skip to main content

Help me find a light greige exterior color!

8 years ago

We are in the throes of "color picking" process. Our roof is dark slate and we have greenery around the house. We are hoping to find a light greige color for the body (think of BM Revere Pewter indoors), and white for the trims, but so far no luck...

I have tried several sample of BM and SW paints in the greige category. But most turned up looking pinkish, bluish or purplish. None of which we want. The only ones from our samples that stay true to its color are BM Gray Mirage and BM Horizon Gray (both are in the grey-green tones). BM Revere Pewter looked pinkish.

The front of our house (current color is BM Limesickle) faces East:

The South side:

The North and West sides of our house:

We tested the following colors, from top to bottom:

SW Pussywillow (look purplish on the east side of house, afraid it looks too dark a greige elsewhere)
BM Gray Mirage (consistent color on all sides of house)
BM Horizon Gray (consistent color on all sides)
BM Revere Pewter (look pinkish on all sides of the house)
BM Ozark Shadows (look purplish on all sides)
BM Coventry Gray (look bluish)
BM Sea Haze (look purplish)

After driving around looking for house colors that we like, I found this one (saw it in SF, and found out it is also featured on houzz.com here). The main color of the Cow Hollow house is BM Sandy Hook. However, on the sunny side of my house, that color looked reddish brown (thinkL Lincoln Log color). Not what I was hoping for.

Any tips or color suggestions we should be looking at that can give us a light greige color without looking reddish, pinkish, bluish or purplish colors?

Thanks so much!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

jaimeeap
8 years ago
I really like the Horizon Gray!
lovetogarden thanked jaimeeap
lovetogarden
Original Author
8 years ago
Funny thing, paint colors. After many efforts of trying to get Sandy Hook Gray not looking orangey brown on my walls (from taking the R3 -red oxide- out, to adding white, to using only 50% tint), and essentially ended up making it a completely un-Sandy Hook Gray, we discovered something fascinating.

My painter primed an area for me to test more paint colors on. He used Zinnser Cover Stain primer.

I was so surprised, and delighted, to see that Sandy Hook Gray no longer looks reddish brown on the primed section of the wall. Yes, I repainted it on again as I was curious. It still has a brown tint but mostly reading green-gray which I love. No more reddish/orangey brown showing through.

I thought that given my old house color being so light (BM Limesicle that has been washed out in 10 years of UV rays), I can paint the test colors directly without primer. But, boy, was I wrong. The primer made such a difference and shows the sample colors better without interference from the old color.

I learned my lesson!
Related Discussions
Exterior colour combinations - dark 'greige'??
Q
Comments (5)
I hope you don't hate me for being honest. And I realize this doesn't answer, really, the color question(s) you've posed. Here goes anyway. The biggest problem I'm seeing - from here - is that the trim color doesn't work with the gray/black brick. The harmony that should exist between the trim color and the permanent elements on the house isn't happening. Altho I understand the "baked on" point, it's not doing the house any favors so the question becomes just because it's "baked on" is it really an advantage. Even tho the gutters and fascia are a baked on finish is not going to last forever. It's going to need maintenance and painting eventually. One way to look at the situation is, "Saving" it just because it's there and baked on at the cost of the overall cohesion and aesthetic of the curb appeal is kind of a high price to pay for what may actually just be an illusion of a maintenance free, forever finish. A new trim color, stain color, and front door color could go a long way in making the most of the permanent elements you have to work with and the overall curb appeal of the house. JMHO.
...See More
Please help me find a very light brown beige color++
Q
Comments (10)
Thank you for the picture sweetrain. the 1/2 strength bennington gray does look very nice. I'm probably going to do the halls/stairs elmira white and was trying to decide what to do for the family room/dining room. The kitchen is probably going to be RH silver sage or BM quiet moments: something in the grey/blue category. I thought about continuing the Elmira white but I'm used to pretty dark colors and I'm not sure how I would like that. My old kitchen/dining were Nantucket gray and family room was hamshire gray, but I want to steer away from all that green. I'll just have to wait for all the dry wall to go up and try some samples. I wonder how bleeker beige compares also.
...See More
please help! I’m looking for a gray “greige” exterior paint.
Q
Comments (8)
The houses I’ve seen painted grey and white with the orange barrel roof don’t look “right” to my eyes. They are telling two different stories so I hope you get big samples of both house and trim colors to check this out before you decide. If your tired of the peach a cream with medium to dark brown trim would work with your roof and look more updated and fresh.
...See More
Please help me find an exterior paint colour to go with brick.
Q
Comments (10)
Kelowna is so pretty. Lucky you! The orange brick is a good, low maintenance material. And while you could stain it, I would not bother. I'd focus on improving the landscaping. If you really must change the colour of your house, changing the white siding to grey will have a much higher impact. The large cedars were planted too close to the house and should be removed. Consider planting a shade tree closer to the curb-- yes it will take time to grow, but it will be very worth it in the long run. Since you'll be renting the property out, it's important that landscaping be low maintenance. So shrubs, clump forming grasses, daylilies and hosta are good choices. Rhododendrons and azaleas should be happy there and do not often require pruning.
...See More
PRO
Lori A. Sawaya
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
light greige color

Take a look at Fossil Grey 30YY 56/060. It's from The Master Palette. You can find it at The Home Depot (Glidden Paint), PPG Paint Stores, ICI/Dulux Paint Stores.
lovetogarden thanked Lori A. Sawaya
gofish22
5 years ago
Color is so tricky! In all the times I have brought home the "perfect color swatch," I don't think that was ever the final color. I painted my bedroom/bath a nice gold some years back. My neighbor loved it and decided she'd like it for her bedroom too - in her room it took on a green tint that I have never seen in mine! my house lies east/west, hers is north/south. Different light?

Will your whole exterior be primed before painting?

I always wondered why there is a purple house in my neighborhood. Maybe it was a situation like yours, but they didn't find out their neutral was purplish till it was too late.

Related Stories

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: Online Finds Help Outfit This Couple’s First Home

By Jane Vorbrodt

East Vancouver homeowners turn to Craigslist to update their 1960s bungalow

EXTERIORS Help! What Color Should I Paint My House Exterior?

By Jennifer Ott Design

Real homeowners get real help in choosing paint palettes. Bonus: 3 tips for everyone on picking exterior colors

HOME TECH All Is Not Lost: New Gadgets Help You Find Your Stuff

If you lose it when you lose things around the house (and who doesn't?), one of these wireless finders may be to your gain

CURB APPEAL Clues to Finding the Right Color for Your House

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Waffling over the rainbow of color options for your home's face? This advice from an architect can help

TRANSITIONAL HOMES Houzz Tour: New Homeowners Find Their Style

By Becky Harris

Homework assignments help reveal a couple’s tastes and lead to a home filled with textures and organic tones

Ideabook 911: Help Me Finish My Foyer

By Becky Harris

ENTRYWAYS Help! What Color Should I Paint My Front Door?

By Jennifer Ott Design

We come to the rescue of three Houzzers, offering color palette options for the front door, trim and siding

CURB APPEAL 7 Questions to Help You Pick the Right Front-Yard Fence

By Matthew Ankeny

Get over the hurdle of choosing a fence design by considering your needs, your home’s architecture and more

REMODELING GUIDES 8 Tips to Help You Live in Harmony With Your Neighbors

Privacy and space can be hard to find in urban areas, but these ideas can make a difference

SELLING YOUR HOUSE 10 Tricks to Help Your Bathroom Sell Your House

By Mink Home Staging

As with the kitchen, the bathroom is always a high priority for home buyers. Here’s how to showcase your bathroom so it looks its best

Sponsored

Jc's and Sons Affordable Home Improvements

Zanesville's Most Skilled & Knowledgeable Home Improvement Specialists

More Discussions

Help turn my blah house into a beautiful house!

43

Color changes in paint formulations

10

Painting bedroom ceiling dark - 12 foot ceiling

8

What color is this?

6

Paint help from owners bedroom through hallway to owners bath - help

3