Exterior paint scheme and curb-appeal questions
We plan to replace the original windows in our late-60s midwestern, north-facing ranch home this summer. However, my questions mostly are related to an exterior paint scheme and having a game plan for that before picking out replacement windows so that we know what colors to pick with window trim. Reason for doing windows before painting exterior is that the windows really need to be replaced compared to the painting which we could probably hold off on for a year or two if we needed to be conservative with our budget.
We are open to painting the brick and figured we would have to do so, since it's been somewhat challenging finding colors that work with it. We painted our living room brick fireplace with SW Anonymous. It looks great, but not sure how it might look outside. Open to whatever ideas, including front porch/yard landscaping, updating the porch columns, etc.
Thank you in advance!
Comments (11)
PROCelery. Visualization, Rendering images
3 years agoSome visual how it would look. It would look lighter than in room and blah.
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Comments (11)I like your house the way it is. I do feel the large shrubs on the right side look squatty and the squared off ones by the step don't look natural. I really like the yuccas or whatever they are on the left side under the tree. They add texture. I would add something else to the other side, hosta or small rhodo and evergreen planting. Add larger lights by the door and move the too small flowers. Maybe flower boxes below the two upper end windows could reflect a front door color. Betty...See MoreNeed help with curb appeal - exterior paint ideas
Comments (27)Practigal - We are in San Diego. Water is at a premium and I have a ton of grass. I'm ok with the water bill but it is tough to keep green watering 2 days a week. BTW - I really like the covered entry also. Most examples in the neighborhood no longer exist because they either removed it to pop out the corner or they hit the brace with their car and had to remove it. Justerrilynn - I did mean the front door. Our neighborhood has quite a few examples of our similar home. One neighbor has the door right where you have it. Here are a few examples. Hope they don't mind me posting streetview photos. These are all homes built by the same designer in the 50's. The above home was the same as ours, flipped. I love the huge porch but, in person, the thing that really makes it look nice is the roof - heavy tile. Above are my across the street neighbors. House on the left is exactly like ours, just flipped. Both houses had the inset door and popped them out many years ago....See MoreDesign Dilemma- update exterior colour scheme for curb appeal
Comments (11)If the goal is to upgrade the curb appeal, I would look to landscaping because your house colours are mostly working as is. That said, you're showing the Gentek samples which I'm assuming are for the soffit. The soffit doesn't actually show so I'm not sure why you're starting there. They help bounce light into your windows, so going with the lightest colour that goes with your lightest bricks (NOT white) would be a direction for the soffits. The door and siding are an entirely different matter. The brown that you have now on the siding goes perfectly with the darkest brown bricks. Just refresh it. The thing that looks out of place is the overly white vinyl windows and door. I'm guessing the windows can not be painted so that leaves the door . (If the windows could be painted, a beige colour that tied back into the brick would be the idea. ) The front door could/should be a different colour than the siding. The natural wood tone suggested by Freedomplace1 would work with your brick if you changed the door, but probably not as a paint colour. What were you thinking for the door?...See MoreLooking for advise re exterior paint, curb appeal, landscaping
Comments (10)Here's a visual of dark blue-gray siding and white trim, so you can see what you think before you paint. I left the black shutters and painted the garage doors dark to keep the eye focused on the entry and not the garage. (Someone better at color will have to suggest a good "pop" color for the front door.) To me, the third porch column narrows the entryway too much, so I removed it (assuming it's not structural), widened the walk and steps, and added a black iron railing. The large blank gable seemed to need something, so I added a diamond-shaped gable vent there. I would prune the tall evergreen on the right corner to reduce its height and replace the yellow-green shrubs with softer, more relaxed plantings. These are catmint 'Walkers Low' edged with sweet alyssum near the porch, catmint 'Cat's Pajamas' left of the driveway, and ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' (plus a stepping-stone connector) in the strips between driveway and entry walk and sidewalk and street. These are all easy-care, and the ajuga won't mind getting stepped on occasionally. (The ajuga flowers in spring, catmint in summer, not at the same time as shown here.)...See More
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3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago
PROLisa Caudill Designs
3 years agoI would leave the brick but for your siding go with some of the neutrals from these coordinating colors and wooden garage doors and either a wooden door or one in one of the non neutrals that coordinate.
houssaon
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoHow about bronze for the windows and a dark brown for the post? Horizon Gray would look good on the siding. I would not paint the brick.
PRORoot Beer
3 years agoThis isn't my area of expertise, so I am certainly taking your word on this, but I was surprised that everyone here feels that painting the brick would devalue the home. I see painted brick homes everywhere and (to me) they look so nice. This brick style has drove us nuts since moving in a few years ago. Alone, it's not so bad, but it's nearly driven me to tears trying to come up with paint colors that coordinate with it. *sigh*
I tried to do something myself in these photos. Excuse the sloppiness. The porch columns are an orange tint to represent a natural wood color (cedar?). Also, this is from the home listing when we bought it, so I just realized it still has the red mulch which we have since replaced with dark brown mulch. The colors I used: SW Anonymous/SW Urban Bronze (top) and SW Shoji White/SW Urban Bronze (bottom). What do you think...am I totally off base?
chloebud
3 years ago- PRO
Lisa Caudill Designs
3 years agoGreat job on the renderings!
If you really dislike the brick, then by all means, yes paint! It's about making it your house and what makes you happy.
You will have some more maintenance with the painted brick, just fyi.
A few additional options with both of this colors for you:
A german smear would look great on the brick if you go with the shoji white
If you do the urban bronze, maybe do a "wash" on the brick so you get the full texture of the brick, with the change in color. You can test it out and see how you like it before you paint, just some water to the paint is all it takes, but can give more details if needed.
Add in more cedar accents. Maybe cedar on the gable over the 2 windows, either with shingles, or gable accents. If you do shutters, just make sure they are the right size for the window, so each one should be as tall as the window and half the size so if you were truly to use them and they were closed they covered the window.
I think the idea of updating your posts or surrounding them with cedar post surrounds to make them a little more substantial would look great.
A wood door and garage door would also make great accents.
Large black light by the front door and on each side of the garage as well.
Hope this helps.
PROArslonga
3 years ago
Do not paint brick if you don't want additional headache in future. Besides, it's not brick which bothers you. It's the red roof from 80-s. But even so, your house might look very nice if you paint the siding with the right colour. Plus landscaping for sure.
Patricia Colwell Consulting