House COLOR Help ... PLZZZ!

[April20]

I think you should find the *right* shade of purple and then hire someone to paint the house. Don''t think about it, just pay them to complete the job and don''t show back up until everything is done- trim, shutter, door, everything. Kind of like ripping the band-aid off all at once.

 

[Erin]

BF asked me the other day about this house he''s looking at. He has always wanted to rip vinyl siding off and replace it with wooden shingles. Anyway he asked me if I could pick out any color for a house what would it be. Without thinking too long I blurted out (for the first time in my life) purple. I say go for it baby. The world is filled with too much beige!

 

[Erin]

Ooh another I love

 

[janinegirly]

yellow with black shutters..or am I too boring?

 

[TravelingGal]

Hey Deco, I just saw this...I like yellow and white, but I am SO boring when it comes to this kind of stuff. I actually like the purple with that red door though!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 10/6/2009 8:59:01 AM
Author: decodelighted

Date: 10/5/2009 1:53:25 AM

Author: neatfreak

Also please don't do grappa! In person it is SO bright. A better color for a dark purple exterior is BM caponata. My color consultant showed me grappa outside and it was much too bright.

Good to know. I tried some way too bright purples out - that'd I'd been originally thinking of as shutter colors for the yellow body. The Quixotic Plum from SW is very neutral but also VERY DARK. A true blackberry/eggplant kind of almost black. But I don't like the lighter shades of it higher up on the card. Weird.


Can't wait to see what you pick NF. But I'm not in the FB loupe. Hope you post pix here!

I picked Caponata for my door, Buckskin for most of the exterior, Indian River for the interior wall (basically the wall the front door is on because it doesn't get a lot of light and is set back from the other parts of the house-if you were looking down at our house it looks like a U with the front door in the dip part of the U), and one other I can't remember right now for trim...but basically a few shades lighter version of Buckskin.

Buckskin is this great hearty brown color that isn't super dark but it's deeper than most. I am so excited to get it painted!

I'll post a few pictures for you just not of the entire house.

As for the color consultant-do you have a Benjamin Moore paint store? That's where I found mine. Almost all BM stores have color consultants on staff and many of them have side businesses where they will come to you and help. Mine was really great. I feel like I ended up with a more sophisticated version of the colors I really liked.

 

[decodelighted]

HOLD THE PHONE!

Starset Princess ... WHERE did you find that heavenly picture??? I''ve spent the last three hours trying to figure out what purple is on the house in the first picture you posted. I LOVE IT. This may be our solution ... a medium shade of purple!

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

 

[Matata]

Love the purple idea. I think it would look smashing. Several years ago on an episode of This Old House they used pumpkin on a house and it was really nice. A warm & inviting look.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Oh, I like the pumpkin! I also love the idea of purple.

 

[decodelighted]

That''s a really cute house, Matata. I like that depth of color -- hopefully in purple. Oh I feel so much better now. Maybe its like the wedding dress thing ... now at least I have a direction to investigate tomorrow & get more samples to try out on the house. I was too scared to paint the DARK purple directly onto it but I think these medium purples might be worth the risk to hone in on the perfect one ... that is, if I can''t find out the exact color of Starset''s picture. I might even take my computer over there to color match. DH loves it too!!!!!!!

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 10/6/2009 6:21:35 PM
Author: neatfreak
I picked Caponata for my door, Buckskin for most of the exterior, Indian River for the interior wall (basically the wall the front door is on because it doesn''t get a lot of light and is set back from the other parts of the house-if you were looking down at our house it looks like a U with the front door in the dip part of the U), and one other I can''t remember right now for trim...but basically a few shades lighter version of Buckskin.

I looked up those colors, Neat.... very cool combo. Around here BM is inside another hardware store & I don''t *think* they offer that service. But maybe! Going to go back there tomorrow for one BM color sample so I''ll see. Pretty excited about the medium purple idea -- as long as its not toooooo vibrant or toooo Barney. That''s what the testers are for I guess.

 

[decodelighted]

Thinking about getting these three Sherwin Williams samples tomorrow ... "African Violet" "Mythical" and "Purple Passage" ... which is closest? Maybe the last one?

Oh I wish I knew what color that house was painted! DH did some analysis of the pixels & found that in SW paints those three had the closest RGB values of the *photograph*. But its hard to say because the picture has colors on the surface of the house & in the creases. And different lighting on different parts. We were trying to match the color in the lower right corner - as it seems to be the deepest value. ** shrug **

 

[somethingshiny]

Deco~ I chose the purple for the poll, but I really like the first purple starset posted. I think it would be adorable on that style of house!

 

[decodelighted]

Or here''s one more Sherwin Williams color I might try ... "Plummy"

 

[decodelighted]

And here is "Plummy" with two different door colors .... red & a lilac like in Starset''s picture. Cute!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Deco, beautiful but I think I would like it a tad darker.

 

[rainwood]

Deco -

If you''re planning to sell the house in the next five years without repainting it, I''d stay away from purple regardless of how much you love the idea. Sorry to be such a killjoy but it will limit your buyer pool by quite a bit. Purple is a love it or hate it color, especially for the exterior of a house.

One thing that''s good about keeping the present color scheme is that having white on white hides any places on your house that aren''t plumb or square or level. You can''t always tell from a photo, but it looks like some places on your house may have that issue, including the gutter. If you paint the siding a different color, those irregularities are going to pop out at you. The more contrast between the body color of the house and the color of the trim, the more noticeable they become. I hate to be so practical but this doesn''t sound like your forever house so you want to do something now that allows you to get the most $$$ later for your next house.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 10/6/2009 9:53:26 PM
Author: rainwood
Deco -
If you''re planning to sell the house in the next five years without repainting it, I''d stay away from purple regardless of how much you love the idea. Sorry to be such a killjoy but it will limit your buyer pool by quite a bit. Purple is a love it or hate it color, especially for the exterior of a house.

One thing that''s good about keeping the present color scheme is that having white on white hides any places on your house that aren''t plumb or square or level. You can''t always tell from a photo, but it looks like some places on your house may have that issue, including the gutter. If you paint the siding a different color, those irregularities are going to pop out at you. The more contrast between the body color of the house and the color of the trim, the more noticeable they become. I hate to be so practical but this doesn''t sound like your forever house so you want to do something now that allows you to get the most $$$ later for your next house.

I appreciate your input, Rainwood. And agree about the contrast issue making flaws more prominent. Something I''ve considered a lot over the last 7 years & apparently every previous owner has too since the house has been white with green shutters since 1950 at least, according to my neighbor who moved in across the street that year. If we go purple we do it knowing that we might have to repaint to sell. Probably would put it on the market with just a touch up or two -- but would repaint quickly if we weren''t attracting interest. The thing about this house is its a bear to sell anyway. Functionally obsolete. Super quirky. Its going to be a hard sell no matter what we do to it. But I was a naive first time buyer used to city apartments & was taken in by its "charm". Oh well ....

 

[April20]

Date: 10/6/2009 8:09:08 PM
Author: decodelighted
HOLD THE PHONE!

Starset Princess ... WHERE did you find that heavenly picture??? I''ve spent the last three hours trying to figure out what purple is on the house in the first picture you posted. I LOVE IT. This may be our solution ... a medium shade of purple!

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

I love this purple too!! I think you should go for it!!!!! Your house has character and I think it''s the kind of house that can pull off a great color (like purple!!).

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 10/6/2009 9:51:31 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Deco, beautiful but I think I would like it a tad darker.

Thanks Tacori! I think we''re expecting those colors to be a bit darker in person as our original pick "Quixotic Plum" was sooooo much darker in person than on the computer. Monitors are a bit of a cr*pshoot -- will have to see when I get it on the house itself.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 10/6/2009 10:04:40 PM
Author: April20

Date: 10/6/2009 8:09:08 PM
Author: decodelighted
HOLD THE PHONE!
Starset Princess ... WHERE did you find that heavenly picture??? I''ve spent the last three hours trying to figure out what purple is on the house in the first picture you posted. I LOVE IT. This may be our solution ... a medium shade of purple!LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

I love this purple too!! I think you should go for it!!!!! Your house has character and I think it''s the kind of house that can pull off a great color (like purple!!).

Thanks April20 & Something Shiny! Re: having someone do it like ripping off a bandage -- I wish!! We do have a painting contractor but I don''t have anywhere to go during the couple of weeks it''ll take w/ on & off again rainy weather here in the Northeast. Why can''t this be a reality show & they pull a big bus away & now we live in a mansion!

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 10/4/2009 6:31:11 PM
Author: decodelighted
YELLOW w/ WHITE

I LOVE THIS ONE

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 10/6/2009 10:39:18 AM
Author: Cehrabehra
Yay Purple!!

Thanks Cehrabehra! And Traveling Gal and Cindygenit & Packrat & MissGot Rocks & MC & Diamondseeker2006 & Paeony & Elmorton & Lucy&Roger & Kaleigh & Thing2 & Neat & LAJen & Heraanderson & Sandiegolady & LTP & Isaku5 & Janinegirly & Matata & Tacori & Rainwood and STARSET PRINCESS (come back with photo details! PLZZZZ)

 

[Mara]

so funny deco because i am not a fan of purple on houses but there is one in our neighborhood that is like a reddish plum and when we first moved in i was like jeez that house is so bizarre...but the more we walk by it, it's grown on me. and now i really like it! i think they have a really rich wooden looking door, like a reddish brown bright mahogany door. that would be fab with the purple. also green plants go great against purple.

but i also agree if you plan to sell it in a few years, don't paint it purple, it will limit your buyers to those who either have imagination, the money to paint it, or are purple lovers too. too bad you didn't paint it when you wanted to, cuz you could have enjoyed a fab purple house for 7 years!

ps..i adore a grayish green house with cream shutters, we have a few of these locally and i just absolutely LOVE them. but i'm neutral like that. hehe.

 

[decodelighted]

Thanks Skippy & Mara!

Glad to hear the "weird" house grew on you! I actually asked my 79 yr old. neighbor today about the paint sitch -- to my complete & utter surprise: he hates the white w/green its always been (shows dirt!) ... and hates the yellow! (he had yellow once, hated it) He loves the idea of purple - though he thought the one I showed him was too dark ... more charcoal gray than "purple". He drove me over to look at a house he''s been lusting after -- which was dove gray with dark bluish violet shutters -- almost blueberry purplelish. I took some pix but the gray was too light for me.

Re: painting it 7 yrs ago. I painted the entire inside & did so much other work ... the idea of RE-painting the already freshly painted exterior was the LAST thing on my list. In fact, if we hadn''t done so much exterior work lately that requires a paint job to cover up primed siding I probably wouldn''t be painting it NOW even. I hate spending $$!

But since I *have* to ... carpe diem?

 

[neatfreak]

Deco I love those purples. And personally I think your house is already going to attract only certain buyers. And IMO those kind of buyers won''t be afraid of the purple and might just love it. I do!

 

[E B]

Love the "Plummy," and I think it''s the closest match. Go for it!

 

[Kay]

Date: 10/4/2009 9:31:32 PM
Author: MC
Original white w/green shutters. The yellow with white is okay. . .sorry to say, the purple isn''t that flattering.

Ditto. I also like the yellow with black shutters, or gray or taupe with dark green shutters.

 

[makemepretty]

I didn''t read all the replies but wanted to advise to NEVER use purple on a house. Around here it''s a, um, lower class kinda thing? It''s used in bad bad neighborhoods. Any really bright color too.

However, for a touch of color look into colonial style houses. They are rich in color, reds or blues dark with white trim...so gorgeous. I wouldn''t have thought a red or blue house would look nice but it''s the right shade that really makes it look classy.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 10/7/2009 7:29:24 AM
Author: makemepretty
I didn''t read all the replies but wanted to advise to NEVER use purple on a house. Around here it''s a, um, lower class kinda thing? It''s used in bad bad neighborhoods. Any really bright color too.

Well so is wearing slippers & curlers to the mall ... does that mean I have to stop doing it?

But seriously, I''ll have to assume that you don''t live near any 1) posh beach communities and/or 2) anywhere that embraces "Cottage Style". Also: I think the scheme will look great with the scrap metal in my yard & the vinyl sofa on my porch.