13 Dramatic Exterior Paint Makeovers by Houzzers
See real-life before and afters of home fronts transformed with paint, in wide-ranging colors and styles
Oh, Houzzers, you are the greatest. I asked you to share your dramatic paint makeovers, and the last time I checked you had left more than 150 comments plus before and after shots. From Victorian gingerbread houses to midcentury modern gems, new paint colors make a house seem new. See what fellow Houzzers have accomplished with paint on the exteriors of their homes.
BEFORE: Houzz user vita76's 1910 Victorian is full of charm but was looking a little tired.
AFTER: A lovely periwinkle blue and a bit of a landscape cleanup show off the inviting porch.
"This is all Benjamin Moore paint," vita76 says. "The white trim is White Dove, the dark trim is Eclipse, the door is Eggplant and the main body color is a mix of two colors; one is Solitude, and the another I don't remember."
"This is all Benjamin Moore paint," vita76 says. "The white trim is White Dove, the dark trim is Eclipse, the door is Eggplant and the main body color is a mix of two colors; one is Solitude, and the another I don't remember."
BEFORE: Houzz user summilux and his wife replaced these existing colors to let the house sit better in its landscape of lawn and trees.
AFTER: The main color is Sherwin-Williams' Bunglehouse Gray. The trims are Valspar's Belmont Green and Spanish Tile. Summilux plans to replace the white vinyl windows next summer as the next phase of the makeover.
BEFORE: Houzz user nnicolaisen's home was a faded, sun-damaged sage green with a burgundy door.
AFTER: Benjamin Moore's Black Forest Green shingles and Split Pea trim, topped off with Ravishing Red on the door, give the home an entirely new look, which is also inspiring improvements around the yard. "We really like the dark background that highlights the landscaping, and will be adding more plants in the near future," nnicolaisen says.
BEFORE: Little pink houses are not for everyone.
AFTER: "Our house in Arizona went from pink to Dunn-Edwards' Bison Beige with trim in Dry Creek," says Houzz user jangnagey.
BEFORE: Tricia Oren described this color as "boring gray."
AFTER: The new color, Sherwin-Williams' Messenger Bag, gives the facade a more cohesive look that highlights the lovely trim detailing and porch.
BEFORE: "We have changed our house in two phases over the years; we started with pink trim, painted it white and added black wood shutters that we made, then we changed out the lighting," says Houzz user sallyloveofhomes.
AFTER: "A few years later we painted the main part of the house a different color. It looks like a totally different house from when we moved in. It's amazing what paint can do!" she says. The new coat is a liquid vinyl paint by Kwal Paint, and the color is Wicket.
BEFORE: "After adding on a porch and some additional architectural details to this home, we added some bold colors to restore the Victorian flair," say the pros at Kustom Home Design.
AFTER: The colors painting this lady are all from Sherwin-Williams, including Muslin, Outer Banks, Craft Paper, Olive Grove and Smoky Topaz.
BEFORE: "Painting our 1965 light and dark green house in Santa Barbara, California, was first on our must-do list when we bought it," says Houzz user zukor.
AFTER: "Five years later we chose Pratt & Lambert Durango 33-24 and couldn't be happier," zukor says. "We also attached a wood feature to the front of the house to break up the box a bit. The neighbors say they have to double-take to make sure it's the same house!"
BEFORE: Tina Penelope is in the midst of giving every element of her exterior a refresh.
AFTER: The new paint colors are by Sico: Grey Pepper is the main color, the light accent color is Breton Salt, and the dark accent is Black Pepper. The window frames are a stock white.
The mailbox and house numbers are also new; the to-do list still includes replacing the lights with modern satin aluminum cylinder downlights and repainting the front door.
Help Penelope get that last item done with some advice. "I would like a blue color, like Benjamin Moore's West Coast, which is a teal," she says. "My husband is pushing for black. Which one do you think would look best?" (Throw in your two cents in the Comments section below.)
The mailbox and house numbers are also new; the to-do list still includes replacing the lights with modern satin aluminum cylinder downlights and repainting the front door.
Help Penelope get that last item done with some advice. "I would like a blue color, like Benjamin Moore's West Coast, which is a teal," she says. "My husband is pushing for black. Which one do you think would look best?" (Throw in your two cents in the Comments section below.)
BEFORE: Sometimes it's not just the wrong color that inspires one to rip the siding off a house. "We were infested with bats in our attic and behind our 25-year-old vinyl siding," says Houzz user donna102848.
AFTER: "Everything was ripped off on the outside down to the insulation," she says. "Then OSB, a moisture wrap, was installed, then HardiePlank, which was painted Sherwin-Wiliams' Messenger Bag." New wrought iron hand railings complete the look.
BEFORE: "I purchased a 1925 Craftsman cottage in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 2004," says Houzz user hetherfether. "Its anemic exterior was just crying out for an infusion of character."
AFTER: This was a successful experiment in mixing colors. "The house is four colors; all the brown tones were custom mixed by adding white to the main house color (also a custom mix — literally several cans mixed together), and the terra-cotta is a Behr color from Home Depot," she says.
BEFORE: Smaller paint makeover details can make a big impact. Houzz user Victoria, who has the greatest profile picture I've seen in a long time, by the way, is restoring an 1890 Victorian home with her husband. "The previous owners were crazy for color! Every single room was a different primary color," she says.
AFTER: They toned down the bright purple front doors and a bright orange porch roof to give the home back some of its original glory.
As for the exact color of these doors, well, it's a complicated custom mix, so check out the full story on Victoria's blog.
As for the exact color of these doors, well, it's a complicated custom mix, so check out the full story on Victoria's blog.
BEFORE: A white house that remains white doesn't seem like much of an exterior makeover when you say it out loud.
AFTER: However, a picture will quickly change your mind. Amanda Haytaian's black door, new lanterns, rail removal and new landscaping have completely transformed this front entry, giving it the presence it deserves.
Next: Post your paint makeover below (including the name of the paint you used). And stay tuned for another ideabook featuring your interior paint makeovers. If you're still adding to the Houzz Call, please be sure to include the paint color names there, too.
Next: Post your paint makeover below (including the name of the paint you used). And stay tuned for another ideabook featuring your interior paint makeovers. If you're still adding to the Houzz Call, please be sure to include the paint color names there, too.