Color Suggestions and Ideas for Porch and Overall Appearance

Diane
by Diane
Hi, What colors might be good for this sweet little house? And changes to improve the outside appearance? We wondered about changing the porch rail so there would be an entrance to the front door, which would mean putting in a walkway. Or should the rail be left as it is? We have a new front door which will be installed soon. Would like to have a cottage flower garden. This little house was built in 1944.
Would love to hear your suggestions...we are empty nesters and downsizing to this 1100 square foot home. Thank you
  14 answers
  • Chris aka monkey Chris aka monkey on May 18, 2014
    @Diane what a cute place i would leave porch railings there but paint the porch and shutters a color that would pop...a climbing bush on the corner to hide the electrical stuff and a cottage garden with lots of color would look fabulous, i know you asked what color to paint with a beige background the sky is the limit for you lol xx
    • Diane Diane on May 18, 2014
      Thank you... It is a little house, and it needs a little sprucing up, but we like it. What do you think about teal shutters?
  • Polly Zieper Polly Zieper on May 18, 2014
    I agree with Chris,I'd paint the shutters and railing a different color( from the house) and plant shrubs and/or flowerson the outside of theporch railing.
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    • @Diane I think teal would look great. I would think about teal for the door or another complimentary color to teal for the door. I would personally leave the railing the same color so the door pops along with shutters on the porch and use hanging baskets in bright colors to hang down. If this is a sunny side of the house I would think of a tall arborvitae, evergreen, conifer to put between the left window and rails and the left side/corner of the house. Then I would think about flowering bushes such as viburnum or even weigela for blooms and to attract the hummingbirds and butterflies. If this is the east side or north side with morning sun I would think about hydrangeas. and then come out with all kinds of flowers from the railing to curve out toward the driveway.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on May 18, 2014
    I would leave the rail and paint it and the shutters white. Plant a bush that gets tall a ways from the side of the house...read your directions on how wide it gets and add a few feet to have room to get to the equipment...then plant a few minature shrubs in toward the house. I put out a miniature "Christmas tree" shaped shrub years ago and it is still small.
    • Diane Diane on May 18, 2014
      Thank you. I had not thought about white shutters for this little house, but, I have seen a house I like and always watch for when we are in the area. It is a cream colored house and the shutters are white. It is very cute!
  • Z Z on May 18, 2014
    Personally, I'd make the change of where the stairs are placed when you redo the porch. I believe that will give the house a most welcome appearance. I did a virtual to give you an idea of what it could look like along with a few other idea on color and plantings. I couldn't get the color I wanted right, I was thinking a buttery yellow, with navy shutters and porch decking. Add a sky blue ceiling on both the porch and carport to add a little southern charm. Instead of waiting for a plant to grow to hide the electrical meter I'd add a half arbor, leaving enough room for the meter man to easily get behind and under it to read the meter.
  • Z Z on May 18, 2014
    I forgot all about the door so I added a navy door a bit lighter than the deck and shutters.
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    • Z Z on May 18, 2014
      @You've very welcome Diane. I'm glad you like it. I have this thing about that style of door, and different colored gables, so that's why I chose those. I have the blue gables as you can see on my profile page, but not the oval glass door yet.
  • Diane B Diane B on May 18, 2014
    Cute but does need something. I would also re-align the front porch. If you are going for a english cottage affect open the front and add something more tradition like a picket fence for the porch. . You could add decorative wood on top to give charm. I would go with black shutters and trim, white house and red door. I would plant a variety of flowers in different colors. I also would bring out a lattice piece on the side to cover the electric box. They used digital readers now so you can put something in front of it but enough space if they need to get in.
  • Chris aka monkey Chris aka monkey on May 18, 2014
    i think teal would really pop and it is a good color to go with plants xx
  • Chris aka monkey Chris aka monkey on May 18, 2014
    my reasoning for keeping railings the same is cost and if you like to sit on porch it gives a little privacy becky's and diane and jeanette's advice is all great too lol just have fun with it xx
    • Diane Diane on May 19, 2014
      Keeping costs down is necessary on a retired budget for sure. We do sit on the porch a lot, but the house is near the end of a dead end street so there isn't a lot of traffic. Having coffee on the porch in the early morning is great and we enjoy the porch during the day and in the evening as well. When we aren't out there, the neighbors cats enjoy the porch furniture. :)
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on May 19, 2014
    I love yellow and white combo...I have had it on my house for over 20 years and will NEVER change it! I love Becky's idea of the trellis in front of the electrical stuff. Keep in mind that you will have to make something that is movable. Instead of vines on it, put a pretty object like a sun face or large tin sunflower. You can extend this farther out than the edge of the house if you wish...even 6 Ft, then put in an arch and the 6 more ft. Even put in a gate if you wish to have a private area or if you have pets, continue with a fenced area.
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    • Z Z on May 19, 2014
      @Thank you Jeanette. What I meant by a half arbor, was for it to extend from the house enough that the meter reader could easily get behind it. I just didn't want to take the time to draw another angle to show that, as I'm working on the project for tomorrow's article for HomeSpot. Being it's just a meter and not a power breaker box, and if it was far enough away from it, it shouldn't have to be removable so the flowers on it would be okay as long there was enough room for the reader to easily access the meter. In other words a walkway to under the half arbor of either bark, rock or stepping stones. Rule E-2 from the Special Electric Rules of the Alabama Public Service Commision: Meters shall not be installed in locations where the meter readers or servicemen may inadvertently damage flower beds or shrubbery, or where it will be necessary for them to climb fences or other obstructions to read or service the meters. Around here if you do have plantings too close to any meters and they are damaged when reading the meters, they are not liable to replace them.
  • Chris aka monkey Chris aka monkey on May 19, 2014
    well then beings there isn't anything wrong with the railings i would leave them as is just paint them you can't disappoint the neighbors cats lol, i am sure the money could be better spent on updates for the inside... if there is a lowes nearby i shop the sale racks for plants i have 4 rose bushes i got for 5 bucks a piece that are growing like weeds now and beautiful also hydrangea they all looked a little beat up but with trimming and planting with a little peat moss my neighbors commented on how nice they look keep me posted on your progress please xx
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on May 19, 2014
    I know what you mean...I just thought I would mention it...Good to notice you posting...I always enjoy your comments!
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    • Chris aka monkey Chris aka monkey on May 20, 2014
      @Diane i am so sorry for your loss xx
  • Cathy Kurpil Cathy Kurpil on Jan 06, 2015
    I love yellow and white, always happy and cheerful, maybe do the door in a different color. It's a really cute house, good luck to you!
  • Judy Capone Mantell Judy Capone Mantell on Oct 20, 2015
    I agree with the yellow and white house colors and would adda little blue trim…perhaps on the shutters and door? Here are some sites whereyou can see a number of ideas. If you till the ground in November, you canplant wildflower seeds now and will have a beautiful cottage garden in thespring. I notice there is a Habitat ForHumanity Restore in Birmingham and you must go explore it. You can find allsorts of house and garden stuff for pennies on the dollar. We got a $600 Tototoilet for $120 and a huge ceramic sink for $35. They have everything frompaint to appliances. There are a number of these stores here in the SanFrancisco Bay area and we love them You can re-do everything in your house fora fraction. My friend bought an entire new kitchen with 18 cabinets for $1200! The inventory is always different. Here are some sites for ideas! Oh, you aregoing to have so much fun! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/246009198372956561/ https://www.pinterest.com/explore/yellow-houses/ https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=pictures+of+yellow+and+white+houses https://www.pinterest.com/mimitexas4est/cottage-gardening/ http://www.vermontwildflowerfarm.com/wildflower-seed.html https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=habitat+for+humanity+restore+in+alabama&rflfq=1&rlha=0&tbm=lcl&rlfi=hd:;si:5001058914838293558
  • Diana Deiley Diana Deiley on Jan 30, 2017

    I'd like to suggest a great color for the body of the house: Oyster Pearl, a warm cream beige I found @ Lowes, with white trim, black accented windows & maybe a barn red for the front door. You can add pops of color with shrubs and flowers. A flagstone walkway would add another dimension to your beautiful home. Congratulations. Enjoy.