porch near a grouping of potted plants; I can see the bucket and watering can in galvanized metal for a casual country look or you could paint them...heck the watering can could be that peony color from the sofa stripe and cushion.

I like the green that lukki photoshopped. It matches the sofa cushion next to the door. Is that entry specific to your business? I think the plum color you mention sounds nice as well. If you can't settle on something that you immediately look at and love, go back to the burgandy. I kind of agree that all of the exterior doors should be the same color. I know it isn't a hard and fast rule, but you are starting a new business. Continuity will not be noticed, but if you have alot of things that don't relate, that will definitely be noticed. Just trying to clarify the statement you want to make. I think the more traditional the better. Most brides want traditional flowers for their weddings and those who want something way out there are a very small percentage of your market share.

I think you can use any color, but it has to relate to something. Just painting the doors different colors with no particular relation, doesn't do it for me as MOB shopping for wedding florist. Honestly, I think I would rather all doors be painted the same color. I do think I would notice (not in a good way) the different door colors. It would make me wonder about your plan and its execution.

All in all I would do some beautiful striking florals around the outside of the house especially wherever your potential clients enter or will see. An awesome wreath that will take the viewer's breath away.

Also, I know you didn't ask, but the clock doesn't do anything for me. Never cared for clocks on outside walls. If it has to stay, perhaps moving its location and hanging a little bit lower? I wonder about its purpose. Is that sun porch part of your business area? Will clients be seated in that area? Probably don't want to have them watching the clock? You can discretely keep an eye on your watch, but don't want your clients to feel rushed IYKWIM?

I get what you are going for in colorful, cottage-y, flowery, and the idea is perfect for your business. I think the colorful doors are a good start, with maybe some tweaking of the exact shades. Then add in the flowers and lots of accessories that bring home the cottage feel. You might even want to start selling decorative items and lawn art. The dark wood door needs a change to green.

You are on the right track, IMO.

Oh geeze, I forgot the Plum! Here you go, and I kept going back to the Raisen Tort so figured I post that one too!

Raisen Tort

Plum Royal

Passion Plum

My set up is one bay of the garage is used as workshop and prep area- it has our cooler and will have a new custom (I am making it) flower prep area. Customers may see this area but won't be invited into it.

An adjoining bay in the garage is going to be my storefront. It has two doors- one that leads into the workshop area and one that leads into the screened porch. Both those doors have been painted periwinkle, with white molding, and look very nice. I'll post pics when this area is finally done, but it will be awhile because right now DH is building the racks to dry the garlic in this bay.

I would like to keep most of our business customers to the garage area, but the bridal customers I can see using the porch as they will be here longer and may want a comfortable area to sit as they look at my portfolio of bouquet pics. What I don't want is for them to use the house. I have too much to do in the summer to have to worry about the state of my housecleaning!

Vampiressrn, I like the green too, but it just isn't rocking my boat next to the yellow. I have a gallon of it now.... I wonder if anyone ever put paint on CL?

LindaC, interesting point about who bridal customers are. What some farms have done is offer buckets of flowers to brides who are looking to save some money from traditional florists. They are charged by the bucket, and either take them home to arrange themselves, or I will offer to arrange for an additional fee. I am not prepared to do big arbors and stuff like that, but I can and have done beautiful hand bouquets and table bouquets. Pulling off boutonierres shouldn't be hard. So not quite a traditional customer, but not the customer who is going to pick flowers from the roadside either. Somewhere in between I think.

Lukkiirish, thanks so much for the visuals. It makes me realize how much I love color, and the real trick is in putting the colors together in a pleasing way. It is funny how when working with flowers, there is so much more freedom with color. There is much less "clashing." Perhaps because they are points of colors rather than big swashes like painted walls and doors. I too like the darker green.

Briosafarm, you are right. I could use more of the coral accents from the pillows. Thanks for pointing that out.I am hesitant to put a metal bucket on the door as they are exposed to wind, and after all this door painting, I am fearful of scratching the paint. BTW, are you a farmer too?

WIP, you bring up so many good points.I'm worried about the continuity factor too. And I'm wondering if the plum would address that. I'm going to look at plum colors next time I go to the paint store. The clock doesn't even work, it has been stuck on the wall for about 15 years. It is actually a nice clock, a ceramic Willliams and Sonoma, but you are right. I wonder if the place for a beautiful wreath is above that couch... hmmm.

Thank you all for posting. Yesterday after I painted that green door and stepped back to look, expecting to be so pleased.....and wasn't, I kind of freaked. And for anyone hoping to sell flowers, getting the colors right in customer areas is extremely important.

barb5-

I, too, love the BM Eucalyptus color that lukkirish posted, I think it works with your sofa and house color (at least on my monitor). I would paint all the doors that color; it's fresh but not too springy, the green that's currently on there is too minty, and a little thin and reedy. Bringing in the peony color in trim and/or a wreath will be welcoming, warm and a bit sophisticated (but not over the top), I think it will be a great statement for your business.

WRT to the comments upthread about traditional and non-traditional brides, don't be discouraged by those comments, you are attracting brides who want fresh, local and real looking flowers, the ones who want some hothouse carnation/leather/baby's breath creation are going to go to a traditional, in-town florist anyway, so don't even bother marketing to them. You are on the right track with the fresh, inviting (but not overly "country") colors.

And I do speak from experience, we had fresh, locally grown flowers, bought from a person selling out of her home, at our wedding, and I never even considered anything else. They set the tone for the entire celebration.

Good luck-

sandyponder

Lukkiirish, you are a sweetheart to post these colors. Many many thanks. I actually like that raisin tort- that was my original thought was to go coral to match the pillows but I chickened out.

Sandyponder, thank you for supporting your local farmer! You totally get what I am trying to do businesswise.

My plan is to go to the BM store next week and get the Eucalyptus chip, and similar chips in the green, as well as look at plum colors. If I make a decision and paint the doors, I'll post the pics. :)

And we want to see finished photos of your shop and storage areas too, please. I'm not chiming in cause i am not sure the colors are true on this laptop.
I would so come to your house to shop!

A vote for all green doors that match the color in the chair cushions .....

And then add the fun colors (like the hot pink, violet and more bright green) with accessories like painted buckets or clay pots .... fill with flowers and herbs.

Maybe paint the table in fun colors?

Perhaps add a large half-barrel painted with stripes of all kinds of colors?

And yes -- wreaths are marvellous ways to add colors too!

All of these projects will help to advertise your talents with flowers and colors -- and don't forget to take photos of each creation to add to your porfolio!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

I liked the door before it got painted really. It seemed a perfect color and went well with the house color. I'd paint it back, and concentrate on entry and shop decor to impress your customers.

You're welcome Barb. If you think of some other colors you'd like to see, let me know. I think the green is very pretty, as is the maroon match to the stripe in the cushion. Any of the colors will look great once you fill the space with flowers and other things to entertain the eye. One thing I think you need to consider when planning it out though is the off season months and how that color will work then. What I mean is, where we live the spring & summer flowers are so different color wise from the fall & winter flowers. So whatever color you choose, it needs to work in all seasons. If that makes any sense.

Just what you need - yet another opinion!!

As an experienced mother of the bride, and one who has done a wedding or two, I would encourage you to think about one more thing.
Every bride, and her mother, has color ideas of her own - and colors that she doesn't like. If you paint a strong color on your front door, and that's the one she hates, she's gone.

If I were in your business, I might think about painting my own doors a really luscious deep leafy green, against which every flower color looks wonderful. Then you will be able to market things in any season...gorgeous autumnal tones in fall, whites and deep reds and ambers in winter, palest greens and pinks and yellows in spring; even straw and twig colors.

If you resist making a very strong color statement of your own, I suspect that the bride who comes in with a color palette in mind will feel happy to be choosing her flowers from you.

I like the original door color which works very nicely with what we can see of your porch. The brighter light raspberry pillow looks nice on your sofa but the bright aqua is too much, I think. It looks pretty in the director's chair photo but as an overall accent I think it's too sharp for what you have there already. Maybe a more earthy aqua accent though I'm not sure about including a lot of it. Hard to tell from the limited scope of the photos.

I would work with what you have and not try to make it something it's not -- bright cheery fun cottage-y. I think it will just look rather mis-matched and overdone, which won't put your customers at ease.

I agree that your flowers are the show and will liven things up, so I would just let the porch be itself. It looks very pretty and nicely done. If that's where the wedding customers will be spending time, I don't think you want to get too cottage-y and cutsey.

As far as the doors, I'm not sure why you have to make a statement with them. We can't see the whole house or picture from here, but the colors really don't seem to work well together. They feel out of character with the siding color and with the colors and decor on your porch. Sometimes making a stretch works and sometimes it doesn't.

If the garage is going to be a farm stand like venue for your flower shop, you could have more fun there but still let the focus be the flowers. They need to shine. Could you paint the walls a light green or a fresh white or a sunny cream as a backdrop to the greenery and blooms? Guess it depends on how you will be displaying things. Maybe you will be painting or covering tables with something. Nevertheless, you'll want them to shine, not get lost on their background.

Good luck with your new business. It's good to know there are more reasonable alternatives available for brides and others who don't have a small fortune to spend for flowers.

I still think it looked the best before you started painting. The settee coordinates beautifully with the maroon/dark red door as do the bricks. The only thing you need to change is the canvas on the director's chair. Get something that coordinates with the cushions on the wicker.

Are you in New England? I love the red door. It doesn't have to match what would be "fresh, modern and fun" in a new house. I think your best bet is to stick to the color in the historic collection, one of which would be the red. I would not judge you by that, but more by what you put in front of me as a floral designer. JMO, but I like the red!

I'm so jealous of all the beautiful vibrant colors posted for doors. I have a dark brown one and HOA makes me keep it for my home elevation...argh...I would so go with a pink or aqua for my place...LOL.

I recently bought a beautiful front door hanger and bucket, standard size, but my front door is larger than usual and it just swallowed up the bucket, so exchanged it with a girlfriend for some jewelry...LOL. I so wish I could find large buckets and long hangers.

Here are some pix that might help you. OMG...is that umbrella a cute idea or what!!!

Raisen Tort or another color that matches your pillow & sofa, and get matching colors for the chair too. (Imho)

You all are terrific! I mentioned to a friend that I frequent an online forum and she was horrified. I kept insisting that really, these are wonderful people that you would love to invite into your living room. She couldn't quite believe it, but everytime I come to the HD forum, you all prove it's true.

Graywings and Cooperbailey, thanks so much for your support!

Natal, Sasafras, and Bonnieann925, thank you too. I picked out that color when we built the house and I have liked it too. But perhaps I'm having a midlife crisis....I want something different.

Springmeadow, the inside of the garage where my storefront will be is going to have light green walls, white ceiling and trim, and periwinkle doors. I'm a bit nervous about the light green walls looking like a hospital, but I will see when it is finally painted. I agree- the bright colors on the outside doors just don't fit with the character of the house or siding.

Bronwynsmom, you are always the voice of good taste and wisdom. When I hit the BM store, I am going to repeat the mantra of "dark, leafy green."

Teresatree, I loved the raisin tort too and I think I could get away with it on the interior porch, but I don't want to spend the money on another can of paint at this point just to do one door. I'm seeing the wisdom of unifying the outside doors.

Vampiressrn, WOW, just WOW!! What wonderful pics! Those doors are all magnificent even tho they are all very different in colors and styles. Just a thought for you... could you style your own container with some wire and moss inside, lined with a plastic container? Kind of like door number 1. You could then make it the right size for you door. But even that simple wreath is wonderful on door number 6...it looks small for the door, but it is grounded by the two planters at the base, and all color coordinated with the blue in the mat and in the flowers. And yes, the umbrella is very clever and very cute. Tulips are perfect for it.

Thank you, Barb5. Age has its benefits, I expect.
Let us know what you decide. I know you'll make a great success of this venture with your natural warmth and generosity of spirit.

Dear barb5, whatever you decide it will be perfect! And I look forward to seeing what you decide :)

Don't forget to put the name of your business on your door. maybe a beautiful hand-painted one, maybe positioned inside your wreath.

OMG....that raisin tort is the prettiest color against the siding and with your love seat fabric. I really really like it.
The tone is so nice.

I want to come buy flowers from you! What a fun and potentially very satisfying (from a creative and making people happy point of view) business you have started. I didn't have any trouble figuring out why you wanted us to pretend to be a bride or a MOB. ;~) It's a time in a life when someone might be looking for things from flowers and their arrangement that they won't be looking for ever again; and it's a time when choosing the right thing and the right person to do it has a lot of stress and emotion attached to it....so you understandably want a first impression and "curb appeal" that shows you can pull things together in an appealing way.

Now I personally love your periwinkle door and would enjoy visiting a cottage or farmhouse with all the doors a different color; but I leaned toward the darker soft rich green from your cushions for the doors, and using the coral pink as accent colors in a few different spots because I think that would present a sort of "together, decorated, color-coordinated" first impression that would look professional from a design standpoint but still fun and relaxed and fresh. If that makes sense! LOL

Oh, btw, I don't "really" farm but I'm a definite wannabe...live in the country and mess about with farmy thigs and animals. I understand your concern about wind and a bucket on the front door....not long ago my wooden rocking chairs on the porch blew right over and a metal light fixture attached to the house actually ended up crooked from the wind! But when les suggested a flat-backed bucket or other container for the door to put rotating and/or seasonal arrangements in, I could just SEE it...such a charming idea. I'd have to look around, but I think I've seen some kind of bracket or even metal wire loop that is firmly attached to the door, that the container lifts in and out of....that would be secure enough to not move around and scratch your door? Anyway, that just seemed like a really neat idea, but you could make the same impression with porch pots where you do pretty combinations of flowers in season and then seasonal things in the fall and winter. I feel sure it will be charming because you've already headed down that road by yourself!

I just noticed you were a little concerned that the light green you are planning for the inside of your garage flower workshop area might look "hospital-y." What if you did those walls AND the porch door the same darker green shade pulled from your porch cushions....that would add a pulled-together feel and the green is a perfect foil for any shade of flower you might be working with at the moment.

I agree with everything Bronwynsmom said!

All flowers look good with a leafy green!

Tuesday