Lowes used to have a free service called "the Color Doctor", a gentleman who specialized in exterior color schemes. They don't have it anymore, but when I googled the phrase I found he is affiliated with a site called "Old House Authority". I contacted him when I painted my house, & although I didn't exactly use his suggested palette, it got me started toward where I ended up. I really enjoyed the process of picking colors, but I did take a while! I ended up with a sage green (Glidden "high tea") with very dark green shutters and cream-yellow (Laura Ashley "bleached wheat") porch and trim. My roof at the time was the lightest grey, now it is a medium-dark gray-brown mix, and the colors still work. On your house (a style that I love)I like the pale yellow, but the blue really threw me off. And so did the white on the 2nd story bump-out. I would like to stay with yellow myself; if the current color is truly too bright, in a more muted shade then, and see if I could use a darker trim that ties in with the dark roof better. A sort of butterscotch shade might work. If I couldn't come up with a good trim solution to tie in the roof, then I would be more inclined to go with a green or even a warm grey with color in the trim. There was a house in my neighborhood that was a sort of dusty lilac with dusty rose trim (I've forgotten the third accent color) and it was absolutely delicious. The owners said it was a combination they found on a card at the paint store. I could see it on this house, but don't know if that would be authentic.

You'll find colour experts/fanatics on the Home Dec forum who might be able to help, especially if you post a picture of the house. I know just enough to know that some very subtle differences could make a real difference to the outcome. For example, there are whites, and whites, and then still other whites. If it's a cool white with blue tones vs a warmer white with yellow or pink tones, your choices may look different. Of course, it may just be a white white - ours was too, by the way, when we bought it; white all over, inside and out. I came to appreciate that as I started stripping paint and realized that at some point the house was likely sort of an acid jade green on all surfaces inside and out, as were most of the houses in this neighbourhood. We did paint the house, and I'm happy we did - not an original colour though. I'm not a huge stickler for maintaining original colours for the sake of authenticity. You obviously do feel that way, and I respect that, but I would question your belief that changing the whole house colour would be more work than merely painting the trim. You might like to visualize whether you'd be happy with white trim if you changed the house colour. This is because painting trim is more work than you might think, especially if you have three porches. Having said all that, with a base scheme of black and white, your range of colour choices is enormous, and personal taste is going to play a huge role, as will the kind of presence you want the house to exude. Obviously earth tones won't go (rusts, olives) as they go with beige, not white; nor beiges or navies, being too close to your two base colours. I tend to think soft pastels might be your best family to look at, and you could go either two-tone (light green and darker green) or two contrasting colours: blue and yellow, blue and pink, etc. Those would be a bit country, I suppose, or maybe a little feminine. If you prefer a really dressy look, grey might be your best option, perhaps with some black highlights to connect to the roof. Taupe and black might also work for that look. You might consider photoshopping a few ideas, or if you prefer the non-tech route, taking a few photos, printing them out, and colouring on them. I'm linking below to a blog entry by Maria Killam on choosing exterior trim colours in which she also talks about different whites. The rest of her blog may also be of interest to you. KarinL Here is a link that might be useful: Colour me happy blog

This is the house I just sold. (crying, lol). 1880's, but a stick Victorian not a Queen Anne. 10X10 main kitchen, with a regular pantry (all shelving from PO) and a butler's pantry/water pantry that housed the sink and dishwasher, as well as a few original/early 20th cabinets with glass door uppers and bead board lowers. Clearly built in place and not to standard depths or heights. The main kitchen had one, 1970's, 12" floor cabinet, a broken range and an old side by side fridge. Happily it also had original white beadboard, 10' ceiling and a heavy plate rail around the top. It also had (challenge) 7 doorways and 2 windows. In a 10X10 space. We wanted a functional kitchen that played up the nice architectural details of the room and had a bit of an unfitted feel (had to due to all the doors, there was no space for a "run" of any kind) but were very much on a budget and looking for materials that were simple, easy to clean and could be replaced without tears if we decided to make changes in 5-10 years. Changed the pulls on those cabinets to these: the uppers had proper and nearly matching latches so those stayed. In the main kitchen, we put IKEA Adel White cabinets, with glass door uppers, and IKEA butcherblock countertops (later replaced by a dark green granite). Light fixture: Restoration Hardware Schoolhouse with vintage fans ceiling fan fixture (no longer made). Range, micro/hood, and dishwasher: Bosch smooth white. D/F range with warming drawer for busy working family with kids and crazy schedules. Fridge, Jenn Air French Door floating glass white. Walls Benjamin Moore Popcorn Kernel: (ooh I found an old GW pic of MY kitchen!) Backsplash: If I could do that kitchen over, I'd have done granite/stone counters sooner (we did it just to sell), and I'd have done the backsplash sooner. But the rest, I was really happy with!

Beverly, i think one of the reasons I like it is that it is varied and bold and interesting but not too darkly colorful----I confess I don't care for that "painted lady" look at all. Just because something was garishly in style during the Victorian era is no reason to subject a house (and passers by) to those discordant color schemes today. Those ornate homes painted in olive green with purple and cranberry trim just look like depressed preschools to me. I'm saving that picture in case I ever end up in a Victorian house! You have the BEST eye for illustrative pictures on this board, Bev.