skip to main content

Paint Design Dilemma Exterior

Exterior Paint on House w/ Brown Metal Roof + Brick in Wooded Area

last year

I am looking for thoughts/advice/feedback on what I should consider for exterior paint colors. I was not equipped with the skill of being able to envision how something will look without actually seeing it in the flesh, as you can see by the multiple paint samples in the pictures.

About the house:

We live in the Pacific Northwest on a few heavily wooded acres. Our house faces west and sits at a lower elevation. Roof is metal brown and cannot change. Windows are white and will not change. There is red/white brick on the left bottom of the house. We are replacing the front door and garage doors as well this summer - they will not be as dark a wood as they are now.

Color Considerations:

White is probably not realistic option as it tends to get very dusty in the summer and very muddy in the winters. I personally really dislike the cream color it is now.

I'm struggling to even decide on a color choice - green might blend in too much with the surroundings, gray seems very trendy but I don't know if it will make the house seem darker than it already is, blues seems like a good way to go but I don't even know where to start.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (14)

housegal200
last year
Green would look good for your siding and add a bright door. Do remove the shutters for a more open look. Consider extending your very nice garden bed to the left with light, reddish mulching. This would echo your roof and give you a lovely view all across the front of the house.

Brier cottage · More Info

This house doesn't have a brown roof, but the very light sage with the cedar touches, beautiful walkway, and garden beds with light mulch makes the house stand out from the trees just enough.
Gracious front porch · More Info
ffpalms
last year
I also think your house would look beautifully nestled into your woody landscape if it were painted green. It’s difficult to make out the color of your brick. Could you post a closer pic of that section?
Related Discussions
Spruce up Exterior on a Yellow/Tan and Brown Brick House!
Q
Comments (8)
You haven’t said anything about budget. Change out the siding color starting from the colors in your brick. I would want something somewhat darker than the current color. I can’t see that adding cedar shingles to the top part of the gable ends, leaving the rest as it currently is, will be an improvement. Changing out the garage door for one with windows is a good idea. Match its color to the siding as the white highlights something that doesn’t need extra attention. Widen the walkway so that two people can walk abreast, and make it of more interesting material. Find a garden designer to help you come up with a garden design that suits both your taste and ability/interest in doing the needed maintenance. What you currently have has some evergreens which is good, but there isn’t anything interesting or that complements the architecture. You landscape is stuck in the 60’s with nothing except for your two rows of evergreens and a small patch of some type of flowers.
...See More
Exterior paint colors for tudor w/ blue roof
Q
Comments (1)
I think I would just use the colors of the brick and stone for the siding I see the blue quite clearly on the gables , such a weird choice for roof color but oh well . I think I might add some blue landscaping to bring the roof into the picture since it is there and not going anywhere. A nice walkway from the street to take your eye to something besides the roof.
...See More
Exterior paint/ design ideas for traditional house w/ light brown roof
Q
Comments (17)
@calidesign Thank you for reference photos. I am such a visual person and those are so helpful. I hate the color of the rock, but at some point this home will become a rental, so I don't want to change things that don't need changing just to suit my personal taste. Appreciate your point of view. @misecretary Great and important question! Definitely more of a beige! I have added additional pictures above that hopefully give you a better idea of the color of the stucco and the rocks. The trim & windows are all the same color as the shutters. I am not sure if that should change in the future. @uoflcardfan77 Thanks Kevin! Great tip on the door. I will check your website out.
...See More
Need exterior roof/paint colors for mid century home with blonde brick
Q
Comments (4)
Gray roof is good. I would not go with the black trim. Black paint and even black metal fades or oxidizes and shows spider webs, dust and damage more than lighter colors. Maybe a gray-blue or gray-green trim? To me, cream siding close to the brick color would be good with an interesting trim color, but it would have to be a good match. And maybe paint the stone in front by the trellis the same cream. There is a school of thought that garage doors should recede, so match the siding, but your's are front and center so you may as well make them look interesting. There is the concern of maintenance requirements on exposed wood garage doors, though.
...See More
cdonick
Original Author
last year
Thank you for your thoughts! Here is a closer up picture of the brick.
elcieg
last year
last modified: last year
Any color that you choose is going to get dusty, so still consider white. Our house is white, painted in B.M. exterior soft gloss finish, and in the summer, (after pollen season...our dust), we hose it down with Simple Green.

White will work beautifully with the red and white brick.
cdonick thanked elcieg
Kat M
last year
Woah, that’s multicolored brick. As a brick home owner, I am not a fan of painting brick but there is a process called German smear. I would seriously consider doing a smear on brick, then deciding my paint color because that will open up your palette possibilities. https://www.bobvila.com/articles/german-smear/
cdonick thanked Kat M
ShadyWillowFarm
last year
Why oh why do people insist on taking pictures with the house shaded, then request opinions on color? Take the picture when the sun is at your back and the front of the house is in natural light. And yes to a nice, soft sage green. It’s lovely in a wooded setting, and if the house tends to get mold, it will be much less obvious. Lovely house!
housegal200
last year
Are any of your samples sage green? While I'm not a fan of painting brick, which you shouldn't do, the German smear Kat M recommended might help you pull your palette together.

Also, I thought you had shutters, and I now see you don't. Good.
ffpalms
last year
Assuming you leave the brick as is, your front door would look great in a rusty red.
cdonick
Original Author
last year
Apologies @ShadyWillowFarm, I am not accustomed to posting photos of my house and the best angles! Here are some pictures at around 5pm - we don't get much direct light due to the trees.
cdonick
Original Author
last year
@Kat M @housegal200 Thank you for the german smear idea! Looked a little more into it and I like the way it makes it look more fresh. I am also opposed to painting brick and while this smear seems to also be permanent, it feels less sacrilege than painting it!
Kat M
last year
A lot of us have houses that are always in the shade and it makes our exterior colors look very different than in the light. The colors in the first picture @housegall200 posted would look really nice with your roof. The orange on the door would pop in the shade also. I am looking forward to seeing what you decide on.
Kat M
last year
@cdonick, you seem to like blues. To use blue with your roof, I would go bolder than you have been testing.
ShadyWillowFarm
last year
Since the house is usually shaded, I would stick with a light shade of whatever color you choose. 🙂
barncatz
last year
last modified: last year
This house color palette reminded me of your roof and windows. The siding color is a clean olive.

Or a light blue gray, with white brick, something like Ben Moore Wales Gray or Boothbay Gray might be pretty.

Related Stories

CURB APPEAL When to Paint Your House Brown

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Nature loves brown, from rich soil to sunlit sand, and so do home exteriors with a traditional or Craftsman bent

EXTERIORS Should You Paint Your Brick House?

By Five Star Painting

See if paint is a good option for your exterior, and learn about the steps professional painters take

EXTERIORS Help! What Color Should I Paint My House Exterior?

By Jennifer Ott Design

Real homeowners get real help in choosing paint palettes. Bonus: 3 tips for everyone on picking exterior colors

EXTERIOR COLOR Choosing Color: 1 House, 5 Exterior Paint Palettes

By Jennifer Ott Design

See how color variations change the look of this midcentury ranch-style home

EXTERIORS 3 Common Brick Exterior Colors and How to Work With Them

By Jennifer Ott Design

Play up or play down exterior brick tones by choosing the right paint colors for your trim and accent areas

EXTERIOR COLOR Choosing Color: Transform Your Exterior With 2 Cans of Paint

By Jennifer Ott Design

One charming brick house takes on 4 color combinations to show you the power of paint choice

REMODELING GUIDES Wood Home Exteriors Branch Out

From rough-hewn planks to sleek screens, wood house exteriors now have a forest of options

EXTERIORS How To Get Your Exterior Paint Color Right

By Kerrie Kelly Design Lab

Your House Color Should Fit You, Your Architecture and Where You Live

REMODELING GUIDES 5 Places to Love Corrugated Metal in Your House

By Karen Egly-Thompson

It’s budget friendly, versatile and even colorful. Is it any wonder this popular exterior material is making inroads indoors?

REMODELING GUIDES Materials: The Advantages of a Metal Roof

By Becky Harris

Metal reigns in roofing style, maintenance and energy efficiency

Sponsored

Kuhns Contracting, Inc.

26 Reviews

Central Ohio's Trusted Home Remodeler Specializing in Kitchens & Baths

More Discussions

please help with color to paint vanity

8

Accent Color Advice

17

exterior paint color

0

Black and white stairs

1

sw high reflective white or extra white on kitchen cabinets?

1