Help with Curb Appeal - unsure what color to paint shutters, door, etc

My house has a tin roof that is a burgundy shade, but I think burgundy door and shutters is overkill. Please help me figure out another color that will complement it. I am thinking black shutters and perhaps a white door to make it stand out more. Thanks!
  36 answers
  • Lori J Lori J on May 19, 2013
    I like compliments...perhaps a muted green. The white railings are very pretty in contrast to the brick. Have you considered a planter in front of the railing?
  • Nerissa N Bellestri Nerissa N Bellestri on May 19, 2013
    No but that's a great idea :)
  • Kayren Johnson Kayren Johnson on May 19, 2013
    Try a Hunter green on the shutters & the white door sounds great as long as you can keep it clean, lol
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on May 20, 2013
    With this color brick, white or off white is the only color. A photo of entire front would be nice because it appears to be out of balance. The posts would look great if you can make them a little larger in diameter...are you missing one...it looks a little out of balance...?? The door would be very pretty framed out with impressive molding (you can find some designs on line). Shutters will finish it out, but do not go too wide because the door needs more accent. (also shutter windows on side of house for finished look) I would take up the grass about 6' on all 3 sides of the porch and put in a white fence and then plant miniature shrubs and pots of flowers on both sides! Everything does not have to be done all at once so you can budget as you go along. This place could be magnificent! Or you can put up a fence and hang window boxes on it.
  • Alisha Rushing Alisha Rushing on May 20, 2013
    Paint it a color that POPS and screams HOME to you. That may be Yellow, Green, something YOU LOVE. Then plant some flowers in front. Beautiful entrance....and I can see it already! Also, for balance, I would maybe consider adding another column to the support. Just for looks. Then maybe plant some Ivy, or Clamatis on them. Your home is SO PRETTY! How exciting for you.
  • J J on May 20, 2013
    I like the idea of black shutters always. You can never go wrong. Your shutters presently are blending so much that I actually didn't even see them. lol However, the first thing that popped into my head was blue, like the American flag blue. You could still do black shutters and a blue door, or visa versa too. Your house has charm written all over it!! Just paint a couple of shutters colors that you've considered, hang them, or have your husband hold them up and decide which one you like better. Or better (and easier yet), paint a couple big pieces of cardboard and decide from there. The opposite of the color wheel for burgandy is a yellow, so I would definitely get some yellow flowers on the patio. Have fun with it, and remember, no matter what you do, it's just paint. Do overs are the fun of it. :)
  • Sharon McRae Sharon McRae on May 20, 2013
    I too would pick a color I loved and put a BIG planter to the right of the column in front of the railing with some of that same color to tie it all together. I personally would go hunter green. Take your photo to Paintshop if you have it? You can play with colors by painting the shutters in a virtual way. :) Oh, and I would paint the door white.
  • Sharon McRae Sharon McRae on May 20, 2013
    The blue would be great too! Tie in your visual accessories with some blue?
  • Chris Chris on May 20, 2013
    Paint the shutters gold. Yes, GOLD, a gold that looks like medal. Paint the stair rails and uprights black. Get rid of the tiki torches, tidy up the edge of the lawn and paint the patio furniture items black.
  • Michelle Templin Michelle Templin on May 20, 2013
    Shutters need to complement the roof, if the roof is black or grey use the blue, muted green tones, if the roof of of a red or green color use the red, and most greens would work. Using a color wheel will help to make the house look put together. You can always tell when a house looks out of sorts when the color tones are mismatched
  • Joe Natta Joe Natta on May 20, 2013
    A terra cotta color would look great.
  • Jackie Mullin Jackie Mullin on May 20, 2013
    I would paint the shutters black an the door red..... also the rocking chairs need to be white an a pretty red stripe cushion with yellow in it on the rockers,.,,, big planter in front of brick with bright red geraniums.....
  • Debi E Debi E on May 20, 2013
    A red one that pops, makes it welcome and paint the shutters white. Place a planter on the rail and make it red/white to tie it all together
  • Lorna S Lorna S on May 20, 2013
    Green or light gray shutters. Krylon Fusion spray paint is amazing for anything plastic, and really easy to use (altho the hand does get tired after all the spraying!) Take the shutters down, lay them out on sawhorses, spray with garden hose then clean with a scrub brush & soap, spray off again. Once dry, spray paint. We've redone our shutters every 3 years for the past 10 years (easy enough to do!) and always been shocked at all the neighbors who don't know they can easily spray paint theirs. Can't really see the door...if it's a pretty door, I'd go with white paint but if it's not then...blend it in?
  • Linda Mahoney Linda Mahoney on May 20, 2013
    Get rid of the shutters, window boxes! And a vine of some sort climbing the front railing!
  • Marilyn M Marilyn M on May 20, 2013
    Light salmon color for the shutters, leave the door white to go with the windows and looks like you have a little sign by the door maybe highlight that as well with salmon. Plant complimentary colored flowers in the front of the house and the porch. That would really give it some pop.
  • Dorti Larti Dorti Larti on May 20, 2013
    moss green and tan with a red door
  • Doris Trentham Doris Trentham on May 20, 2013
    I would paint the shutters an aqua shade.
  • Cindy Matson Cindy Matson on May 20, 2013
    Tangerine
  • CJ Delman CJ Delman on May 20, 2013
    White to go with the railing on the steps.
  • Tamara Tamara on May 20, 2013
    Yellow. A Buttery yellow
  • Cyndi Moore Tippett Cyndi Moore Tippett on May 20, 2013
    I would paint a medium green for the shutters and a lighter green for the door. Then I would get terra cotta pots (you could paint the bottom or the rim of the pots white) with yellow/white/salmon color flowers in a grouping of odd number (3, 5) and have them "stair stepped" in groups. A painted bench and small table would be cute, too. Can' wait to see pictures..
  • Kim Kim on May 20, 2013
    I really like the window box idea!
  • Nerissa N Bellestri Nerissa N Bellestri on May 20, 2013
    Thanks everyone. Very good ideas! As far as the columns, they are there, but they are space evenly across the porch, which unfortunately does not make the front door centered between 2. That is actually very annoying and now it is especially going to drive me insane!! I am going to buy a spray painter in a couple of weeks and go to town! I love the planter...will have that soon. I'll post results!!
  • Nerissa N Bellestri Nerissa N Bellestri on May 20, 2013
    Oh and I would post a pic from farther away to show you the whole porch at once, but I live in the mountains and to back up further would make me fall off a rather steep cliff lol
  • Rosalie M Rosalie M on May 20, 2013
    I would use black. And, I do like the planter on the front railing idea also.
  • Gail Salminen Gail Salminen on May 20, 2013
    @Nerissa N Bellestri I think a slate or charcoal grey would be striking - not too flamboyant but noticeable. A white door could set this off as well. Looking forward to your update photos. Thanks for posting.
  • Kimberly Barney Kimberly Barney on May 20, 2013
    I would not go with black shutters as I feel that they will blend into the brick and not be noticed. I like the idea of gray shutters and a yellow door. Flower pots would allow you to add color with plantings but a curved slate walkway with gardens flanking either side would be nice, too.
  • Sia@South 47th Sia@South 47th on May 20, 2013
    I guess I'm a bit confused as to the opposition of white shutters, with another colored door? She has white accents, and the shutters would enhance, not do harm aesthetically speaking. The door could be anything, really, due to the yard she has. Even a Grass GREEN!!! It would tie everything together and look welcoming.
  • Lisa C Lisa C on May 22, 2013
    black or white will keep it very classic and colonial but I love color and yellow is a happy fun color you can go light or bright! My theory is it's only paint if you do a few and don't like it you can paint over it right. :) Have fun go with your personality plants and accents will also make it fun.
  • Cathy Cathy on May 22, 2013
    Black shutters and a white door. Accent with very colorful flowers.
  • Robin Peterson Robin Peterson on May 24, 2013
    I would go with either light duck egg blue for a sweet contrast,or the light avocado green that you already get from some of the brick . Both would soften the look . A planter with a Japanese Maple or a structural cedar or yew, and a few flowers around would be lovely
  • Holly Decker Holly Decker on Jun 01, 2013
    she already has (burgundy tin roof) black is nice but I see brick siding. soften up your look with more white,. I would remove shudders,paint rockers white,, add window boxes ( plant large red guranums with some soft ivy type cascading from boxes, potted plants around the stair area, play up some more burgundy with the pots, use masking tap and paint to colored pots clay pots work great paint the trays to,
  • Timberlane Shutters Timberlane Shutters on Jul 31, 2013
    Typically, shutters are supposed to be measured out to half of the size of the window. In this case, your shutters seem to be a bit small for the actual size of the window. Is replacing these shutters in the budget? As for a color, we would suggest either Black or a Charcoal Gray, like previously mentioned.
  • Sharon Sharon on Feb 07, 2015
    My home has fieldstone halfway up and tan siding. It had burgundy shutters & 2 doors. I changed the kitchen door to the color of the siding to blend it. Then painted the main entry a gray from the stone. It made a huge difference. I think it looks really great now. Burgandy plays well with a lighter blue, gray or green. I'd go with a blue door, incl the storm door (supposedly feng shui for happiness & luck) and green or gray shutters. There's enough white in the trim around the windows, downspouts, railing. Using these colors will balance the rusty tones in the brick.
  • Stephanie corley Stephanie corley on Oct 03, 2016
    I would paint the door and shutters gray.