Hi Funcolors, I enjoy reading your very informative posts. I need your advice please. I am in total agreement about glossiness accentuating imperfections but here is my dilema. I want my exterior paint job to hold up as long as possible and people keep telling me semi gloss and high gloss will hold up longer then flatter finish, AND will not stay so glossy for long so could it be if we sacrifice seeing the imperfections then later on we will graduate to a satin in time and get far more longevity as well? I saw a man's house done with a fancy european paint in red with green trim, high gloss, not everyone's cup of tea, but for his house it was stunning! He says he paints every year to keep up the gloss as it does diminish. As you say every flaw sticks out but all in all with his architecture and plantings it is lovely. I on the other hand have a colonial revival 1910 house not all that old and want a slightly off white base coat with bright white trim. I live in CT zone 6, everyone here is advocating SW duration for longevity. My painter says it will cost a lot more money for the application of an oil primer rather then these self priming paints. I am willing to spend more if I get more time with the paint job and am seeking your experience for longest lasting exterior with best color to go along with this criteria. Do you also have a good blue color for porch ceiling? Thanks so much for all your input!

Yes @alisonmd can you please share some pictures and what stain you decided to use for your Douglas fir? Thank u!

hey lester: I missed your post. Yes indeed he removed all of the old crumbling mortar back to the sound stuff. He has repointed almost half as of this AM with a type of mortar to prevent any damage to the old brick. I will then seal it. He has done this kind of restoration work for almost 20 years and I have seen how perfect the brick still looks so I am excited to get mine taken care of. fc: I feel the same way. I just sent you an email about the color. prill. About 2 months. It depends on a lot of things. The first part to Maine will be done by late June. If the one guy and gal in our group of 9 want to go on as they have indicated then I will be gone till mid July. Just have to play it by ear. We ride approx 50 miles a day and take off one day a week , Of course stuff happens. LOL. Some of it good and some not so much. We did the 3300 mi from St A to San Diego last yr in 62 days. This is only 2600 mi and then if I add on more. I met so many wonderful people last year. I sent weekly updates to the Conversation side. They have all fallen off though. it was fun to get all the responses. I wish I had printed them out. oceanna: Good to hear from you !!! It will be gorgeous. Now I will HAVE to do something about new cushions for the furniture too...sigh. Always something. Yes the bike ride will be great. We camp the whole way. Thanks for the compliments...I have my good days :) c

First off, I love your home and the entry is stunning and is the focal point. IMO the robin's egg blue ceiling is for a more casual home and yours is quite formal. If it were me I would stay with the natural wood or white, either would be fabulous. New homes don't compare to these older homes. How old is your house if you don't mind me asking? .....Jane