Looking for exterior paint suggestions

Betty Dreiling
by Betty Dreiling
Trying to figure out a paint color for my house- a three color combination. The roof is brown so it will need to match the color combinations. Below are pictures that might help, thanks for your response.
  17 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on May 29, 2016
    Personally I would choose a taupe/beige (not a gray taupe) which would compliment the roof as well as the brick. I always recommend getting chips,choosing colors that you like, then get samples and test at your home. What looks nice at the paint store will totally look different at your own home. Lighting plays a very important role as well. Please remember all shades emit a different shade based on lighting being inside or outside.
  • William William on May 30, 2016
    Looks like somebody converted a one car garage into living quarters and just sided and installed two windows where the garage door was. I would paint the siding to a similar color as the brick leaving the widows white. The dark color of the other window frames pulls the roof color down and lowers the house visually. I would paint all the window frames white along with the siding on the overhang. This would force the eye towards the house. Paint the posts and fascia on the overhang brown to match the roof. A bright color for the front door would direct visitors to it. If the budget allows, I would also build a flower bed in front of what was the garage door using landscape blocks about three levels high and it wouldn't look much like a conversion.
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    • William William on May 30, 2016
      @Betty Dreiling I suggest trying to match the brick as close as possible. I have seen many conversions using siding, stone, different color bricks, exterior wood siding, they still look like a conversion and really terrible. People fix up the inside into beautiful living quarters, but do a lousy coverup on the outside.
  • Marie Alesi Caruana Marie Alesi Caruana on May 30, 2016
    In order to make the area blend in, I would paint all the brick the same color especially if you're not going to use the same color brick on the conversion. It will still show up as a conversion if you can't find the same color brick. Then I'd go with any of the suggestions regarding window frames.
  • Honeydok Honeydok on May 30, 2016
    I think you should paint all the brick a light grey that has a blue undertone and the trim a bright blue.
  • Porter Linda Porter Linda on May 30, 2016
    Haystack..and trim calabash(light grass green)..perfect together..)
  • Nancy Walden Nancy Walden on May 30, 2016
    Last fall I had the wood and rock front of my Ranch style home covered up with stucco. We thought the color we'd chosen would match the stucco on the other 3 sides but it was a shade off. My plan to just paint the trim changed to paint the whole house. I used Dunn Edwards paint in Antique Linen for the house with Colorado Tan on the new pop-outs around the doors and windows and Northern Territory (dark brown) on the eaves and the front door. I love that color combo and going from two colors to three was a big plus.
  • Kathy Lovenburg Kathy Lovenburg on May 30, 2016
    Because we love a mountain feel, we painted our house a deep pumpkin color, with doors, gutters in forest green and the window trim in taupe. I would go to a local hardware store an get samples in color theme that you would think you would like. Take it home and narrow it down to your top 2 or 3 combos. Get sample size containers and either pain on the house or use plywood and paint it with each color sample combo. See it in morning light, afternoon light, evening light and determine what you like best!! Hope that helps 😉
  • Liz Liz on May 30, 2016
    Betty, You've got some really good suggestions here from others, especially William's. It will help you in deciding about colors if you have a "clean slate". By that I mean, remove the decorations on the house and "yard art". Then, you can visualize more clearly what you're working with. Here's a thought, wait until your new brick is installed on the conversion, take some more pics, and get paint samples as others suggested. It's unifying if the three colors are in the same "color family", and all in either warm tones or cool tones, not mixed. Also, bear in mind that your roof is brown, and the 3 colors should complement it.
  • Phil a Phil a on May 30, 2016
    One note worth considering. Many years ago, when indoor carpeting was the "usual" solution to floor coverings, a salesman told us that a "normal" color carpet would look "boring" in time, whereas a "bold" color carpet would look "normal" in time. I've always heeded that advice when choosing colors for my home, car, motorcycle, etc. I haven't been disappointed. Here's a color visualizer from SW that might help: http://www.hgtvhomebysherwinwilliams.com/color-visualizer/app?section=houses Phil
    • Betty Dreiling Betty Dreiling on May 30, 2016
      Thank You Phil ,I'll keep that in mind. I'm a bright bold person my living room is done in turquoise and orange and I get tons of compliments.
  • Naydene Cook Naydene Cook on May 30, 2016
    Good suggestions, my take is a lot like Williams suggestion also, I don't know how frugal you are, But I try to get the most for my buck. I definite would paint my windows trim all lighter maybe a tan from your brick, build a tan flower box with maybe railing in front of garage window wall. All your trim tan, door maybe a beautiful sienna red brown, Brown post
  • Betty Dreiling Betty Dreiling on May 30, 2016
    Thank You MN Mom, I will be painting everything, I'd love to just put in new windows but can't afford to why someone would put in brown windows I can't fathom.
  • Phil a Phil a on May 30, 2016
    I think Naydene makes a good point. It is possible to paint Vinyl Windows but it takes some extra preparation, but would definitely be less expensive than replacing them. And it would definitely give you a lot of color options to choose from when you paint the house. For tips on painting Vinyl Windows, take a look at this site: http://www.stanekwindows.com/how-to-paint-vinyl-windows.aspx Just Google the subject and I'm sure there are many more websites giving tips. Phil
  • Judy Judy on May 31, 2016
    I'm sure you know better than I that the first impression of your lovely home is that of clutter and lack of a cohesive flow across the façade, the posts are- as usual -too small. They need beefing up. I think with a brown roof and brown windows color-even the right shade of yellow could be very pretty. But a very creamy yellow not highway lines yellow. The home has a modern flair, streamline the front to emphasize that quality. Avoid "cute" strive for "sophisticated". IMHO......
  • CK CK on May 31, 2016
    Just my opinion but I think more attention to the landscaping would be of more benefit than the house's color. However since your question is about color..... I would try to pick colors that appeal to you but also allow your home to look 'appropriate' in the neighborhood. Example: We used to live on a street that had nice little 50's ranch style homes. All were either earthy tones or a few white or pale yellow....except for the house across the street: it was BRIGHT blue! It stuck out like a sore thumb ;-) Eventually the home owners painted it in a creamy beige and it looked so much nicer in the neighborhood. Also on that same street, several years later, a young couple moved in and painted the house bright yellow with red trim. Yup...it looked like the original McDonald's restaurants! So that brings me to another point.... That young couple (the yellow w/red trim house) picked out their color in the store. They 'thought' they were picking the same color as the existing color. To her, the house looked yellow when in fact it was a creamy off-white. So they picked out the yellow color ("I thought it was lighter than that!!! she said), the painter came and the entire neighborhood gasped when they saw the awful bright yellow house! LOL! When we were ready to sell our home, we'd tell people "If you passed the bright yellow house, you've gone to far." -) So pick a few sample colors at the store, go home and paint them on pieces of plywood or foam board and see how they look "in person" in various lighting (sunshine, cloudy, etc.) You'll be glad you did...and so will your neighbors. ;-)
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    • CK CK on Jun 01, 2016
      @Betty Dreiling Oh dear Betty, none of us on HT are trying to suggest you do it all. Heaven knows even the best fit with tons of money cannot accomplish everything. ;-) Also, here in ND I know about those crazy spring frosts/freezes and apparently your area gets them too. Makes ya wanna think about warmer cliimates sometimes...but we love where we live. Knowing your situation (health issues, etc.) I have another suggestion. Our church has something called a "Job Jar". Essentially it's a request form where anyone can request help with projects from help getting groceries to doing chores, lawn work, rides to and from medical appointments, etc. etc. Other churches in our community do similar projects. Maybe your own church or another in your area can assist you (for free or a very minimal fee) with some of the things you may have on your "to do" list. If I lived close by, I'd gladly come help you with your yard work and probably your painting too :-) I'll bet if you contact your church or other organization, you can get some much appreciated help. I know often high school students are happy to fulfill projects as part of their community involvment projects. Check around for that too. Some kids are willing to be paid in home baked goodies :-) Check with your local county extension service too. If they're offering any gardening classes they may have students who need to fulfill requirements to complete their course of study. My friend came and helped me with a flower bed while she was taking master gardening classes. Maybe one of your local garden clubs too may be of assistance for landscaping/planting help. :-) Your house is really quite adorable. I'm especially enamored with the curved walkway. Put some ideas to paper, check around and before you know it, I'm willing to bet you'll have someone who'll be there to help :-)
  • Str5889415 Str5889415 on Jun 10, 2016
    There is a paint called Vinylsafe by Sherwin-Williams. You need to lighten it up, you have lots of shadows to deal with. Best to contrast the brick to make a statement, this color scheme isn't effective, You have a brown roof (dark) with what looks like brown brick (dark). Then add the shadows cast by the porch (dark). My parents had a black roof with black brick and they offset it with white window shutters and a white post on the porch and a white rail in front, it was killer.
  • Jgr26317845 Jgr26317845 on Sep 08, 2017

    I would use a taupe/beige. Love Sherwinn Williams exterior paint and they have swatches and samples you can apply before buying the wrong color. Could also, accent with pea gravel around pond area? to lighten up the area. The collums on that are reddish brown would look nice painted same color as your windows. Personally, I think the star and the A date the house. Have your thought about stamped concrete on patio? Best of luck . Post once your project is complete.

  • Fiddledd224 Fiddledd224 on Sep 08, 2017

    Betty - I would paint a bright, contrasting color that works with the browns like a burnt orange, rust, or auburn. In my opinion, beiges are too blah ----- you need a splash of color!