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Exterior Color Palette - help please!

14 years ago

Hi everyone- I've been reading these forums for ages, but this is the first time I am posting.

We are building a home, and I have to pick our exterior colors in the next week or so. So far the bits/pieces already selected are: white windows, charcoal grey shingles, and stone skirt (Permacon's Lafitt in Chambord Grey). Above the stone skirt we will have stucco and some cedar shakes in accent areas.

I'm having a hard time with the stucco color. I am getting really bored of beige and would like our house to be a bit different than those already on the street (all of which are various shades of beige) without clashing too much. I looked at a bunch of warm grey/blues but the lady at the Benjamin Moore store thought I was completely bonkers. She said that stucco should never be a distinct color and that I would be sick of it in 10 years. Perhaps she is right... and now I am questioning my judgement!

The house is a craftsman style bungalow so I would like to stick with fairly organic colors. I am looking at BM Sea Haze (which the lady also thought was crazy btw). The cedar shakes can be left natural or stained (haven't decided yet). And the front door will be painted but I haven't thought about it yet either. I'd like to be happy with the stucco color first.

You guys always have some great thoughts on this stuff and I am completely out of ideas - any and all help is welcome - thanks everyone! jen

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Comments (3)

User
14 years ago
I am a bit confused...are you going to paint your stucco?We have a bit of stucco on our house but when I picked the color I didnt go to a paint store, the stucco already came in the color I choose. One thing I do know is pick a color a bit darker than you think, being outside the color gets washed out. I am happy with the color now I have, but wasnt quite what I had in my mind.
theroaroffour
Original Author
14 years ago
Hi Roseabbey-
Sorry, I should have been more clear! Our stucco guy will match any Benjamin Moore color, so I have to choose from that palette - but otherwise our options are pretty open.

I had so many ideas about the interior layout of the house, but now I'm totally lost on the exterior... thanks! jen
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Love Kendall Charcoal and it looks fantastic on your house but my eye is going to the beige driveway. I think you are gonna want to address the staining on it and either do the driveway in more of a grey or else go with the dark blue if you keep the driveway In the warmer beige color.
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User
14 years ago
I would go with desert twilight, as I said exterior colors you pick need to be richer than you think because the color gets washed out. Also the sun will fade the stucco some. I think the darker grey color will bring out the darker color of your stone very nicely.

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