We can’t pick exterior paint color. Stuck! Please help!

last year

Hello!

We are trying to update the front of our house. We have lived here for 9 years and we’ve always wanted to update it to be more modern and have more curb appeal (less blah and mismatch). In doing the update it also needs a full scrub down and repair rotting wood/caulking, etc.

We completed 2 of 5 updates but have several more to go and hit a color roadblock before we can move forward with the rest of the project.

1. Updated rusted, blue (color of shutters), steel door with walnut fiberglass

-We are still trying to color match the color of the walnut fiberglass door and use that color to paint the trim around the door and between window panels so it looks like all wood

2. Updated failing brick pathway and steps with stamped concrete

-The permanent trim color (acid stain) of the concrete turned more red than we expected but it does still work with the brick and brings some warmth to the washed out blah feel of house. We put red mulch to try to tie it together.

Update the grey around the door archway

-Open to ideas?? Pull from color from brick or do different color all together?

4. Update the beige grey garage color-

-Not sure what would help it recede since all you see is the garage when you pull up. And don’t know if the color should match what we paint the shutters or area around door?

Replace shutters

-We considered removing all together but the siding is significantly different from years of sun so until we update the siding we will need shutters. Again, don’t know if we should try to find walnut fiberglass to match the door or try to match the color we do on the arch above door?

Thank you so much in advance for your help! We can't wait to hear your ideas :-) . Thank you!!

Featured Answer

la_la Girl

last year

Looks like the windows over the garage are bigger than the shutters bc of how they notch into the garage roof? if that is the case i would remove the shutters

Comments (9)

littlebug zone 5 Missouri
last year
last modified: last year
Gut reaction: the gray is a misfit with your house. To a lesser degree, so are the blue shutters.

The front door, in the walnut color, is fine. Nothing else should be that walnut color.

The brick on the house appears to be in good shape. Is it? Does it need tuckpointing and/or powerwashing? Unless you commit to painting it (I wouldn’t), make sure it’s cleaned up and then use colors from the brick for the rest of your house. Sometimes, people use a creamy sage green with those tan and beige tones.
lizsemertzides26 thanked littlebug zone 5 Missouri
jackowskib
last year
last modified: last year
Hoping some pro's chime in for you, but you've done a great job so far. If you like the grey accents I would look at changing it to a more rich deeper grey at the entrance and the siding above garage. Change the double garage door to have windows and do both doors same deeper grey. And what about those cute windows each side of entry door? So cute! I would leave the white trim around front door since there is other white trims going on. Not sure I like the front step color. If budget allows consider adding some decorative lantern lights on front of garage, and replace the ones at the entryway with something that has more presence. Best of luck to you!
lizsemertzides26 thanked jackowskib
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Lau Rie
last year
I love those tiny windows next to the front door.

My thoughts are that the shingles seem too dark for the brick. There are too many different colors going on. And the garage doors dominate the facade, so getting the color right on those will be important.
lizsemertzides26 thanked Lau Rie
cat_ky
last year
The blue shutters do not go with the house. Paint them the color of the front door. The light gray doesnt go well in the archway, and I would pick a color from the brick to repaint that. Its hard to tell with pictures, but, a light cream, or a beige, maybe. Garage doors the same color that you paint the archway. I would also paint the siding the same color as the garage doors, and archway.
lizsemertzides26 thanked cat_ky
Rachel Lee
last year
I would paint the entry the same color as the siding. ( I have the same issue- siding is so faded that I can’t take off the shutters without redoing the siding). The shutters could be repainted black for a simpler color palette.
lizsemertzides26 thanked Rachel Lee
elcieg
last year
Front door is very attractive, don't try to match the color because adding more of it will take away from being special. I like this combo with the door. The link identifies the S W colors used.

https://www.homebunch.com/family-home-with-grey-exterior-and-interiors/
lizsemertzides26 thanked elcieg
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
I always like this color with brick
lizsemertzides26 thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
kandrewspa
last year
You are on the right track as far as pulling a color from the brick for the front door area. Use the same color on the garage doors. While you will need to sample, I think you're going to find the best color to be the color of your siding. The front door is perfect. The shutters would look good in a sage green similar to the color shown in the picture Patricia posted. You could probably go darker if you like a darker color. We used BM Nantucket Gray on our previous house. It is more green than gray, contrary to the name, and also looks more green than the blob below. Sunlight brighens up colors on exteriors. Also look at SW Evergreen Fog which is very popular.
lizsemertzides26 thanked kandrewspa