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Paint Home Decorating Design Dilemma

Paint and window trim colors with white vinyl windows.

2 years ago

We just bought a fixer-upper 1920s foursquare which has white vinyl replacement windows. I had originally planned on painting the house a warm white, like SW Westhighland White or BM Simply White, but they both read very yellow near the stark white of the windows. Any suggestions of white paint colors that read a little ”cooler”? And I’m stuck on trim paint as well. More white? Black? Griege? Can anyone help? Painters and my husband are pushing for a choice.

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Comments (5)

cat_ky
2 years ago
You might take a look at Benjamin Moore Chantilly lace and see if that will work for you. Its a nice white. Or take a look at SW Extra white, at least for the trim. It should come close to your new white windows.
kandrewspa
2 years ago
If you post a picture of the front of your house some commenters will photoshop different options for you. The BM and SW websites also let you try colors on a picture you upload. If you're into Modern Farmhouse you would do black trim and white body. I don't know how black trim would look with white vinyl windows, however. Usually the MF look is done with black windows. Let the commenters know what style you're hoping to achieve when you post a picture.
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Did you mean BM white dove?? I am not sure I know the color white down, but if it IS White Dove. I think the difference will be insignificant if you use it but will have a warmer look depending on the lighting. I have White dove everywhere and my kitchen cabinets, in fact, are a stark white. I would never try to match the white, IMO I would always go a bit creamier or softer. I tell people that white dove is like a white with the 'bite' taken out of it and does not look yellow to me at all, just soft. In my darkest rooms, however, it does look a little more to the putty gray side in certain lights, nonetheless, still a white.Good luck
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JudyG Designs, I had planned on adding trim around the windows but now, after looking at that picture again, I may not. The first row of siding is actually a PVC starter board so it'd have to be notched to put trim below all the horizontal sliders. And there isn't a lot of room around the bay windows for trim. I guess I'm indifferent on the trim. What's your opinion?
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@btydrvn thanks for your thoughts here - wrt the posts -- the dirt level will be higher than it is now --i.e. right now dirt slopes down to the house so there will be at least a little more dirt covering the posts. I hadn't though of covering the exposed cement at the base of the post though .. A raised deck is a possibility but I liked the idea of having a patio that was level and continuous with the rest of the yard.... in which case, I guess I live with having it look a bit unfinished with that cement showing? maybe some flower pots around? Other ideas?
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Comments (3)
Can you post a picture of the window? I think you are saying that the actual window must remain white (unpainted) but you want to do the wood trim around the window a color, such as the picture at the link. Is that correct? Knowing how much of the window will contrast with the trim will help determine if this will look odd or not. If the window has very narrow stiles and rails and no mullions, it might not look bad but I don't know until I see the window. I'm thinking "no" on this but keeping an open mind. :-)
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Debbie Downer
2 years ago
Are you referring to trim around the windows? Do you still have original wide solid wood trim? Just match the white of the vinyl - if you can take a sash to the paint shop that will help them get you as close a match as possible. Whites are all maddeningly different - hard for us to recommend anything. Keeping trim same as window sash helps the new vinyl blend in and be less noticeable... Then get a slightly darker, richer white for the walls (if that's what you want)
Mary Elizabeth
2 years ago
Are you painting the exterior or the interior? Or are asking about both?
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
2 years ago
I’m with Debbie downer (cute name) match the vinyl for all the trim, then the body can be anything from a slightly off white to a color. Post photos when you can.

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