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multiplemama09

Our house needs a pop! Exterior paint color help!

multiplemama09
2 years ago

Hello! The exterior of our house and trim are very similar (off-white), offering no contrast. Our house sits on a hill and we would like it to "pop" a bit more from the street. We plan to change all the exterior paint, including the trim (except the actual windows will remain beige as they were just replaced). The shutters, window boxes, garage doors, doors will also change so I'm looking for suggestions for all of it. The front of the house faces south, so gets a lot of afternoon sun. We live in Northern Virginia, outside of Washington, DC. Considering BM Storm Cloud, Caldwell Green, Copley Gray. Open to others and bold colors too; just don't want to regret in a few years. Thanks for any input you can provide!

Comments (46)

  • apple_pie_order
    2 years ago

    All three colors listed are dark and gloomy. If you want the house to "pop" from the street, choose brighter colors that will contrast with the surroundings, not blend in.

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thanks! Any suggestions.....blue, red, darker green?

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  • PRO
    HALLETT & Co.
    2 years ago

    I would take this time to remove the window boxes that no human could ever maintain, as well as remove the two lone sets of shutters. If the windows are cream I would keep all the trim cream...

  • Anna (6B/7A in MD)
    2 years ago

    Are you replacing the garage doors or painting?

  • Anna (6B/7A in MD)
    2 years ago


    You could paint it a sage green, keep the trim cream and do a pretty blue for the door. (This is my favorite house by the way).


    multiplemama09 thanked Anna (6B/7A in MD)
  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    We actually use the window boxes in Spring and Summer so we will keep those! The garage doors will most likely be replaced.


  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Love the sage house! Do you know the exact paint? Would you keep the window boxes and shutters cream, or do a dark blue or darker green?


  • PRO
    BeverlyFLADeziner
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I would select a very white trim paint but I'd consider adding some details so that some of the gables could be white instead of the house base color. The shutters are sized too small.





    multiplemama09 thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
  • decoenthusiaste
    2 years ago

    Just a few more colors that would work with your new windows and creamy trim.

    Exteriors · More Info


    Mead Farm · More Info


    Arts and Crafts Style Custom Home · More Info


    Heritage Kitchen · More Info


    multiplemama09 thanked decoenthusiaste
  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Really like #1 and #4 (heritage kitchen). We have both a yellow and a dark green house across the street. Do you happen to know the paint color of the #1 (sage?) and #4?


  • Anna (6B/7A in MD)
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    The sage above from deco's post is Heathered Moss, James Hardie siding.

    The sage green from my post is Saybrook Sage.

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thank you, Anna. If we went with a sage, what color would you do the window boxes, shutters, garage doors? I'm guessing we would do cream trim?

  • loobab
    2 years ago

    I like your house as it is.

    I do think houses are enhanced by window boxes, but Hallett is correct, you'd need orangutan arms to reach yours.

    If you are willing to maintain window boxes, then have yours raised closer to the windows so you can reach them. You could also do some nice landscaping in front of your house too, that would enhance it.

    multiplemama09 thanked loobab
  • jck910
    2 years ago

    Please tell me how you use the window boxes in spring and summer. Do you have a picture? How do you take care of them? I have window boxes that I struggle with.

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    We have plastic inserts that I got at HomeDepot. We do the planting outside in the inserts and carry them up to the actual boxes to load. The boxes are easy to reach out of our windows and that's how we water them (I wouldn't let kids water, but for adults it's fine!). They definitely require work and maintenance, but they look great. We do geraniums, spikes and ivy....the ivy grows so long it goes down the side of the house. Good luck!

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago


    I really like this look.... but not sure how to pull it off with our house?

  • User
    2 years ago

    Normally I love garage doors in something other than white, but yours just blend in with the drive too much. If windows are staying beige, I would color match them for the trim. Using your inspiration photo, I would do the gable above the front door and garage the lighter color, and the rest of the house the darker color. Could you do a wood carriage style garage door?

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    I like the idea of a wood carriage garage door., thx! Would you match the boxes and shutters to the garage?

  • PRO
  • PRO
    Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
    2 years ago

    I think this option would be really pop-up :-))




  • User
    2 years ago

    I love that last option from @Celery. Visualization, Rendering images.


    but if you want to keep the window boxes, I would put them closer under the windows, stain them to match the garage door, and either get matching stained wood shutters, or just do a black.

    multiplemama09 thanked User
  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thank you! It definitely pops....just not sure on the colors.

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    @Celery. Visualization, Rendering images. how do you think a navy blue, or dark/deep red would look?

  • PRO
    Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
    2 years ago

    I like navy blue. I think it would work even better. I just show what you wanted in your inspiration pic.

  • Anna (6B/7A in MD)
    2 years ago

    I would remove the shutters completely. The window box should blend with the trim or siding, whichever makes more sense.


    Just to show you what the garage could look like, I‘m attaching a picture of our house: sage green with cream trim and a wood-look garage door.


    Another idea is to have the garage door match the siding to make it less prominent; the reasoning is that you want the entrance to be the focal point. If your entrance is fairly notable, then you may be able to pull off a wood-look garage door.



    And I really like blue for your house.

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thanks,

    Anna! Your sage looks great. I also agree with the prominence of the garage doors, definitely don’t want them to be the focus. Do either of you have suggestions for blue/navy colors, or what to do with trim and

    accents? I am worried it could be too dark/heavy?

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Love this one... is it too bright for

    my house and cream trim?


  • Anna (6B/7A in MD)
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I really love that blue. I don't think it's too bright for your house but it may be a bit too dark. I think it's very appealing on this home because there is a larger surface area of the light trim to counteract the dark blue and the roof is brown. (Also, the flowers are blooming, the grass is very green, it's all quite picturesque.) On your house, there are not such large areas of cream trim. However, you may consider painting the garage doors your trim color if you're keeping the garage doors. And your roof does not appear to be a major player.

    I'd start by going to SW, BM or Pratt and Lambert and getting samples. The paint chip samples in the stores are highly accurate, screens are not. What looks good on a computer screen does not necessarily look good on your house. Paint LARGE samples on a firm substrate such as a foam posterboard (2 or 3 coats of paint please if looking at dark colors) and then move them around the house and look at them at various times of day as well as sunny, cloudy, rainy days. This is a big decision and you should take your time.

    Maybe look at more medium blues? Don't know how this color, Night Train by BM, would look IRL but on the screen it's pretty, LOL.



    This is SW Outerspace, it reads a grey-blue here:



    I thought this was very pretty, Bella Blue by BM

    https://www.interiorsbycolor.com/benjamin-moore-bella-blue/

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thanks, Anna. I was worried about it being too dark as well. I want the house to pop, but want it also to look light and bright, if that makes sense. We have painted a few samples and like BM Storm Cloud and Caldwell green, but not sure if either of those are "the" color, or if we try to use both.

    Also, I'm curious as to why you recommend removing the shutters? I see a few people have suggested that; we never thought to!

  • lkloes
    2 years ago

    Please leave your shutters; they look great on your house! Have you considered painting your Adirondack chairs the same accent color as whatever you decide for your front door, window boxes, and shutters? I would paint the trim the same creamy color as the windows and paint all of the siding and the garage doors the same medium dark color (blue, sage, taupe, whatever you like) for a dramatic impact.

    multiplemama09 thanked lkloes
  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Interesting idea on the chairs! Thank you for your thoughts on the shutters too. Any suggestions for the siding color? We are struggling to find the "right" medium dark color and open to any, and all, recommendations!


  • lkloes
    2 years ago

    A medium to dark blue would look great, as would a dark sage green as suggested above. If you go blue, lean toward something with a slate/grey undertone and stay away from anything that reads purple! You could use some shade of red/burgundy as your accent and plant flowers in those colors in your flower boxes. Your home is really beautiful!

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thank you so much for the nice comments and suggestions. We typically do red geraniums in the boxes and front planters. Agree they add great color! Can you think of any blues or sages off-hand that would work? Another poster suggested say brook sage which looks lovely, but I think it's lighter although could work. What do you think of BM Caldwell Green? We have a sample of that and it's a nice color. We've also sampled Storm Cloud which is lighter but pretty. We were originally looking at Copley Grey but I don't think that has enough color. I definitely don't want purple, so would be curious as to some blue/slate/sage suggestions!

  • Anna (6B/7A in MD)
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Shutters should be half the width of the window to indicate they are functional or pretend to be (the actual shutter hardware adds authenticity). If you did want to keep them, explore a different size.

    https://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/residential-architecture-101-shutters/

  • Anna (6B/7A in MD)
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Caldwell Green looks to be a pretty color. But what matters is what YOU think.

    This poster used Knoxville Gray on their siding I believe, it reads green-gray and looks lovely with the trim.

    https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5753311/exterior-paint-help-1925-bungalow

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    The Knoxville Gray is quite nice; it looks similar to Caldwell. We actually sampled Brewster gray (same family as Knoxville) and liked it, but felt it was too light/baby blue. Knoxville appears to look more green. If we went that route, what accent color would you use for window boxes and shutters? I would keep the cream trim and paint the garage the same as the siding I think.

  • lkloes
    2 years ago

    Just looked up Caldwell Green. Love it! You could paint the front door, shutters and chairs a red burgundy color. It would look nice with your cream trim, too! I’m not sure if they are available in your area, but they now have some zonal geraniums that are more of a burgundy red as opposed to the traditional, orangey red that’s widely available. What a way to tie everything together. Good luck!

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Funny you mention red! I was initially thinking of doing the entire house red, with the green shutters/boxes, but decided that was too dark/bold. Flipping it could work!

  • parker_31
    2 years ago






    multiplemama09 thanked parker_31
  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thanks, Parker_31. What colors are those?

  • PRO
    Flo Mangan
    2 years ago

    I like this rendering celery did for you. I would add interest with large Boulder and pines in front yard too.

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thank you, Flo. I didn't include in my original posting, but we have boulders and a large stone retaining wall, with steps and landscaping, at the bottom of the hill/property!

  • parker_31
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    @multiplemama09 Hi! Sorry, I didn't use any specific paint swatch/color. Hindsight... should've. ;) I was just playing around with color in Photoshop. Here are some color palettes with the hex numbers in case that helps. Could probably match it up with a real paint color.

    I didn't touch your trim color -- I just altered the siding and door/garage doors.

    Muted sage green, very muted dark blue - almost an off-black, your cream/beige trim, stained wood door.


    Slate gray with blue undertone, dark dark navy, your cream/beige trim.



    OH! I also gave you wider shutters that are to scale for your windows. :)

  • multiplemama09
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thanks for the additional information. After seeing the darker colors that posters were kind enough to mock-up for us, I think we are leaning towards a lighter color. Perhaps something just a bit darker than what we have now, but gives a little contrast to the cream trim. Open to suggestions on that, as well as colors for the shutters/boxes that give a pretty contrast.


    Also curious about everyone's posts on the shutters. I'm almost positive they are to scale for the windows...if they are closed, they would cover? I may be missing something though!

  • parker_31
    2 years ago

    @multiplemama09 If you're following shutter rules (and not everyone does), if yours were shut, they do not cover the whole window. Just a bit too narrow!


    Here's a visual -- copied your existing shutters and "closed them." Hope that helps!