Home Help with House Color!

[MakingTheGrade]

DH and I are in the process of buying this house, inspections are underway. It''s a beautiful and charming brick colonial, but the previous owners apparently were trying to hide parts of the house from itself because they painted every aspect and accent of the exterior to blend in with the brick! This results in a kind of monotone and drab house.

I would love ideas on what you think would work for a new paint job. The brick is staying brick. But I thought I would play with the shutter, roof (it needs a new one anyways), and doorway colors.

I''m definitely no Martha Stewart, so I''d appreciate any ideas/input/color photos!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Oops, pic didn''t attach.

Here''s the house as it is:

 

[MakingTheGrade]

My badly done photoshop of just using white and cream accents and a slate grey roof

 

[jewelz617]

Gee, the first thing I thought was that the house would look great with forest green shutters and roof! Cream looks nice too, but if you wanted to go light I'd probably go with white. Another color to consider is black, which is a very common accent in colonial brick homes.

 

[jewelz617]

Let me give you some examples of my rambling

 

[jewelz617]

Here''s with the black and white accents, very classic.

 

[jewelz617]

I think a green roof, white front doorway and black shutters would be amazing. Can you tell I absolutely love stuff like this haha!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I think it needs contrast. I like the idea of white, could possibly get on board with green elements too, but definitely white.

 

[pennquaker09]

Okay, so I think I''m picturing a red door, and navy blue shutters with the gray roof.

In particular, the perfect front door color is Heritage Red and I think the shutters would look good painted in Westcott Navy . Both are Benjamin Moore colors.

I''m picturing a completely different front door, and if it were me, I''d tear down the little porch area and start over. I''m seeing columns and flared stairs.

 

[zoebartlett]

I''m no Martha Stewert either, but I''d suggest a lighter color for the shutters since the brick is so dark. I like the pictures that PA posted.

 

[joflier]

It does look very dark - it needs a something in a white to brighten it up, imo.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks for the tips guys!

Yeah, the brick on this house is much more of a darker brown than most colonials you see which are more reddish.

 

[gardengloves]

We have a brick front colonial too.

Cream/white trim and black shutters really make it pop- very traditional and classic, we put in a wrought iron and glass front door to let light in, but its all trimmed in cream/white and black.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks gardengloves! Any chance I could trouble you for a photo? I was wondering if the brick on our house is too dark for black shutters to "pop"

 

[packrat]

Wanted to chime in to 2nd Penn on the front entrance. It would really make an impact I think!

 

[gardengloves]

Date: 4/11/2010 5:00:02 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
Thanks gardengloves! Any chance I could trouble you for a photo? I was wondering if the brick on our house is too dark for black shutters to ''pop''

sure, here is a photo during the blizzard last month, seems like ages ago, once this melted, we actually had green shoots, now everything is coming into bloom. Our brick may be bit lighter, but if you go for the whitish trim, it will pop.

 

[Hera]

Here's a photoshop of your house with black shutters and a red door (this is what I would do for now but columns do sound like a good idea down the road):

 

[gardengloves]

more true colors showing the black and white against brick, spring shot. I agree with everyone, you can enhance the entrance with more white trim.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I don't like roofs to be a focal point unless they are special (slate, ceramic tiles, etc) so I would stick with something dark. Maybe something that has random hints of color. I like the idea of a red door to brighten it up but would do lighter shutters. Maybe a pretty grayish-blue. I would not use black but I don't like black and chocolate together.

ETA: I would also add flowering bushes to bring in more color.

 

[Clairitek]

MTG- I don''t have any good color suggestions but I was curious if you are buying in the Philly area.

 

[PumpkinPie]

I love the idea of a red front door and white trim. fabulous house!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 4/11/2010 8:40:24 PM
Author: Clairitek
MTG- I don't have any good color suggestions but I was curious if you are buying in the Philly area.

Actually I am.

I had a little sticker shock at how pricey real estate is even 45 min away from Philly! I think we went to 20-30 walk-throughs before we found this one. There was one house we loved, but just as we were seeing it our REA got a call saying it just went under contract. I was pretty sad about it until we found this one. It's old and charming and I love it. I'm looking forward to working on it and having a physical project.

Are you house hunting currently?

 

[Callisto]

Date: 4/11/2010 6:00:44 PM
Author: heraanderson
Here''s a photoshop of your house with black shutters and a red door (this is what I would do for now but columns do sound like a good idea down the road):

This looks nice. I think the overhang over the front door being lighter makes a BIG difference. You could paint that first and go from there...

 

[rhbgirl24]

Wow definitely white! I love the second pic with the white and dark together!

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 4/11/2010 10:31:23 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade

Date: 4/11/2010 8:40:24 PM

Author: Clairitek

MTG- I don't have any good color suggestions but I was curious if you are buying in the Philly area.

Actually I am.

I had a little sticker shock at how pricey real estate is even 45 min away from Philly! I think we went to 20-30 walk-throughs before we found this one. There was one house we loved, but just as we were seeing it our REA got a call saying it just went under contract. I was pretty sad about it until we found this one. It's old and charming and I love it. I'm looking forward to working on it and having a physical project.

Are you house hunting currently?

Nope, I'm actually in the process of selling my house... thats in the Philly suburbs.

Its actually not too dissimilar from what you guys bought, from what I can tell! Based on what you said you spent per square foot in the House Hunters thread it cost about 25% more than ours though. Our home was built in the 1040s. I just finished a major bathroom renovation and have a thread about it in Hangout.

 

[Jas12]

It needs contrast since the brick is pretty dark. I would keep the roof dark and do lighter shutters (my first hunch is white or cream) and enhance the entrance.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I think part of the reason the price is higher than expected is probably the neighborhood. It''s north of Philly, near KoP and next to a lot of swanky things. ,

Thanks for all the great suggestions! Our home inspection is tomorrow, hoping things go well, but it''s an old house so chances are there will be something. Hopefully just not anything too big!

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 4/12/2010 4:14:31 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
I think part of the reason the price is higher than expected is probably the neighborhood. It''s north of Philly, near KoP and next to a lot of swanky things. ,

Thanks for all the great suggestions! Our home inspection is tomorrow, hoping things go well, but it''s an old house so chances are there will be something. Hopefully just not anything too big!

I catch your drift about location and know what you''re talking about. Being near KOP is both a good and bad thing. Good for your wardrobe, bad for your wallet! I can take back roads and be there in about 25 minutes. I love driving through Radnor and Villanova on the way there.

 

[gardengloves]

Making the Grade,

Congratulations on the house. It looks beautiful - a classic lovely beauty. The inside sounds great too, post more pictures when you can.

I love Pink Asscher''s door options.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks gardengloves! The inside is just a charm! But I don''t want to post pics before we close, I know it''s silly, but I don''t want to jinx myself before we officially close! We''re in the inspection stage now, and so far all is going smoothly, but we don''t close until May 27.