Exterior Paint Stucco Help!

last year

Looking for advice on exterior paint colors. We are renovating a 1950s rental house and painting the exterior which consists of wood on the lower and gabled sides, with stucco in the middle, and exposed concrete around the basement. I'm really not a fan of the stucco look, especially a high contrast dark wood with light stucco, which my painter suggests I do.

I'm trying to decide between painting the whole house one darker color such as BM wrought iron with white trim, or do a low contrast with wrought iron on the wood, concrete and trim, and hale navy/polo blue on the stucco. The roof shingles are currently brown, and the downspouts and soffit will remain white.

Any thoughts/suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

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Comments (16)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
We need pics and the easy way is to post them in a comment on this post.
PRO
The educated design
last year
Without photos, your first option of the bm wrought iron sounds good. I love a good contrast and being bold!
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Elisa Cannon
Original Author
last year
Some pictures. Sorry miserable day, lighting isn't great. Board is painted with wrought iron and hale navy.
PRO
The educated design
last year
What if you painted the whole house navy and did the trim white? My neighbor did that and it looks fantastic! You could redo your railing and post with wood and do a clear sealer/stain on it. I’ll look for pics
PRO
The educated design
last year
Navy house, white trim, wood accents!
Elisa Cannon
Original Author
last year
Love the whole navy look but the neighbors next door already did that exactly and I think it'd be weird having two houses the same! Thanks for taking the time though!
elcieg
last year
I'd do stucco and shingles the same color. The difference in texture will be interesting.
chloebud
last year
Great examples from Judianna using same color. Would you consider a similar shade of gray with white trim.

Or, maybe a gray/green with white trim and navy door?
btydrvn
last year
On a tiny house I see no advantage in painting it a dark color if it is avoidable…in any case adding a little wider trims and removing the huge bush would be worthwhile ..steam cleaning the steps ..(even the walkway)to paint steps to match the house…and the railings … to match the trim… if cost is important having the whole house painted the same color is an ok option.. in a lighter color..more cheery and inviting
PRO
Beth H. :
last year
last modified: last year
I did Wrought Iron and Swiss Coffee on mine

here's a dark stucco and gable w/a brown roof. looks good w/the dark stone work and wood

You could reverse them if you want a darker stucco. as you can see, natural wood really looks good w/the two colors.

similar siding and stucco but done w/ browns. the wood accent is nice

I hope you plan on trimming the shrubs and replacing the handrails on the steps (liability). replace that iron post w/a cedar post. better support and would look nicer.

see how this after shot is done? something like this

not exactly the same, but you can see how they did it here. (don't go this thick though)

while youre at it, paint the steps too. maybe a new door.

if you ever have to redo those steps, extend the porch over to the left to gain more space under that left window. would look great.

something like this
Elisa Cannon
Original Author
last year
Thank you all for the pictures and suggestions. Yes we're planning on trimming the bushes and changing the post so could do a wood accent. It is a rental house so we don't want to get too crazy on costs. Could you tell me what paint colors you think are used in the pictures? Thanks again!
PRO
lisedv
last year
Here is your rental house in Hale Navy with white trim. If you have the budget, you can replace the railing with a simple wood one painted white and install white shutters, clean the porch and walkway, remove or trim the large bush that hides the house, and add some simple landscaping such as easy maintenance perennials or small flowering bushes.
PRO
Beth H. :
last year
last modified: last year
which one? I can't guess on all of them.

I showed you what swiss coffee (Behr) looks like.

BM Simply White would be a close match to that.

on the dark charcoal colors, Wrought Iron, or some of these

for my home I used the bottom 3 colors (but used Behr on the white)

These are warmer grays that will look good w/brown.
Elisa Cannon
Original Author
last year
Great thanks so much Beth! Can I ask what you would pick/do if it was your house? I am painting the inside Swiss Coffee from BM with a warm wood color scheme if that helps? Thanks again!
PRO
Beth H. :
last year
last modified: last year
I like the dark and light. either dark siding, light stucco, or vice versa.

I'd also do something w/the steps and railing. (that is a must for liability)

cedar post or white vinyl post instead of the iron scroll.

maybe spruce up the landscaping and walkway.

want to see our rental? (Swiss coffe and black)

Here's the before shot. Which house would you pay more for to rent?

All the work on the back balcony we did ourselves.

most of these fixes can be done yourselves on a budget. Besides, everything you do to this is a write off, so at least you can deduct it.
Elisa Cannon
Original Author
last year
Looks great! Definitely would pay more for the updated one :) this our second rental and we do all the work ourselves but I always struggle with picking paint colors! Those undertones always get me! Thanks for all the advice I really appreciate it!