@Amber Webb, that is my thought as well but I'm not a realtor and the realtor I spoke to wasn't much help regarding Victorian homes. I wish you had a picture of the home you described since it sounds exactly what I'm looking for!

I really love what @houssaon did with those colors (always love to see what color combos they do!) and I'm really drawn to the Fieldstone/Simply White/Newburg Green combo.

I also love the photo of the green house. I wouldn't have caught all the cool visual tricks (multiple greens, alternating window trim colors) so it's pretty neat once notice it.

I'm leaning towards a BM Fieldstone for the body, White Trim (windows, porch rails, gables), and BM Newburg Green for the door. Any thoughts on what color I should paint these pieces? Also keep in mind that I want to sell the house in the next year or so and don't want to get too crazy! :)

Any other advice before I start committing on paint colors for the painter this week?

This is really not about personal preferences, it is simply about selling the house.

White is classic. Grey by the way is a faded trend in interior and soon to be a faded trend in exterior because of misuse and overuse. Case in point, the style of your house does not need grey.

You need a warmer white on your house and you need to up the landscaping and install nice, well-placed lighting around the house and on the grounds. Doesn’t have to cost a ton of money; there are solar lights, etc. But these are important details; it’s not just about slapping on some paint.

But again, as far as the paint - I would keep it simple. White is classic. Generally speaking, people will take you much more seriously with a white house than a blue house. And yellow can be charming, but it is not white.

Keep it simple.

IMO people interested in buying this home will be most interested in the basics of the house. They want Authenticity most. Stick to white because it is true to the period. Paint Everything white. New buyers then can visualize what trims they might want to do and painting over white is easiest. You do have some water intrusion problems it appears so need to make sure those are fixed and you have receipts as back up. Good luck. It looks like a wonderful house. Since I owned a home similar to this I know what it takes to maintain and restore. That sagging front porch would be a red flag to me. I would repair that before painting.

I love light colors and will go for light colors.

I would research longevity and issues with your dark blue...buyers will look at that. Dark blue, dark green, can develop problems. As well, if buyer wants to repaint, it's hard to cover.

A lighter colour stands up way better to weathering, and a new buyer will be thinking about more than curb appeal. My two sons have just bought houses, and way more important than the "look" are the long term issues.

Pastels will suit your house better, too...IMO.

Thank you all for the feedback. As others mentioned, after talking to my painter, blue can fade quicker (especially the color BM Old Navy) since one coat did not have good coverage at all. I decided against the blue to do potential fading.

Most are suggesting whites or a light house. Someone (a PRO) posted this comment about white and wanted to know your take, "I don’t like all white on these houses- all white was a 1920’s fad that stuck. It derived from the beaux arts movement and the colonial revival movement. The Victorians like saturated colors because they could- this was the first era with man made pigments." What do you think of their statement?

My house was built in 1916 and here is a b/w photo from around 1938. After scraping paint, the window trim was a dark evergreen. Still not sure about the siding since we're not seeing any signs yet from scraping but from the picture people believe it to be a light gray/green.

Would it make sense to go back to this color and use this old pic in the real estate ad?

I hesitate with all white because neighbors or people that have walked by have mentioned that I should highlight the architecture more. Other houses on my street have 2 or 3 colors so the all white would stand out as very plain. Is there a close 2nd option (that isn't yellow - due to the 2 houses across the street being yellow and golden yellow)? Perhaps something similar to the photo below?

I agree; as practical as all white is, it won’t show off the features of your house. Yellow isn’t a great choice either... in my experience, because it can fade and then when you try to touch it up it shows horribly. I like some of the posts that people have made with a heritage colour on the light side like the gray green that you were thinking of or a cool beige. You can pick a darker tone of the same shade to pick out the fancy shingle work. White trim is crisp and easy to match if the owner is doing touchups. Then pick an interesting accent colour for your door. That’s easy to change if the buyer doesn’t like it.

The BM Fieldstone is a nice classic look. someone posted a shot of their house done in it, earlier in your thread. Then maybe something a little darker in the same colour palette for the fancy shingles...white trim.

The other advantage to white trim is that your white vinyl windows will just blend right in.

My favorite combination is SW Navajo White with bright white trim. It doesn't look great on a swatch. On a large mass, it reads as if it were vanilla ice cream. I've painted three house this color. All of them historic. It's my go to color.

But, you asked about selling the house. If a quick sale is your goal, all white. Front door painted a different color of your choice. Storm windows and doors stored in the garage.

This is one of my favorite combinations:

Victorians in Color · More Info

Cream, sage cream and a deep teal. There's a splash of mustard or gold in there, too. So beautiful.

Anna, that color scheme is a favorite of mine also! The house was featured in the June 2015 Old House Journal. BM paint — Louisburg Green HC-113 (body), Newburg Green HC-158 and Standish White HC-32 (trim colors), plus a few unnamed colors and gold leaf.

@elunia, this color scheme was the inspiration for our own remodel. I actually matched this painted siding color by EYE and I guess I did pretty darn well! I did the same with our vinyl siding selection and matched it before I took it to the computer which matched with the same color.

But I did not know the window sash was Newburg Green--that will be easy to remember because it's a color I love.

@liasch, I agree with everything you said! Plus in my city, I live in a small "historic district" area, so people that would buy homes here would want a few touches of historic color, in my opinion. The house has been white for over 40 years and definitely stands out as a boring house compared to others that gave 2 or 3 tones. I do like the Fieldstone (or maybe a lighter gray with green undertone) and the Newburg Green door!

@Anna (6B/7A in MD) and @elunia thank you for posting that BEAUTIFUL house and the color info! I'm in love with these colors and exactly what I'm looking for! I believe most people would like that color combo and would make my house look nice.

All - if I went with a gray/green similar to Fieldstone and Newbury Green for the door. What color should I paint the brackets and the 9 little posts (?) under the gables and side of house (these I circled). Should they be same as trim, same as door, mix of both, or some other color?

I'm getting closer thanks to all of your help!

Your house needs to be a warmer white with a brighter white on trim - and that would highlight the architectural details.

People like white houses. White is a classic. Folks go through all kinds of changes to get white looking houses- including painting and white washing brick, stone, etc. I am personally not so much a fan of folks doing that, because I happen to like brick and stone and classical architectural details; but just examples of the lengths people will go through to get white.

IMO you are wasting your time here. You were told early on by Lori A. Sawaya that white is number one - in terms of a go to color for re-sale. And white absolutely works with your house. Not so much the white that you have now; it is stark and there is no contrast to show the architectural detail. You need a combination of whites that will showcase the house better and you need better landscaping, etc., as I already mentioned. You could also do a color on the door - a Tiffany blue could be elegant.

But the point is: You have been told, by numerous sources, what the best color is, but you choose to ignore this - now stating that you are going to be living there for another year and so you personally want another color. If you are selling in a year, that is pretty much ridiculous thinking.

But be that as it may - paint the house purple if you want to - it would certainly be much better than grey. And stop wasting your time as well as the time of others.

OMG your house is almost identical to our home that was built in 1900. This is a huge painting undertaking. BUT you are loosing sight of your goal. You said you will be selling in a year. Multi-color painting will not be appealing to the widest buyer pool. These were farm houses of the day. They weren’t painted all Victorian colors as your historical photo reveals. So, resale is all about appealing to widest buyer pool. Crisp white is your answer for quick sale. It eliminates no one. They will be able to quickly visualize how THEY want the details painted and it is ready for their picks. It is wonderful how many details remain on the exterior. We have moved 18 times so I know what I am talking about for resale. For our house like yours we listed on a Saturday nite and had a full price offer on Sunday by 2 pm. People are on “wait lists” for these homes. We had a competing offer by Sunday evening. 10 years before the first thing we did was tear out remuddled kitchen. The second, redo exterior. We did do blue/gray body and crisp white trim. Looked better than when we bought after 10 years. So, save some “painting” money. Go all white and rework that front landscaping. Then hang some colorful plants on the porch and add a porch swing. Black or soft green. Restore front door to wood or paint it to look wood. You will have no trouble selling this wonderful home.

Your home has exceptional Original trim. Highlight it.

The detail on your posts is wonderful and couldn't be seen until you posted a more recent photo. Trick them out. This is not getting "carried away", but rather, highlighting a fabulous feature, giving the home the WoW look.

All the Gable interiors need be a contrasting and darker color than siding and trim. They are recessed features and should not be painted white. Their trim and fascia are okay to be white, but not the recessed portion.

If you use BM Newburg Green, Split Pea would be a good choice for porch ceiling, and you could use this color on posts as well.

With BM Revere Pewter HC 172 as siding, you could use a blue/green and a red/orange/gold color as highlighting trim color. These highlighting colors would be used sparingly: post and bracket accents, top rail of balustrade, front door, window sill, porch floor, porch ceiling.

Not suggesting all these colors be used together, just that they're good colors to build off of.

BM Guilford Green

Oro de Marblehead HC-11

Saybrook Sage HC-114

Herrumbre 2175-30

Verde de Guilford HC-116

Photos are simply to show porch ceilings painted w/pizzaz.

@freedomplace1 I appreciate your comments. I do love a Tiffany blue for a door. No need to be unkind. I reply back as I get new information from others including a realtor in my area who I met with 2 days ago who said that white is a top seller for most homes but using the same color white is not recommended for Victorian homes. She recommended 3 colors but did not have any recommendations on what those colors are other than lighter would work best and white or an off-white trim.

As I talk to more people and get feedback, it really helps me learn about the history of my home and different colors. So I appreciate everyone's response. If anyone feels that they are wasting their time, I apologize, but I'm learning a lot from all of you. I believe there is an option to remove notifications from this post if anyone chooses.

In this time, you have to weed through the people who choose to be unkind. It is sad for sure. My only point is you want to keep "resale" in mind. If you plan to stay, then by all means, choose whatever color combo and "look" appeals to you. Just also know, half your buyers won't like it and will use it to "discount" their offer for the amount they perceive they would need to spend to "fix it". White becomes the blank slate they can imagine what they would do! Best of luck. You probably could sell it right now as is if the market is strong for this type home. btw, have you blown in insulation on those walls? 30% of heat loss is through the walls. Now would be the time, because they will put holes in the siding to do it. Do it before painting. It was such a great thing for us when we did it. We found out how they built in those days. The framing had true 2 x 4s from foundation up to roof line! Yes, no fire barriers at all! When we were blowing in insulation, it was coming out electrical outlets! But we survived and it made us much more aware of fire hazard. We had 4 young children and we were serious about fire drills, metal fold down ladders from windows on second and third floors, etc. Anyway, if you haven't blown in insulation, and the budget allows, I would do it before painting.

Could not disagree more with advice to paint it all white.

The more neutral the better. However, "neutral" doesn't have to mean colorless.

I would look into:

• Cream/beige - white trim with darker cream accents -brackets and scalloped shingles
• Celery green - light cream trim with dark cream accents - brackets and scalloped shingles
• Pale blue - with white trim and light cream accents OR 4 shades darker blue -brackets and scalloped shingles

Cream/beige:

Celery Green:

Pale Blue:

It is not my intention to be “unkind” - but it is my intention to be to the point.

And a ‘realtor’ who advises you not to paint your house white, but yet will give you no specifics about what color to paint your house - is probably not someone I would keep on my payroll.

Flo Mangan has been kind enough to lend her design expertise as well as her personal experience with selling a house similar to yours. And white is also her color recommendation to you.

And I will also tell you once again... white is the color for your house.

Other than that, you can run around the world getting various opinions, and you can continue with the crowd sourcing here. And you are, at this point, absolutely wasting your time.

Lovely home.

If you did white I would suggest a pow color for the front door. In real estate the front door is the first thing and the last thing you see. Most buyers go through a full day of viewing homes and if their last memory of your home is having a blue door, red door, yellow door etc. (interior and or exterior) it will stick in their memory. Later reference will be helpful as in "what did you think of the home with the blue door?"

I love an all white home but personally I think your home has trim work that needs to be shown off. White on white will not showcase your scalloped shingles, your carved corbels etc. I would do two shades off with a gray or taupe and do a green door. I would do the porch floor several times deeper than the siding color and I would do your porch ceiling in a Haint Blue.

Suggestions:

Some photos showing these colors on homes

"I don’t like all white on these houses- all white was a 1920’s fad that stuck. It derived from the beaux arts movement and the colonial revival movement. The Victorians like saturated colors because they could- this was the first era with man made pigments." What do you think of their statement?

Whether they like all white houses or not doesn't matter.

Fact is white houses sell better and that was your original question.

But I don't think that's you're goal. Because anyone who is painting to sell only cares about what it's going to take to get it sold. And any home stager will tell you that color strategies for a home selling vs. color strategies for a homeowner are two different things.

Selling color strategies are brutally simple, to the point, and most of all economical.

You're not ready to paint the house as a home seller.

You want to paint it as a home owner.

And that's where the conflict is coming from.

You need to pick a lane.

You're still too invested in your home owner color ideas. You care too much. And that doesn't align with home selling color strategies. Need to decide what's important.

More colors means more money. Painting that house anything but all white is going to be more expensive and you need to figure out how - and if - you'll get it back when it sells.

White! The house looks beautiful in white. I can envision a warm light gray for window trim to give you a little contrast. Something that relates to the roof. Too difficult to call out online. Any other color scheme will be polarized. The greens & creams start feeling too traditional. Blue is great but overused at this moment. White is truly timeless & if the buyer does not like they have a blank slate 🙂

I think Lori's color options above are a nice compromise. Enough to show off the beautiful details but still subtle enough to not be polarizing. IMO, homeowners looking in an historic district are not looking for cookie cutter houses, they're looking for houses that stand out.

Have you looked at similar homes in your area and what paint colors were used on them when they sold?

Maybe it would help if you researched what houses sold quickly in your area that are comparable to your house specs. Maybe by looking at those houses you might be able to determine what was the main color of the houses that sold the fastest. I know the trim and shutter colors are important too. But I think if you look at what victorians in your area sold the fastest and what the main color was for those houses that the color combinations used with the main color are very likely expected. Not sure how big you are on research but I love doing research on houses in my area!! Well, actually I just love doing any kind of research!!!

I totally agree with this statement made by Lori A. Sawaya " any home stager will tell you that color strategies for a home selling vs. color strategies for a homeowner are two different things." and they really are.

So true. I have staged so many homes for sale. Home owners have great difficulty letting go of what they want. My greatest example was a couple with a highend home that wasn’t selling. I had offered to stage it with them but they decided no. After 3 months on the market, I got a call. Our first conversation was me helping them “let go”! I completely rearranged their furniture. We spent no money just my fee and I gave them super low price. They got offer the first weekend back on market at their price. Guess what?! The offer was from a couple who toured the home when they first listed it. Their agent told my clients they thought it was a completely different house and just what they wanted! So it is all about removing personal owners look with the purpose of appealing to wide audience. Decide. Trust me people looking for this style home already have a good idea of what they want. I knew I wanted blue house with white trim before we started looking. Believe me, when we put an offer on our house it was in rough shape. Believe it or not, the original owner had died at 91 and hadn’t done much except keep basic things working. She willed house to a grandniece and grandson and they lived in Florida and just wanted it sold. Didn’t do a thing. I saw it and when we walked in front door and I saw all original gorgeous woodwork in original state, I looked at my hubby and he knew the search was over. In that state, there was already a standing offer to the local agent to buy it. We told our agent we just got married and were blending two families with 2 children each. We had to have this house. I don’t know exactly what he did but we got the house! I could tell you stories! Our kids later in life when they look at photos they said “you moved us into a haunted house!” Of course, when they each got their own rooms they loved it. They all have gone back to look at in when they are in town and always report back to me. I wonder if this house has captured your heart too?! 💗

I would paint two different whites, the trim a bright or neutral white and the siding a creamier white (make sure they work together, talk to a paint designer). I would add some color by painting the front porch a gray-blue and the front door a darker blue. Add some charcoal or black lighting and planters, and add a bit more landscaping along the front porch.

This house is a perfect example. I think it would appeal to most buyers without being boring to look at.

Here is your house in the colors that speak to you. I think Fieldstone is so light it is a neutral gray.

BM recommended a brown they call French Press that would be a good color option for the brackets. I would only paint the ones that are attached to roofing brown, not the one that are part of the post system. I think there are little belly bands on the posts that would look good painted green, brown or gray. I like the scallop detail in the gable peaks painted white. Love the color of the front door. Paint the storm windows white. Take off the front door storm.
BTW, you house is so charming, I am sure someone interested in Victorian style will snap it up.

@Lori A. Sawaya I couldn't have said it better myself. This is a house I've been planning to sell for years now but haven't yet. It is my childhood home and I grew up in it. Since the day I was born and left the hospital, this is the home I came home to and because of certain circumstances, this is the home I've been in ever since. And this is where the conflict is of selling the home fast vs. putting a bit more love into it with colors I like (but will also sell) because of the sentimental value. Thank you for understanding that and wording it so kindly.

I think I need to step back and revisit what I really want. Perhaps use colors I love and be would be proud of when selling rather than just making a quick sale. I've had offers to buy the house from people that would flip it it but would want to sell to someone that would love the home as much as I have. I also appreciate others empathy with my dilemma. ❤️

@Flo Mangan your story brought a much needed smile to my face. This home sounds lovely and it sounds like you do not live there anymore? Would you feel comfortable sharing a pic (understandable if not). I'm just curious what type of house makes someone immediately say "I have to have it!" :)

Lori A has a very excellent observation. Which hat are you wearing? Home owner or seller? And she is also correct...fancy trim work is big bucks. It’s time consuming and time is money unless you are doing it yourself.

If you are doing something you have always wanted to do...give the old girl a makeover...go for it. But that’s likely (based on above responses) NOT the same answer as the one to the question as “what will sell best?”

@lisach and I think most of us can understand and relate because we've all kind of been in the same situation.

Ah...I see we cross posted...sounds like you are becoming clearer about your focus. That will help a lot.

Aw. Glad I helped you smile! I have photos but taken before smart phone cameras. So the ones I have are real prints and stored in our storage unit. I always wanted to truly “restore” not “remuddle” a historical Home. At that time, we needed 6 bedrooms! And after my hubby’s expensive custody battle to say money was tight is not even close. But when I looked at this house all my creative juices ran wild. And when we went inside and the front staircase was carved mahogany untouched by paint and the house had 7 bedrooms it was over. When I look back, man we were crazy! But it worked and we raised our family there making marvelous memories. Took 10 years to implement my grand plan. After that, the kitchen needed redoing and hubby got big promotion and off we went to Atlanta, GA.

Flo...living the dream...I always wanted to do that. Must have been tough to part with it.

I love big old houses...and Victorian in particular...there are some small Maine towns with stunning colonial and Greek revival architecture you wouldn't believe. Less so, here in NS, but you can see some examples.

So I vote for living your dream; paint her with love, if your budget allows it. It's your goodby gift, and a celebration of the years there.

After some thought and soul searching this evening, I decided to paint a color that I love while also showing respect for the Victorian style (and will fit in with the neighborhood). I love how you worded it @liasch "goodbye gift" to the home. I need to rethink my strategy but I will say that I've learned a lot about color, architecture, and most importantly exploring the creativity that you all shared with me.

Where should I go from here? Should I create a new post? Should I include all the house colors around me? When looking for a professional designer for services, what are some questions I should ask so I know I won't get scammed or be disappointed?

Thank you everyone who contributed to this discussion. I've learned a lot here!

Yep, just as I thought! You are smitten! Lol. You don’t need new thread. Just keep us posted on your progress! We are “vested”!

Send her off with love. Paint her a beautiful color (or colors) and someone else will love it. We are focusing on the outside, but know that having a neutral, clean, uncluttered inside is just as critical, if not more. I agree white is a “main selling” color, but not necessarily for a Victorian like yours. I love the beige and white examples since they are neutral but classic. You obviously love your house, so give her a nice “make up job” before her big photo shoot.

Thank you to all you wonderful people! It seems like this thread got off-topic because of my indecisiveness and the subject no longer applies to me. I decided to create a new thread if you want to follow this new path of selecting colors and showing this house some love rather than a quick sale. I've created it here if you would like to follow: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5961258/exterior-paint-for-1916-victorian-folk-style-house-in-ma-updated

Thank you again for your help and making me realize what was important to me! Much love to all!

@User thank you for posting these beautiful pictures. I hadn't thought of it but like your suggestions for the white trim and light cream accents. Do you know where I could find colors for the two images you posted, particularly:

• Celery green - light cream trim with dark cream accents - brackets and scalloped shingles
• Pale blue - with white trim and light cream accents

Unfortunately I don't but was just trying to find great examples of the colors I had in mind. So sorry! Hope it offers some helpful direction though.

White....! You can never go wrong. And for a statement-making front door, paint them a glossy black - not matte. Try Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black in a high gloss finish or Black Magic in high gloss by Sherwin Williams, or Soot by Benjamin Moore in high gloss. When trying to sell a house you need to stand out but not stick out - if that makes sense :) Front doors sell a home, more than we know. One says that from the perspective of being an Interior Designer (for 12 years ) and a Real Estate Investor (for 3 years). Good Luck with everything.

Tori

TOTI BLACK HOMES

Go white but a pale green on trim like corbels and other detail. You can pair it with eggplant front door and use both green and eggplant on porch. Paint ceiling of porch Haute blue/green for your geographical area.

Personally, I will be checking in to see what you decide. If you start a new thread make sure you let us know what it is called...because as Flo says, we are now vested!

@liasch she did, just a couple of posts above. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5961258/exterior-paint-for-1916-victorian-folk-style-house-in-ma-updated