Choosing Color: 1 Cottage, 6 Striking New Color Schemes
See 6 color palettes for this sweet San Francisco home, vote for your favorite and then find out which one was chosen
One of my closest friends recently asked for help picking an exterior color scheme for her cottage in San Francisco. What her 650-square-foot house lacks in size it more than makes up for in charm, and with a new exterior paint job overdue, she wanted to further perk up the home with a fun and unusual color scheme on the exterior.
1. Leafy Green
This first option features a soft green for the siding, a deep blue-green for the door and crisp, clean white for the trim.
The fresh green color was pulled from the surrounding landscape to emphasize the organic hues in this otherwise urban environment.
This pretty palette is probably the safest choice among the bunch. It would stand apart from the neighbors without necessarily screaming for attention.
This first option features a soft green for the siding, a deep blue-green for the door and crisp, clean white for the trim.
The fresh green color was pulled from the surrounding landscape to emphasize the organic hues in this otherwise urban environment.
This pretty palette is probably the safest choice among the bunch. It would stand apart from the neighbors without necessarily screaming for attention.
2. Gray and Black
Switzky wanted at least one option with dark trim, so this palette features a dramatic splash of black for the parapet and window trim.
To keep the color scheme from veering too dark and dreary, this option shows soft gray siding and a bold yellow-green for a splash of vibrancy at the entrance.
Switzky loved the edgy, gothic vibe of this option.
Switzky wanted at least one option with dark trim, so this palette features a dramatic splash of black for the parapet and window trim.
To keep the color scheme from veering too dark and dreary, this option shows soft gray siding and a bold yellow-green for a splash of vibrancy at the entrance.
Switzky loved the edgy, gothic vibe of this option.
3. Grayish Purple
In a nod to the “before” siding color, this scheme features a darker, grayer purple as the main house color.
The front door gets a watery blue, and the remaining elements are a soft and cool off-white.
In a nod to the “before” siding color, this scheme features a darker, grayer purple as the main house color.
The front door gets a watery blue, and the remaining elements are a soft and cool off-white.
4. Blue and Orange
This palette admittedly started out as a bit of a joke — it’s an homage to the school colors of Switzky’s and my shared alma mater — but she ended up digging it, so it remained in the running.
This palette is admittedly over-the-top bold, but it would actually fit right in to this hip and lively neighborhood. Switzky’s neighbors down the block, hardcore San Francisco 49ers football fans, recently painted their Victorian a bright red and shimmering gold.
This palette admittedly started out as a bit of a joke — it’s an homage to the school colors of Switzky’s and my shared alma mater — but she ended up digging it, so it remained in the running.
This palette is admittedly over-the-top bold, but it would actually fit right in to this hip and lively neighborhood. Switzky’s neighbors down the block, hardcore San Francisco 49ers football fans, recently painted their Victorian a bright red and shimmering gold.
5. Dark Teal and Lime Green
Switzky was keen to explore darker house colors but wanted to avoid black and navy, both of which are very trendy in her neighborhood.
This dark teal satisfies her desire for a dramatic house color that isn’t commonly spotted on her block.
The zesty lime-green door brightens up the entry.
Switzky was keen to explore darker house colors but wanted to avoid black and navy, both of which are very trendy in her neighborhood.
This dark teal satisfies her desire for a dramatic house color that isn’t commonly spotted on her block.
The zesty lime-green door brightens up the entry.
6. Shades of Blue-Green
Here’s a softer version of the previous scheme.
The blue-green hue on the siding is fun and colorful without being light and wispy or overly dark and heavy.
The black door adds a dash of drama.
Here’s a softer version of the previous scheme.
The blue-green hue on the siding is fun and colorful without being light and wispy or overly dark and heavy.
The black door adds a dash of drama.
Vote for Your Favorite
Which color scheme would you choose? Take another look and then vote for your favorite now. You’ll see the winning option below.
And
the
winner
is …
Which color scheme would you choose? Take another look and then vote for your favorite now. You’ll see the winning option below.
And
the
winner
is …
Dark Teal and Lime Green
Option No. 5 was the winner. Here is the actual finished cottage after being painted. Ultimately, Switzky desired a dark and dramatic siding color with a fun and vibrant twist at the front door.
This palette makes her house stand apart from the neighbors and certainly brings the drama. But because the boldest color is limited to the splash of bright lime green on the door, the finished paint job isn’t too aggressively colorful. The actual paint colors used are all from Benjamin Moore and listed below.
Siding: Amazon Green 2136-30
Door: Perennial 405
Parapet and fence: Green Tint 2139-60
Window and door trim: Brilliant White OC-150
Option No. 5 was the winner. Here is the actual finished cottage after being painted. Ultimately, Switzky desired a dark and dramatic siding color with a fun and vibrant twist at the front door.
This palette makes her house stand apart from the neighbors and certainly brings the drama. But because the boldest color is limited to the splash of bright lime green on the door, the finished paint job isn’t too aggressively colorful. The actual paint colors used are all from Benjamin Moore and listed below.
Siding: Amazon Green 2136-30
Door: Perennial 405
Parapet and fence: Green Tint 2139-60
Window and door trim: Brilliant White OC-150
Switzky, pictured with partner Bobak and dog Izzy, says it was tough to pick just one of the palettes because she liked them all, but she is very happy with the outcome and gets lots of positive feedback from folks walking by.
Did you paint your house recently? Please show us in the Comments what colors you chose.
More
Find out how to get your home’s exterior painted
More stories about choosing color
Ideas for front door colors
Find a color expert to help with your exterior paint colors
Did you paint your house recently? Please show us in the Comments what colors you chose.
More
Find out how to get your home’s exterior painted
More stories about choosing color
Ideas for front door colors
Find a color expert to help with your exterior paint colors
Before: Homeowner Rachel Switzky lives in a cute cottage in San Francisco’s vibrant Mission District with her partner, Mike Bobak, and dog Izzy.
The house was last painted almost 10 years ago when it was featured as a “neighbor makeover” on TV. The soft violet siding color was lovely when first applied, but it had since faded and often read as white in the sunny neighborhood.
Switzky received six color palette options to choose from, including photographic renderings of what the palettes would look like on her house. Here’s what those color combinations looked like.