Help with exterior colors for Cape Cod update!

last year

last modified: last year

We have renovated the interior of our house and are now working on the exterior updates! I know it is never going to be super contemporary, but I would like it to look a little more current/updated. I thought I liked the dark blue-grays, but now I am not so sure. I have been trying the grays and greiges and might be leaning that way, but I am open to suggestions! We are going to put a new roof on it, probably metal galvanized (silvery). We can't change the windows, but are going to update the lights and are open to other smaller changes (shutters?). Thanks for any and all suggestions!

Here are the details -

- Lots of direct afternoon sun, so I think I want to stay away from dark colors because of fading

- Not white, even though I like it, there are so many white capes in our neighborhood

- I tried Hale Navy and then Evening Dove (both too dark). Then I tried Evening Dove at 50% strength and I think it looks purple

- Right now I am thinking of trying Cape May Cobblestone and Storm

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Comments (16)

Jilly
last year
Sweet house!

Just wanted to share some nice grays, and a designer’s commentary about them:

https://www.kellybernierdesigns.com/posts/exterior-grays
elizabeth f thanked Jilly
chloebud
last year
Such a cute house! Great colors choices from Jinx!
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cat_ky
last year
Love the BM storm color on one of Jinx pictures.
chloebud
last year
Yes, the Storm is nice and also Sandy Hook Gray.
Jilly
last year
I wish I knew what this greige is. And the front door! Love that tone of orange.

It’s on Maria Killam’s page, but colors aren’t listed (she may have taken the photo while out and about somewhere).
elizabeth f
Original Author
last year
@Jilly thanks for the article! The color I have been leaning towards, Secret, is right between the Amherst Gray and Storm, maybe that will be the first one I try.

And I totally want to do a fun colored door
houssaon
last year
I painted my dining room Storm. It is a great color. It would look so good with a rust orange door or even a deep yellow and white trim. After you paint, focus on landscaping. You need nothing else. You have a classic charming home. Good luck.

This is another great combination! It would look great on your house.
PRO
lisedv
last year
last modified: last year
How about this combination?

I show a wood front door and wood deck planks and steps. For more interest, you can extend the porch across the house and install a railing or not, doesn't look like it would be too far off the ground especially if you do a flowerbed along the porch.
elizabeth f thanked lisedv
elizabeth f
Original Author
last year
@lisedv I love that! I am running to pick my kids up from school but am going to show that to my husband tonight!

Thank you all for such great ideas!
chloebud
last year
@elizabeth f, the siding color (Aged Pewter) in this link is from James Hardie so not much help. I just thought it looked so nice with the crisp white trim. Somewhat similar to lisedv's example with Cape May Cobblestone and Cloud White.

https://sanctuaryhomedecor.com/how-window-shutters-and-planter-boxes-transformed-the-exterior-of-my-house/
elizabeth f
Original Author
last year
@lisedv Did you make the choice to do all the side trim and trim around the windows as cape may? By default, I would have just painted it the trim color but I think I really like the more monochromatic and just doing the door and porch trim and the top of the dormer trim.
btydrvn
last year
I think smaller homes like this are made for pastels…pale blue ..dusty rose…celery…gray is too serious…and more appropriate for the bigger…more ornate homes
PRO
lisedv
last year
Elizabeth, the whole body of the house including dormers and corner trim is in Cape May (grey) and all trim around widows and door is in Cloud White.

The colour proposed by chloebud is also nice:
PRO
lisedv
last year
Elizabeth, after my comment above (my choice to have the trim around the windows and door in Cloud White), I've been looking at a few houses similar to yours and they all seem to have the trim around the windows either darker or lighter depending on body colour. That's what makes the windows stand out, it's like wearing make-up and jewlery to complement your outfit!
Jennifer Hogan
last year
I love when the exterior of a home acts as an introduction to the interior. If I were selecting the colors from the picture posted by @Jilly from Maria Killam's website I would want to walk into a home with fall colors, not a home that was decorated with coastal colors.

I am painting the exterior of my front door a deep red. When you open the door you walk into a foyer with purple red and green slate. The red door will match the red in the flooring. Red is an accent color that is used throughout my home. You may also notice that the pink brick wall (back of living room fireplace wall is the same brick as my home.

The plants that I chose for the front garden include a red dwarf maple, silver coral bells (purple and green leaves, pink flowers, and blue pacific juniper, pulling in some blue greens, deep reds and purple tones.
Jilly
last year
Jennifer, love love love that tile!