Well...the Architectural Committee of our HOA would never approve it...

That said, IYHAYSDWYWT. There are those who will understand.

While discussions of biological discernment of hues is interesting it really is irrelevant to the issue.

The color chosen by the OP is not an abomination that seems completely out of character with the neighborhood - or what I can see of a garage and part of a neighbor's exterior wall. It's just a color.

I don't think a "normal" neighbor would feel it is within their rights to comment negatively about the color or expect the homeowner to change the color because the neighbor doesn't happen to like it.

It didn't turn out exactly how the OP expected - that often happens but most people would not go to the expense or hassle of changing the color until the surface needed repainting. If I painted an interior room and it wasn't working out exactly as planned, I might change it although even then unless it was a discrete room I might not if that meant I had to repaint an entire home because of the configuration. However, I certainly wouldn't bother to repaint an exterior wall that I probably saw once a day - if that and often coming home when it was dark :-).

While discussions of biological discernment of hues is interesting it really is irrelevant to the issue.

So why go out of your way to bring it up again.

"Bang the drum of individuality, blah, blah, blah all you want"

Sigh. Just call me the "Little Drummer Girl."

Actually biological discernment probably gets to the crux of the matter.

This is why some people can pick colors easily, some people get awfully close but not quite right (which can be the most frustrating) and some people miss by a mile, and within that group, can't tell enough to worry about it.

I think it does a great deal to explain the actual basis of many threads. It's the opposite of irrelevant, really...but it's one of those things that not much can be done to remedy it.

Not that my opinion matters but I like the color you chose. To me, brick on a house usually is a big factor (as it should be) as to the color of trim (as well as siding as in your case) shutters, exterior decor, flowers, roofing, etc. My subdivision was started about 1980. It was developed in sections over the years and due to the fact some people think they can't change color (or don't know how) there are still many houses with the brown/tan, country blue, and yellow tinted cream. These houses have a very dated look. Actually dated is being kind. To me they look dirty, dull and sad. The homes that have been repainted with updated brighter, cleaner colors have a much "happier" appearance. When I see the exterior 80's colors I assume the inside is just as dull, dark and musky. Don't worry about the one neighbor. When we updated our paint colors we received many compliments and more neighbors on our street started doing the same thing. Shortly after the paint change I decided our mailbox and post needed to be changed from white to black. ( all the other neighbors had white) I took a leap and replaced the post and mailbox and added a nice number display. I was concerned I "would get in trouble" but no one said a word. Within a month other people in the neighborhood followed my lead. The same thing happened when we replaced our garage doors. Once again, I like the change you made and the new garage doors sound perfect. The complaining neighbor will get over and eventually they won't even notice.

" Actually biological discernment probably gets to the crux of the matter."

In one sense, yes, but really, I think this thread is less about choosing colors and more about how we think we ought to interact with society and it with us. For me, the crux of the matter isn't the color the OP chose but the fact that her neighbor objects to it. Should he, or anyone, have the right to impose his taste on her? How far can she go in exerting her own individual preferences over what is "normal" where she lives? Where is the boundary between one's rights as an individual and one's obligations to the society in which we live?

There have to be boundaries, of course, or we'd live in anarchy, but I really think the paint color of the house is nowhere near where the boundaries should be set. Others obviously feel differently, which is fine: they choose to live in HOAs which set tighter rules than I would be comfortable with, so I choose not to live in one. But the fact that I don't want to be bound by unnecessary rules about house color hardly means I'm " just an a-hole." That I really do take exception to.

If you read my previous threads, I am way on the side of painting one's house the color one wants, but the other aspect to this thread is that it turned out much brighter than the OP had predicted as well. That's where levels of discernment in the original selections come in.

Pal - I understand what you're saying but I think the discussion has gone quite a bit beyond the color itself being brighter than expected. When people are being called "clueless, inconsiderate dolts" or worse for daring to paint something outside the neighborhood norms, I think we're onto a different issue entirely. That's all I'm saying.

Folks, this is not about OP vs neighbor. The OP doesn't like it either. She said so in her first post. The whole neighbor thing is irrelevant. The OP wants to know if she can tone it down without repainting.

Although it's more fun to write righteous posts about how the neighbor is a bad person.

Yes, it is about the OP vs the neighbor. The OP didn't make it that way, but several others certainly did.

The OP has already said she's not in a position to repaint the house. Posters suggested (a) ignore the neighbor because no, it's not that bad; (b) paint the garage door; (c) wait a year and the color will fade; (d) repaint the house (ignoring the key point of the OP's dilemma). Fair enough.

But then the conversation drifted into the rights of the neighbor and neighborhood to be protected from people painting their houses red or yellow or anything "inappropriate." Now that's righteous.

Agree, I never got the impression that the OP was especially worried about the neighbor, more that it was a second person validating that the color was off.

Righteous and apparently extremely quotable. I'm flattered you hang on my every word, jmm1837.

Well, "Neighbor hates red house" as the title kinda involves the neighbor...but every post about independent neighborhoods vs. HOAs, or city vs. suburbs vs. country kinda devolves into how much better one is than the other and how all the other people are wrong, because most people are on or off, black or white. I don't think I am but I have been yelled at for being too equivocal.

And eventually many posts further devolve into meta-posts where there is not even agreement about how one discusses the topic appropriately

Well, "Neighbor hates red house" as the title kinda involves the neighbor.

Yep, kinda does.

You're right, Partim. After seeing the finished product, I was not happy. The color looks ok to me from straight on, but it deepens and intensifies when you look at it from an angle. When my neighbor made it clear he didn't like it, I started to panic. I wondered if it was so bad that I needed to change it immediately or if there was anything I could do to make it look better without repainting the siding. I was also hoping to hear that maybe the sheen would dull and it would look better after a while. Since repainting the whole house isn't an option right now, I'd considered painting the top and side facing the street a more pleasant color or a flatter red. For the record, I still like the red above the garage in more subdued lighting viewed from straight on. That's why I think there is a better red out there that would have worked for me and my neighbors. I'm attaching a photo of the house pre paint job. I absolutely hated the plain cream.

Crystal's ideas · More Info

THIS. This is a good reason why my husband and I moved to 5 acres. If you have to live this close to your neighbors, your home's paint job really shouldn't be an inflection point for a fist fight with your neighbor.

You seem to be much kinder than I would be, Crystal...

Since expense was mentioned, I suggest you just wait a year. It will fade and I predict everyone will be moving on to other issues. I think you chose well and so do many others here.

The neighbor can stick it in his ear. Every year I consult with homeowners who hate their boring yards, but it's what they have because that's what the neighbors have. It's a chicken - egg cycle. We do something out of the norm and two neighbors stick up their noses at the changes, five call me to make their yards interesting, and ten do something on their own. I designed in HOAs in Phoenix where you were allowed one of three shades of beige for the house, two front door colors, and three gravel colors. Why even own a house at that point?

Last year my neighbors painted their GORGEOUS house in a historic part of the city a beautiful sunflower yellow with gray trim. it was one of the prettiest houses on our street, a real gem. This wkend, they went over all the gray (trim, front steps, front door, side door, shutters) a rusty, bright red. It looks like a hotdog. I hate it... but i wouldn't tell them OR expect them to change it b/c I don't like it.

I like it. It goes well with the brick.

I am of the opinion that we need more colour in the world so I prefer the red over a neutral.

If we all liked the same things, it would be a boring world.

If your garage door is metal, there are now wood look paints for metal. Perhaps you could find one resembling cherry wood?

https://www.google.com/search?q=wood+look+paint+colors+for+metal+garage+door&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiPlIOFjPrdAhWQuVMKHe6JCWEQsxgIKg&biw=1366&bih=650

I don't mind it either. At least it's not gray (which most of the posts in this forum are all about).

> I don't mind it either. At least it's not gray (which most of the posts in this forum are all about).

There is an amazing amount of group think on this forum. Were you around for the all white kitchen phase? White counters. White cabinets. White walls. White curtains. White floors. White back splash. All white aside from stainless steel appliances. And if it wasn't all white, it wasn't right.

jpp221 - As long as the neighbors are kind, trustworthy people I sincerely, absolutely do not care what color their house is. Not one scintilla. I feel very strongly about individual liberty and that includes house colors from poop to pepto.

Weren't you railing against caring about trends and other's opinions on another thread today?

jpp221 you can't always trust the color on a monitor. It looks orange on yours and on mine it is a deeper red. Also if my neighbor painted their house pepto bismol pink it is none of my business. I don't pay their mortgage, utilities, or taxes. My neighbor might love the color pink. Personally I don't like the color green, but just because I don't like green doesn't mean my neighbor should not paint their house green.

@jpp221 if my next door neighbor painted their house pepto bismol pink it would be great, because then the dominos driver would NEVER wander around looking for our house again. "yeah we're next door to the PINK house, one closer to the park" and they'd be set. Glass half full and all that.

Of course, we're in the process of removing our vinyl siding so we can repair the wood siding underneath and paint our house purple, so take that with a grain of salt. Life's too short for 50 shades of beige.

The neighbor is seeing red.

lol

If you're not in an HOA it simply is your choice to do whatever you please. The neighbor is in the wrong. I keep it.

My neighbor painted his garage a horrible color recently. I never would go over there & tell them. That is rude & frankly none of my business.

Eventually I forgot about it, but this reminded me. Give it time, eventually the shock & newness will wear off.

Speaking of wearing off. Red is the quickest color to fade in the sun. I use to paint signage & avoided red when possible. It rarely stays bright red long. Colors are very vivid when 1st applied. It will fade.

I also think the color is fine.

No worries, the neighbor will calm down and so will the color;)

If the neighbor bothers you anymore, you could tell them, "I was thinking of painting animal print instead." Show her this;)

I'm curious how the conversation went when the neighbor told you he hated the red.

You admit the color turned out much brighter than you expected, so perhaps you can emphasize with the neighbor who sees that side of the garage much more often than you do. If you had his view, how do you think you would feel about the color? Where houses are so close together, it's kind to consider what your neighbors see out their windows. The same consideration we would want them to give us.

You can't afford to re-do it at this time. Hopefully sun and weather will tone it down in the next year or two and it won't seem "too much". You can evaluate what to do then.

The red is fine and it matches the brick. I think the real problem is there is a little to much trim painted cream and creates a lot of contrast and business. The photo at the bottom is much more calming to look at. Although the first house is pretty all those lines make my eyes crazy and tired. I vote to paint over and limit the light trim color.

I can just imagine how things would go if people start going out of their way to worry what the neighbor sees in your yard as the view from one or more of their windows...Maybe they'll start out being offended because they don't like seeing untanned pasty legs in shorts if the owner of said legs happens to have a little cellulite...then it's about the fact that they can see inside your house from their vantage point and it offends them that you walk around your living room in your knickers and a t-shirt, scratching your rear on occasion which they can totally see and it offends them greatly...when does it reach the point where someone says "MAYBE DON'T LOOK IN MY YARD OR IN MY HOUSE THEN!" ??

Back in Socal we lived in a gated HOA. A new resident moved in across from the HOA board president, and decided he would paint the interior of his living room in a deep reddish color, which the CC&Rs and the bylaws and whatnot have nothing preventing him from doing so when it's the interior of his unit (and it was!) - the HOA board president was upset and told him that he should change the color because she could see it when she was outside on her patio through his sliding glass door. She complained, repeatedly. He told her "If you don't like it you could always stop looking. Your right to peaceably enjoy an unobstructed view does not extend to inside my unit, you old bat."

I don't think anyone had ever stood up to her before - I'll concede that him using rude terms like 'old bat' might not have been the best thing - or ignored her complaints since she was prone to repeating them at you until you finally got so irritated that you capitulated to whatever it was that she wanted you to do just to not have to deal with her on that matter a minute longer. Her health ended up leading to her moving into an assisted living place and that guy was still living in the HOA when we moved in 2017, dark red living room walls still his decor choice and all.

Dabney, I've heard that comment before. That's why some have suggested just painting the garage a darker color or getting a wood look paint kit, which is the option I'm favoring since painting the trim will be much more work. Another suggested painting the white lines red to match the paint, but I think I need a transition between the red and brick since the colors are very close but not exact. That being said, if I did paint both the trim and garage, what color would you suggest? Someone else, not on this forum, suggested SW Peppercorn, which kind of takes on a very subdued blue tone near the paint. SW suggests a darker beige to go with the Roycroft Copper Red.

I like the idea of the wood look garage door. I would not worry so much about the color not matching the brick exactly. Brick usually has mottled colors. I would paint the corner trim the color of the siding. Dark Grey garage doors would be nice also.

Lucy, he wasn't hostile. He saw me and gestured to the house while grimacing. I walked over and kind of said, yeah it's a shinier than I expected. And that I was going for a matte red. Then he starts telling me how much he loved my trim color and that I should have left the house that color and just painted the trim red. He made it clear he didn't like it, but didn't demand that I change it. Honestly, I wouldn't care if I had to look at a red wall. It would contrast nicely with my plants. To be fair, he planted an Eastern red cedar and a bunch of mismatched plants like variegated Ginger next to a random boxwood on the property line. I guess he's planning to cut the cedar awkwardly on my side so it will look like half a tree from my view. I personally think a uniform hedge would look better for that area, but I never complained.

I agree with his hodge podge assortment of mismatched plants. It is far from a neat or attractive look. Opinions are like Bootys everyone has one. Just as long I you think your home looks nice, and your HOA does not dislike the color. Remember keeping it simple makes it attractive for the general population and is better for resale.

Our house brick looks just like yours. Although I love the idea (and have toyed around with) "wood" doors, I'm not sure that I could find the right shade for them....and I'm pretty brave when it comes to experiments :)

Anyway...use caution with that idea. It won't be easy.

Thanks for answering Csimmons. Glad your neighbor is accepting your paint choice without being nasty about it.

You could have worded the subject line of your post differently.

I would invest in some hedge clippers. Those bushes you neighbor planted will need trimmed back so you can walk around your garage and also to keep air circulation for the side of the garage. If not the side will mold and rot. A lot of townships have a setback variance for shrubs and fences.

Function, he kindly keeps them sheared to the wood on my side so I get to look at twigs and half trees. At least he allows the vegetation to grow on his side so he doesn't have a clear view of my house.

Well you don't have a great view of the vegetation, but at least he maintain it. A lot of people plant and forget the neighbors side.

I think the color looks great. Not too "out there", not too vivid....perfectly reasonable color. AND, after reading your last post, it doesn't sound like you need to do anything anyway! The neighbor was just mildly critiquing the color - no need to even consider a change in color. No biggie.

Have you considered painting your trim black? or brown? for less contrast.

138 posts? enough already.

Nah...I'm up, frisky and still ready to duke it out. Wait a minute, lemma git my boxing gloves on.