sml 3 - Thank you! Navy is also my favorite color so I'm always drawn to anything that leads that way. My goal for my front door was to do something bold. At least bolder than I normally do, which is usually nothing. I do really love the color....it's BM Bainsbridge Blue.....but I keep second guessing that it's too much. There is a house near ours that has blue front door but it's more navy and subdued. It's very pretty and I slow to admire it whenever I drive by. There's another house that has a very bright turquoise door that makes me smile when I drive by. It's far too bright for me to pick it outright, but I thought my choice was kind of a combo of the two. It's a deeper blue/turquoise but really does have a nice punch of color. The good news is that a quart of paint is cheap and it should take me less than 30 minutes to paint it. If I hate it, I'll just pick something else! Regarding white vs gray....ours would have looked nice in white. Our architect had recommended it also. The reason I chose gray is there are TON of 'modern farmhouses' going up in our area and all are painted white. I was trying to avoid doing something that is going to scream 'Hey, I was built in 2017!' I do love the look of them and if it's something you love, then go for it. In my case, I was questioning whether I loved white because I really loved it, or because I just keep seeing it everywhere. I saw a house near ours that was painted this gray color and just immediately fell in love. That settled my debate and I'm happy I chose gray instead. Good luck with your build!

mobuddy89 These days I obsess about what other colors our home would be. There are a few more brown beams in the back of the complex and the same brown trim over the garage doors! If the brown stain doesn't work we could definitely layer with deeper colors! torreykm I think talavera elements could work in our area. I have thought it would be nice to really bring out the Spanish character of the home but in a very updated way? I'll have to peruse Houzz and see whats out there! :) Beth H. Thanks! You know, I looked for a wood "conditioner" and wasn't able to find one at HD, Lowes or Rockler that was exterior grade?! But Rockler recommended the Zinsser Bullseye clear sander coat as a base layer. Its very clear and watery stuff. The UV varnish I picked up is also the Zars exterior UV grade. Wish I'd known about the other products- but will see how the Zars holds up this time around. For sure will take your advice and do no less than 3 coats! Your garden is amazing!!

WD is not my favorite white, but many do love it. First you need to test some whites with your other finishes - floor/counter and backsplash. You also need to consider the trim color that you are using in the rest of your house. Do you have white trim? What color is the current trim color? Whites often do not play well with other whites. When you have picked the color have to have a sample painted with whatever paint the cabinet painter is using. Their color matches are not always perfect, so better to find out before they paint all your cabinets. Many people who have used White Dove have re-painted with Simply White. It still has some yellow undertones, but never looks dingy. WD can go dingy. Personally, my favorite is a color match that BM stores mix for me. Match of Devine Color™ V0101W Icing. The difference between Simply White and Icing is that Icing leans just a bit more toward the orange yellow then the green yellows. I sometimes detect a touch of green (Chartreuse) in Simply White. Computers do a lousy job depicting whites, but this is an analysis of several of the whites that were discussed in this chain. The LCH designations are L - how light the color is, C - Chroma - how colorful or gray the color is and H- Hue - where the color falls on the color wheel. Yellow range is 72-105 Yellow green is 105-130 As you go down in chroma and the colors get closer to gray we see it as a blue or cool undertone (Chantilly Lace, Decorators White)

Oh, I agree...no fun to make decisions under pressure, but it feels like thats been the story of this build...Ive learned so much and it feels like 80% has been under a deadline...so am considering trying to figure out the paint stuff tomorrow-or at least take a guess...the walls are so small it wouldnt take much to repaint if needed-Thanks so much for the suggestions of those colors...I just looked them up--I really like both of them. They do look clean/fresh. The laundry room will basically be filled up with the rustic hickory cabinets (lowers along the sink wall- a silgranite sink (blanco laundry sink) which I'll need to choose a color for as well---thinking something of a medium to darker shade just b/c it will be easier to keep clean), & then upper cabinets on the washer/dryer wall) with a quartz countertop (doing granite in kitchen, but figure quartz will be easier to maintain in laundry room)-color tbd...that will take up the log/sink wall and the right/garage door wall....the opposite 'longer' wall we are planning to build a bench/cubbies 'mud room' type piece that will run along that wall...perhaps paint/stain that. There will be a light (pendant or semi flushmount) over the sink, and a flushmount mid room in front of the washer/dryer-oil rubbed bronze and frosted glass. I was also thinking about putting some simple, maybe live edge shelves to the left and right of the window, or maybe those could have some color too. We're doing most of the finish work ourselves & are both working full time--nothings been ideal about this build & I know I should have these things picked out by now- this is my first house I've even owned (I've always rented & have moved A LOT-so maybe have painted a wall or two, but never had the opportunity to design/paint/etc anything from scratch...its a gift, a challenge, and outside my comfort zone all at the same time. :)