Thanks for visiting my blog. I would love to help you. I answer questions on any one room or a home’s exterior for $20 (the cost of a couple sample cans of paint). Click on the secure PayPal button below for your convenience. After receiving payment, I will answer your question directly on the blog. Working together, we can save you from costly mistakes and unnecessary trips to the paint store. Let me help you with your color challenges. -Barbara, Your Home & Color Coach
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Dear Barbara,
I hope I’m using this website correctly (not much experience). Here is the problem: I live in Europe, while I have a home under construction in the States (Washington State, Olympic Peninsula). I have to choose virtually everything from afar and the exterior paint scheme seems the most difficult. The house is a story-and-a-half style, dormers in front, set amongst a few pines in an open field. The siding will be shingles of fiber cement (James Hardie). We have settled on a two-tone paint scheme, rich cream (primary) and light-medium sagey-grey-green (accent), plus the fascia will be in white along with the vinyl windows. But … what to paint green is the question. We will have a ‘belly band’ about one foot wide around the middle of the house, and are entertaining a few shutters on some of the windows and a couple of the patio doors. Would you stop at painting those accent areas, or paint the front porch (7′ x 10′) green as well? Would you paint any of the trim/casing around the windows as well? I’m attaching the latest (not so good) photo of the partially framed house courtesy of a future neighbor to give you a better feel.
Many, many thanks!
Hi again Michael,
Thanks for sending the photos. They’re very helpful.
Have you considered painting the whole house sagey grey green and using the rich cream as a trim color? Although it’s ideal to have the trim around the windows match the vinyl, it’s not absolutely critical.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a ‘belly band’ but I would recommend keeping it the house color to avoid cutting the house in half visually.
As for the front porch, have you considered just staining the wood and keeping the porch natural? It would fit your surroundings, certainly. Just an idea.
If you want to keep the green as a trim color, I would suggest bumping up the cream to more of a tan. That way there won’t be so much contrast between the body of the house and the trim. Darker trim around windows makes them look smaller and I’m a little afraid that the cream body and darker trim might do just that.
Hope that helps a little.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Dear Barbara,
I just discovered you site as I was looking for decorating ideas. I just purchases my first home and at a loss for what colors to paint it. It is a very small ranch with a finished basement and the only color I currently like is the basement color. The kitchen has a brown laminate(looks granite) with white tile fllor, white cabinets, and white backsplash. I want something that will bring color to the room but don’t want anything too loud or bold. Any suggestions? The living room(which is opposite the kitchen has dark hardwood floors. I am thinking of dark/slate grey microfiber furnitre, but not sure what to use on the walls or for a throw rug. The room is not very bid so I don’t want to make it too dark. Any suggestions. The hallway leads off the kttchen and living room so I would want to bring one of the colors down the hallway.
Very Much Appreciated!!
Hi Julie,
Try Ben Moore’s Buttermilk (919) in the kitchen to warm it up (also down the hallway) and then Gentle Gray (1626) — a soft light blue — in your family room. Both will look good with the dark woods.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara–
My husband and I have just about had enough of paint samples and tools on the internet that are suppose to help you pick the “perfect” paint color for your house–We have given up!!! All I can say is thank god I found you–I would love to send you a picture and get your opinion–Because we will take it!! Thanks so much for your time and I will wait to hear from you!! Thanks again we are very, very excited!!!
Hey, Barbara
Me and my husband have just purchased a home! I am not crazy about the color of vinyl siding but for now we are going to work with it till we have to replace it. The vinyl is a light shade of blue. The previous owner never put any shutters on it. Do you have any suggestions on the color of shutters you would use? I have seen a lot of homes around that have white, but I am wanting something that stands out a little bit more than white. Our house sits on 3 acres and is far off the road. What color would you recommend with light blue siding?
Hi Heather,
If you have white trim, black shutters will dress up the house and add some contrast with the light blue siding. Another option is navy blue.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thanks! It looks great with black shutters
Dear Barbara,
Amazing! I Googled ‘what color with a green roof,’ and there you are! I’m stuck on a color scheme for our 1920 Craftsman one and a half storey bungalow with all the trimmings: corbels, rafter tails, wide window casings, etc. We have a new green shingle roof (and a lot of it-steep sloped) and, the problem child: red brick skirt and chimney and very red at that! I’ve seen advice about pulling out a lighter green color with creamy white trim. But my interior colors are browns, golds, dark green and brown reds. If I pick too neutral a green it will clash with the roof. What about a burnt gold color on the siding? Any help you can give will be much appreciated. I can send photos. Your blog is wonderful!
Hi Kathy,
Think Autumn for your exterior color scheme (sounds like you already have them inside too!). I think a burnt gold will look spectacular with your green roof and brick. Cream trim will tie the whole palette together. You can add more of the red brick color in accent areas (or pull the green down from the roof — either way).
Enjoy!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
My husband and I have a cute one-story bungalow that was rendered not-so-cute by a very pesky tree situation (see picture below). We are currently in the process of renovating the house and are taking the opportunity to add on a front porch. I love the color that our house was prior to the incident and plan on repainting it the same color (I believe it is Anchor Gray, Benjamin Moore). I liked the black shutters as well and we had a red door that I really liked. I’m having a hard time deciding on a brick color for the columns for the new front porch (the design is also on the link below). Do you have any suggestions the would go with my current color scheme? We will also have a chimney that will be the same color brick that we choose. I can’t decide on plain red brick, painted brick, or some other fancy brick color. Any suggestions?
http://picasaweb.google.com/melroseb/House?feat=directlink
Thanks,
Melanie Backer
Hi Melanie,
I checked out http://www.glengerybrick.com for some color ideas and really liked both the burgundy bricks (Merlot Full Range and Danbury) as well as the “white” bricks, some with purple undertones (Staplehill, Devon, Waverly, and Lorraine White). If you have white trim and a red door planned, I think I would opt for one of the burgundy bricks that would tie in the house color and the door color and really look sharp against the white.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi, Barbara!
What a great site you have!
I’ve sent you an email picture of my house. Here’s my questions:
We want to repaint our house and are unsure of what colour to choose. As you can see, the brick is tan and we’re having trouble coming up with a colour to go with it. What would you suggest? The roof shingles are green and the ends and the back of the house are white colour-lock siding which we plan to paint the same colour as the front. Also, what colour would you suggest for the front door (now green) and the garage door?
Thanks in advance!
Laura Matheson
Hi Laura,
I suggest sticking to earth tones for the paint on your house to blend in
with the brick a bit more and make the house more unified and bigger.
Right now it’s a bit chopped up. Have a look at the taupes and tans in the
Ben Moore Historical Color section — any of those rich neutrals would
look good on your house. Then you can use a couple of shades lighter or
darker for the trim. (White will also work.)
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I am building a new home and plan to use Hardie Board plank siding. I am leaning towards a traditional look: heathered moss (green type color), white window trim and white alum clad windows.
However, I am drawn to the idea of using dark bronze or black alum clad windows. I don’t think it will look right though to have dark windows, white trim and heathered moss.
You can see the facade here and my dilemma: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/GuSDzD-XJQ9CbvIXwjKfxA?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ6O9dGKqv6WvwE&feat=directlink
Would love your thoughts. THanks,
Garret
Hi Garret,
I love the idea of dark bronze windows on your house. Cream trim (instead of white) would be a nice bridge between the windows and the house color. A little less stark of a contrast. But the bronze tied into the roof and metal colors (lights, etc) would be spectacular! Go for it.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
Again, you have great ideas and suggestions maybe you can help me with my “yellow house” dilemma. We just moved back to my childhood home and need to update it. We live in San Diego and the home has a red tile roof and a horrible yellow mustard color all over ! The garage doors are a taupey color with a stamped concrete driveway with a reddish terracotta color along with a brick facade of the same reddish color. I have sent you a picture maybe it would better describe it, I want to get away from the mustard and update my beloved house.
Thank you for any suggestions
Kelly G
Hi Kelly G,
The photo didn’t come through, but I think I get the picture anyway. I would bring your house color down to a sand color to feature the red tile roof and the other red accents. Check out Ben Moore’s Yosemite Sand AC-4 and see if that calms the house down just a touch.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara. I have a contemporary house now stained a rust/brown color. I’m desparate for a change. I finally settled on a sagey green stain with white trim and black doors. I have many shrubs and trees and am concerned that a green house might get lost with all the natural green shrubery, etc. Is is true that I might just blend into the background? Our painter comes next week and now I’m not sure what to do. I’m definitely looking for the house to be noticed from the street….it is set back about 100 feet from the street. I’d appreciate your input. Thanks!
Hi Christine,
You’re instincts are correct. Green is probably not THE best color for making a house stand out among all the greenery of the shrubs and trees. Just about any other color will work, though. You might consider a silvery blue (Ben Moore’s Gentle Gray) which is great with nickel accents, white trim, and a vibrant door color — lemon yellow and orange work). Black doors will also work, as will using the house color for trim.
Lots of options, but I would save green for a house you want to blend into its environment.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I have a 30yr old basic colonial with harvest gold siding. I cannot afford to redo or paint the aluminum the siding at this time but just had the house pressure washed and would like to make a change with shutters and paint the doors. What color shutters and doors (a front door and a side porch door) would you recommend? The trim is white. My roof is new and looks like brownish shake shingles. Thanks!
Hi Pat,
How about Ben Moore’s Gloucester Sage (HC-100)? Or if you’d like something warmer, there’s Georgian Brick (HC-50). See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
We just purchased a home built in 1961 that needs updating and I have no sense of color and style! HELP! Could you give me some advice on the outside of the house.
http://www.shorewest.com/vp/ListingServlet?SITE=SHOREW&ScreenID=LISTING_DETAIL_P&EXCEEDLIMIT=null&totalFound=0&cd_MLS=1227681#
Neither my husband nor I like the color of the brick, but we go back and forth on the pros and cons of painting. Do you have any opinions on painting brick?
If we stayed with the brick color would you have any suggestions to help the house not look so drab? I got the feeling from your website that black shutters was best with yellow brick which is what it already has. We do plan on removing the bushes and trees from the front and I’d like to remove the wrought iron. We also will need to be getting a new roof in the next few years – would you suggest staying with a black roof with the yellowish brick? The front doors are currently painted black and need to be replaced, what color would you suggest?
I saw you offer online consultations, do you also do phone consultations? How can I learn more about your fees?
Thank you!
Lauren
Hi Lauren,
I don’t mind your brick color, but it could use some white trim. How about replacing the wrought iron with white square columns. That would really perk up the entryway. Also if the window trim is painted, you could refresh with white trim paint. That again would give the house a fresh feel.
As for the landscaping, a variety of colors and shapes will modernize the foundation plantings. Right now everything is the same height and color. A big pot of flowers on the front step, and you’re good. I don’t mind the black doors although they’re really black up on the porch (in the shadow). Maybe you could leave the black storm door and paint the inner door a warmer color (Georgian Brick might work — Ben Moore).
See what you think.
Yes, I do online consultations — they’re easier than arranging a specific time to be on the phone. But not impossible, of course. Most people prefer to make a donation (through the blog) — but we can discuss via email (off the blog). bmeglis@yahoo.com (the most reliable for photos)
Thanks for your interest. Hope I’ve helped.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thank you so much Barbara!! One thing I wanted to clarify. If the trim was painted white, would the shutters also be white?
Lauren
Hi Barbara,
I re-painted my guest bedroom (90 sq ft) and bathroom (48 sq ft). The ceiling are 8 ft. There is a private entrance to the bathroom from the guest bedroom. My walls and ceiling have the same medium “knock-down” texture. There is crown moulding in bedroom. All trim is painted in a high gloss white. I painted the bathroom walls and ceiling a taupe color in a satin finish. I painted the bedroom walls the taupe color but left the ceiling with the original paint job. The bedroom ceiling is painted a weathered sandstone flat paint (two shades lighter).
I am doubting my decision regarding the bedroom ceiling color and flat finish choices. I would appreciate your input. Thanks!
Hi Cherrie,
It is perfectly natural to paint the ceiling a flat finish unless there is no light in the room and you need to reflect more from the ceiling. But I think what you’re seeing is the contrast between your newly painted bathroom ceiling (in satin and a darker tone) and the bedroom ceiling (in flat with two tones lighter). You can certainly paint the bedroom ceiling something completely different and match the finish with the bathroom, but it’s okay to use a flat finish on the ceiling in the bedroom. We often use more washable paint finishes in the bathroom anyway so I would leave the bathroom ceiling as is. Not quite sure what else to tell you. It’s just paint so keep at it until you love the finished product.
Good luck. Your color choices are nice!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara,
Long time lurker, first time poster here…
We are prepping our house to sell in a few months, and we are about to start the exterior work. I am trying to find some coordinating colors for everything but the door (we love the navy/blueberry, and since I painted it, I’m biased lol).
My idea is to continue the blue on the shutters (we plan to add shutters to the large front window), use a light creamy yellow for the garage door/wall/eaves/soffits/fascia and white for the window and door trim.
Please help/fix me!
Hi Lisa,
I love your plan. The only slight change I would suggest is painting the window trim on the little paladian window in the front door the same color as the door, that gorgeous blueberry. That way, people will not focus on the little window, but rather on the door itself and the color. That’s it. Good luck selling your house.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thank you very much for the response! We are in the process of painting it now, and I will send you some after-shots to let you see how it played out.
Interesting that you suggest that about the front door. I originally did paint the entire door blueberry, but my husband insists that the door looks “better” with that white window. He also wants me to go back and paint the edges of the panels white. I think it will make the door fancier than is appropriate for the style of house.
Hi Barbara,
Just moved my questions to the appropriate section. So happy to have found this site! I need some serious help with changing our house color. Unfortunately, I chose a bright blue with a darker blue trim on a Victorian when I was 8 months pregnant (and that was 6 years ago). Our 1880 house has a lovely garden and looks very nice and updated on the inside but the outside is not subtle…especially in our historic neighborhood (ps my husband loves it). We live in Newton, MA and I was hoping you could contact me about setting up and appointment. Thank you very much! Rebecca
Hi Barbara,
I like the idea of buttermilk in the kitchen with the brown and countertops and white everything else. I have know decided against the blue grey furniture in the living room and am leading towards a color called thistel which takes on a light sage color in the light but a tan shade without light. Suggestions for wall colors in the living room?
Thanks,
Julie
Before posting a comment,
+++PLEASE READ LATEST POST+++
AUGUST 29th, for changes to blog
Hey Color Coach,
I will be replacing the roof and painting the siding on a duplex I just purchased and am a little stumped.
I’m trying to go for cute/inviting/homie and would like to go with a roof color that is called “Shasta White” (http://roofing.owenscorning.com/professional/shingles/classic.aspx) because there is a tax credit available for it and because hopefully it can help with the energy efficiency as I’m in Dallas Texas and our summers can get pretty hot. I will also be putting in a front porch with the same shingles on top of that as well.
I found a house nearby that has a nice look to it that I’m thinking about mimicking which has a light grey roof (which I think shasta white could sub in for), and a great color for the trim; but, the grey siding looks a little institutional so I’m trying to find some ideas on a siding color that is more “earthy” and inviting, that also matches with the brick.
I have pictures of both my duplex as well as the “model” duplex at kodak gallery -( http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=666416910310%3A1714884470). The entire building is going to be updated with color, and I’m thinking the inside is going to be light colored (maybe a litte butter color with white trim).
Thanks in advance for your help.
Patrick
Hi Patrick,
I’m giving you four colors from the Ben Moore Historical Collection. Since you have white trim (and a white roof), I tend to lean toward the medium tones like Shelburne Buff (HC-28) and the slightly more khaki Yorkshire Tan (HC-23) to coordinate with your brick and balance the house in terms of color “value.” However, since you live in Dallas, you might rather go with a lighter tone, something like the warmer Monroe Bisque (HC-26) or the cooler, grayer Shaker Beige (HC-45). If you want me to just zero in and pick one, let me know. But I thought you should see a few options — you’ll like some more than others.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara
Im in the process of buying my parents home but can’t move in until the renters move out. So while I have some time on my hands I’ve been trying to come up with some color ideas for the front door and vinyl siding, but I’m stumped. The home is curently part brick and white vinyl siding (see link below). The room that is to the left of the picture used to be a porch that has been closed in. It is painted white. I do not like the color white, so my question to you is what colors would go with the brick. I need a color for the front door and a color for the vinyl siding. Should I paint the enclosed porch or add siding to it also? Thanks in advance for any suggestions you have. I have included a link to a picture of the house and also a close up of the brick color.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44506876@N03/4093275896/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44506876@N03/4092510907/in/photostream/
Thanks
Tonya
Hi Tonya,
Congratulations on your (almost) new house! The brick is a very pretty burgundy but you’re right, the white just doesn’t help the overall look. You have a couple of options: 1) if you’re painting the vinyl siding, you might consider unifying the house with a red from your brick, something like Ben Moore’s Garrison Red (HC-66). Making the whole house red will make it look less chopped up and bigger. Keep the white trim since you have white storm doors and windows and consider painting the two front doors a dark purpley burgundy like Townsend Harbor Brown (HC-64). That combination, although monochromatic, will look terrific with your roof color.
OR if you plan to put on new vinyl siding, you can go with a taupey gray, almost the color of your grout. I would definitely stick with the dark burgundy for the door color and white for the trim. Although the house will look a little divided still, the warmer medium tone will blend better than the stark white and pull the whole house together. You can certainly use taupe as a paint color for the vinyl instead of the red, but I probably wouldn’t put red vinyl on the house — you’ll never get it to match the brick.
Hope that helps you get started. Good luck with the move-in.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Lisa,
See if you can hold out for the whole door being blue. I see the patchwork quilt paint technique a lot, but I have to tell you, it’s not the most tasteful. Nothing personal to your beloved husband. The idea around the door is to see the whole door and not just the little details. Just too much.
Good luck.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach