HELP!!! I need to pick exterior paint colors

last year

I'm planning to update the exterior paint of my home (2004 Tudor style) to something more modern. I'm planning to keep the trim panels that give the home character but I'm stuck on which paint colors to choose. I'm debating between Sherwin Williams Tricorn black or Iron Ore for the trim - I’m also not opposed to something lighter. I do plan to go a few shades lighter on the base of house. Here's a picture for context. I'm also thinking of stripping down the paint on the wood posts in the front to a naturally stained wood rather than its current grey/blue color.

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Jilly

last year

last modified: last year

I’m in awe (not in a good way) of how that Brick and Batten site turns every architectural style into an MCM + Modern Farmhouse Frankenhouse. 😅

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Comments (18)

Jilly
last year
last modified: last year
Your house is so charming! I love love those diamond paned windows.

I’m not going to be much help, I really like the bluish purplish gray on it now. :) It has such a European vibe and is more unique than most I see.

I do like your idea of stripping the porch wood. And what about the front doors, are they wood?

With your black windows, I do think a dark color on the timbers could work, but you said a lighter body — are you wanting that much contrast? With your nicely neutral brick and stone colors, the potential combos are limitless.

Because I know you’ll get told to remove the shutters (this board is obsessed with shutter size), I disagree. They fit this style and it’s perfectly ok to have them for decoration.

ETA, off-topic … is that a Live Oak tree? It’s beautiful.
tracefloyd
last year
last modified: last year
The house has two different tones of beige - the roof and the stone. Paint it all white. White is modern.
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@decoenthusiaste LOL! I regretted the 'modern farmhouse' when I wrote it. I think I mean a monochrome look, darker overall, with siding, trim and fascia all one color. I am just not into the white highlighter outline look so many are doing. Want to be ahead of the trend and stand out. However, I am so afraid to get it 'wrong.' We did choose a roof color that pulls all the brick colors together. It's an overall medium to darker gray, with hints of warmth and black through. We would ideally like to avoid coating the brick. We would consider after, if it looks bad. We would really like to keep it and roll with it. The garage doors will be converted to one larger door, but yes, there is brick between, with a strip of hideous siding above currently. All to be redone. Unfortunately, we are headed into winter and the siding color needs to be selected this week, or we push to next year...and we just don't want to do that.
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Ebony Lubwama
Original Author
last year
@Jinx, thanks for such wonderful compliments and yes it's an oak tree (we just had it trimmed)
Ebony Lubwama
Original Author
last year
@tracefloyd, I've seen many houses that have this lookand I think it looks best with a black roof. Ours is brown which throws me off a bit if we were to go with the all white option.
tracefloyd
last year
last modified: last year
Okay....I get it, @Jilly. That stone is beautiful. So, since you can't replace the stone which is yellow tone, replace the pink tone roof with a shade that coordinates with the stone. Problem solved.
Jilly
last year
last modified: last year
I agree, love the stone.

If a lighter look is in the cards, something in the taupe family might work …

I think the roof is fine (although it’s hard to fully see) and wouldn’t be too concerned with it. It seems to coordinate well with the brick.

But if you’d like to go darker, I’d find something with brown tones. Urbane Bronze is very popular, for good reason. It can play well with warmer tones.

BM Onyx might be a consideration. Ignore the style of this house, just showing the color:
Ebony Lubwama
Original Author
last year
My husband thinks we should go with a grey to compliment our new black windows (they were previously beige) and we have no plans of replacing our roof (unless we have a major hail storm 😂). Also our front door is a black iron door.
tracefloyd
last year
last modified: last year
Wait....is that red brick for the entry arch? It harmonizes with the red-tone of the roof and unites everything. Nevermind!!! :-) I like Jinx's colors, maybe a little lighter for the trim? And what is the undertone of Taupe, anyway? I've never been able to figure that out.
elcieg
last year
I agree with your going darker on the trim mostly because of the black windows.

I would remove the shutters
tracefloyd
last year
last modified: last year
I certainly did notice those black windows and they look fantastic. Your husband is spot on...Gray! Of course! And don't touch the roof with that red brick entry.
Jilly
last year
last modified: last year
I’d love to see how Onyx would look. Where are our mock-up people?! :)

Not sure about certain lighter gray tones with all of the other elements (the browns and blacks, and if you go lighter on body).

Timber color ideas:

SW Urbane Bronze:

BM Onyx:

SW Tricorn Black:

SW Iron Ore:

Of course you’d need to try samples, see them in different lights, but these all have the potential to coordinate well.

A more gray tone, SW Peppercorn. I can’t decide if I like it or not:

Playing around …

SW Dark Bronzetone:

BM Black Forest Green:
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
IMO you either embrace the tudor style or spend huge $$$$$$ to even begin to make this modern . To start all the windows would need to be replaced I think a darker color to blend the trim and the stucco would be okay and I do not think natural wood added to this mix of finishes would be a good Idea,
Jilly
last year
last modified: last year
Patricia, pretty sure she’s not asking about changing the architectural style, just paint color updates.
Jennifer Hogan
last year
The gray and gray white don't complement the stone or roof

Using a creamier white and brown, blue or green trim would be better

(sloppy painting, but will give you a rough idea. . . )
Looki Lu
last year
last modified: last year
Great house! Brown trim. Maybe a new porch railing with more detail.
decoenthusiaste
last year
I can't see anything but brown with your roof color. Please remove the shutters from the double window. If you want something different, consider a shade of green or sage.

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BeverlyFLADeziner
last year
I would not modernize that lovely home. I would go back to a traditional Tudor color scheme for the home with brown timbers. Modernize on the interior