Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Exterior House Painting

We have to paint our house this summer. It is currently a pretty sage green, but with dark pink shutters, it looks dated. I will post a photo once the yard is cleaned up!

Our house is a four-level split from the early 70's, so it doesn't have a lot of character (unlike the stock image below!), but it is very nicely laid out inside and we have a lovely lot. I want to make the house look "current" but not too trendy.

Many homes in our neighborhoods have been recently painted dark taupes that I find a little gloomy. The dark taupes remind me of Benjamin Moore's Weimeraner, below.

(white shutters brighten this up, but many people are using dark trims too)

I prefer lighter body colours. I am thinking a medium taupe for the body, like Stone Hearth from Benjamin Moore, below (or perhaps a little darker). I like the idea of white shutters since we have a lot of white trim already on the house (white vinyl windows and soffits, etc.). I think I'd like a black or off-black door. Our mailbox, lantern, and house number are black.
This picture shows a lighter slate blue door, but I am thinking darker.

Because our house has a rather plain facade (some brick, which we are thinking of painting) and the roof is not visible from the front (side slant), we don't need several colours. I think three will suffice on the front.

Do you have any favorite combinations for contemporary houses?

I love the Benjamin Moore personal colour viewer, which I used to create this sample....

18 comments:

  1. I like the direction you're going. The darker colors feel more historical to me, especially with dark trim. Hard to tell without seeing a picture but right now I'm thinking bright fuschia for the front door so you better get out there and do some raking so we can see.

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  2. I like the lighter colours, too. Some of the newer homes look quite gloomy and forbidding with both the body and trim so dark.

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  3. We are currently discussing the same issues you are. I am leaning toward white. I know. Blah. But is solves so many of the issues and it's classic. I don't mind the darker colors. They're prevalent in New England and always have been. I do not like the fact that in siding they fade out. I think we're going with siding over paint. We're old.

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  4. Vee, I think white is lovely if your home is a cottage or has historical character in any way! For a "contemporary" 1970's house of our style, white is rather boring. We would stick out in the neighborhood like a sore thumb. The only white houses in the neighborhood are the pseudo-colonials...

    I would love white with black shutters, but I don't have a classic house. Darn!

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  5. Hi Terri - I like your idea for the taupe colors. If I see any inspiring contemporary houses with interesting exteriors, I'll take photos and send them to you. Where I live though, there are mostly old or old-style houses, but it will be fun to have a scouting project.
    Deborah

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  6. I think a darker shade of blue would be better for the door and the roof, since everything is going light. This will create a harmonious blending of colors. Check this if want you more ideas on house painting. But if you really want to change the overall image of your house, get - off with white paint. Play colors with the window shutters. =)

    Max Boughner

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  7. I love the color combination. I love the house.

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  8. I defiantly like the lighter taupe colour, and I think pairing it with white shutters helps bring it to life! I remember we did a similar shade on a one house we painted and it turned out spectacular! Best of luck with deciding!

    You can see the shade we went with here: http://www.premierepainterslangley.com/

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  13. information on the fit is good enough to increase my knowledge further
    Exterior House Painting Toronto

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  16. Planning beforehand is absolutely necessary if you want to paint the exterior of your house and don’t know the next step. The appropriate weather is required to complete this huge task. It will also require more time than a few hours. It could even take a few days.
    Give Express Paint a call if you don't want to be concerned about scheduling a paint job on the weekends or when to paint the exterior of your home. We can plan your task when the weather is ideal for painting due to our years of expertise and a large number of skilled exterior painters on hand.

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  17. Your plan for updating the exterior of your house sounds thoughtful and stylish. Choosing the right color scheme can indeed transform the look and feel of your home. Here are a few contemporary and timeless color combinations that might suit your four-level split from the early '70s:

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