Asked on Jun 09, 2013

Exterior paint colors?

Marissa
by Marissa
This is my house. I really hate the tan/brown color scheme. Looking for suggestions on colors that would match the roof. I would like to keep the brown soffit and fascia in order to save money.
  24 answers
  • Delores Wilson Delores Wilson on Jun 10, 2013
    I would use taupe for the house with bone white for the porch and trim if your home is located in the north or east. If you live in the south, I would use robin egg blue and white.
  • Bonnie Lewenza Bonnie Lewenza on Jun 10, 2013
    I do like taupe with the chocolate brown, however I am partial to pale yellow and use white as your trim. If it were me I would get rid of the stecco on the front and put a real nice vinyl siding in a color that you love and match your paint from there.
  • Cindy tustin Cindy tustin on Jun 10, 2013
    I still like the 3 color scheme you could check with any paint store they all have free paint chips and have some with multiple colors. I can see three colors on this house. Maybe these 2 colors with a brighter color on some of the trim would not be a pocket emptier..
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jun 10, 2013
    I have Sherwin Williams "Cottage Cream" on my house and this would be beautiful with the brown roof. If it is a little too yellow (I love it), then pick a lighter color but one with no brown tone. Don't accent those diamonds on the columns...it just breakes it up. Frankly, I would paint the soffits and facia the same color as the house and the window trim white...sorry. As long as you have any brown, that roof is going to scream "BROWN". Also adding white shutters would add to the Craftsman Cottage look! You have great bones here!
    • Marissa Marissa on Aug 13, 2013
      @Jeanette S I really like the yellow - it looks wonderful. But I am in the midwest & it probably be a bit too bright for the area I live in.
  • Renee Renee on Jun 10, 2013
    I agree--great bones! I would check out some Craftsman color schemes. Many use brown and other combos inspired from nature--so working in the brown roof should not be a problem. Check out this link here...http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-collection/historic-collection/arts-and-crafts-exterior/
  • Kat Tellez Kat Tellez on Jun 10, 2013
    how about a pale sagey green?
  • Kimberly Barney Kimberly Barney on Jun 10, 2013
    The fact that the diamond shapes are accented in color is part of the arts-and-craft or craftsman style home. Brown is the new black in clothing and brown is a neutral so you have a large selection of colors to choose from. I find that the house has the two neutrals currently and now you can add the pops of color used in the arts-and-craft or craftsman style homes. You could very easily and inexpensively paint the front door a bright and welcoming color. The inside of the porch area or the walls beside the door could be lightened a bit to brighten the porch if you have any of the taupe color left or purchase a lighter shade of paint. I would accent the walls in front with the same color as the door. You may wish to play off of the diamond shapes by adding more of them in different colors.
  • NataLee Callahan NataLee Callahan on Jun 11, 2013
    dark olive green for the main body of the house, keep brown trim, cinnamon red door... Possibly also on the window trim too. If you're feeling really brave, paint the whole house a barn red withy black and white trim accents....
  • Lisa Schneider Lisa Schneider on Jun 11, 2013
    SW messenger bag. SW mount eatna shutters. Dont recall the door color but its a cranberry color and we had the porch color custom blended.
  • Leena Milligan-Lanteigne Leena Milligan-Lanteigne on Jun 11, 2013
    I think that a pale sage green with a cream trim would look beautiful with your brown areas. Then, jazz it up with a fun color for the door (like a deep mustard yellow or burnt orange) or a darker shade from the same sage family.
  • Rosalie M Rosalie M on Jun 11, 2013
    Just today I passed a home painted a beautiful shade of green. Hard to explain the color. It was not light, not real dark, definitely not emerald green. I think the green was similar to the color on our money. The suggestion to ask at the paint store is a good idea. I believe the manufacturers offer suggestions of colors that are meant to be used with each other. I like the brown and understand you need to save money. Green and brown would definitely go together.
  • Junkgypsee Junkgypsee on Jun 12, 2013
    Just throwing out some 'general' colors..not exact. The thing is, your roof is very dominate so you don't want to fight it, but work with it. You don't need to match the roof, just show it respect and work with it. These colors will love your roof. I would paint the body a very creamy color, trim with the soft aqua and the door with pop of color. This will make the focus on the beautiful porch and entry. The California Bungalow was originally soft, beachy colors, so I'm just throwing out what I 'think' would have been done..but I don't have a real color chart...just some I snagged.
  • Liz Liz on Jun 12, 2013
    I love the color scheme Junkgypsee has showing, you could use the teal/aqua on the door if you don't want too much of it. But 3 colors is a must! It is costly to change the color and the sage green is a nice color, just paint the brown trim in a off white with a red door. If you could to add additional pillars on each side of the steps to match the corners would be nice and/or add some faux stone. Very cute house!!
    • See 1 previous
    • Liz Liz on Aug 13, 2013
      @Marissa White around the windows and soffit/fascia, only the door in red. You could add some red flower pots etc for accents. You are lucky to have such an adorable home to spruce up. It's so rewarding to put own labor and choices into our homes! Thank for liking my suggestion.
  • Junk Gypsee Junk Gypsee on Jun 12, 2013
    Liz..I love the one on the left..it will work beautifully with the red undertone of the brown roof! It's me..Junk Gypsee, off work!! xoxo
  • Valerie Valerie on Jun 16, 2013
    Try playing with a computer program called Plascon visualiser. (goggle the name) It is a free download. You can use photographs of the house, together with their color chart, so that you can get an idea of how various colors will work for you. It is very simple to use.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Aug 13, 2013
    I understand some folks hate bright colors on houses, but I love sunny colors! HA! Our entire subdivision was brown and gray in 1970 and it was sooooo depressing. My house sits down a slight slope with lots of trees....it needs a bright color. You might want to look at the "Cottage Cream" shade but in about 1/4 of the color. That would be beautiful on your house with all he brown. That would change the brown tones in your present color to more of a cream tone. AND it would lift the spirits of the house considerably!
  • Liz Liz on Aug 14, 2013
    Red just on the door but add some red flower pots. You have a lovely house to decorate and paint!! Love the front porch!
  • Phoenix Tent & Awning Phoenix Tent & Awning on May 07, 2014
    This house's construction looks great. Exterior paint colors may not be the only choice you have to make! Sometimes just adding some flower pots or some focal points such as a bright colored door or accent pillows on your porch furniture can help draw the eye in more.
    • Christine Kotlark Christine Kotlark on Apr 10, 2015
      @Phoenix Tent & Awning Agreed, like under the second floor windows, maybe a window box? and if you painted the pillars a darker color the tie in the roof color it would not look as if the heavy roof is squishing the porch.
  • Susan Susan on Mar 14, 2015
    A pale yellow
  • Alita Knupp Kiss Alita Knupp Kiss on Sep 03, 2015
    I painted my siding tan with the shutters and around windows brown, about ten years ago. Last spring we replaced our front porch using the same colors. Boring! This spring I painted my porch floor and front door a sort of aqua teal color. It reminds me of the beach with the sand and water. It changed it from boring to a pop of color on my street!
  • Kincaid99 Kincaid99 on Sep 24, 2015
    I would stay away from yellow, my house is brown and yellow and it is disgusting.
  • Denise Esposito Denise Esposito on Sep 28, 2015
    Eggshell blue with maybe soft teal accents
  • Noreen Noreen on Mar 14, 2016
    I would love to see a pale yellow color. Goes great with the brown.
  • Fou6698062 Fou6698062 on Jul 11, 2016
    Here is my 2 cents: sage green for the house, keep the brown trim, choose a favorite color for the front door,( butter yellow?) And use that color to paint the interior of the windows. Flower boxes along the front of the porch, 2 large pots with bright flowers at either side of the steps. Paint the steps sage green also. Your dim porch light can be modified to add some lighting to the interior roof of the porch by using a "light-socket to electrical plug converter". Garage sale chandeliers painted white are simple and pretty. Have the screen door re-screened with invisible screen and paint the frame the same color as the door. Save money be looking thru "oops paint" at your hardware store, 5 gallons is a fraction of the cost if it was the wrong color for someone else, but the right color for you. :) cheers!