For an exterior, you'll want something at the intersection of blue and violet and gray - bm instinct or new hope gray http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/instinct or

http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/newhopegray

Both of these should be fairly light and airy -though one will appear off white (instinct) outside and one will be closer to a light blue (new hope gray).

test them both on posterboards and carry them around to see them in all times of day and night - use a shade between this and white to do the porch roofs . . . home depot will make you samples of these colors to test. . .

Add an apple green door and crisp white trim and columns, I think you'll be quite happy to have realized your vision. Front door like bm shades of spring http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/shadesofspring

Those are exactly what I had in mind! Love the green apple! What about the little trim (wood strips) details where the house numbers are now? (those house numbers are not staying) and the rails? white (same as trim) or body color or green? Thanks!!

ps. I had thought about painting the inside of the downstairs porch walls a lighter color than the rest of the house so what about Instinct inside the downstairs porch and New Hope Gray on all other walls/body. And what about the color for the wooden porch floors on the lower and upper. Sherwin Williams "Porpoise"? columns white and the corners white too or no on the corners? What about the windows - all white or outer white with a contrast next to the glass (porpoise again) ?... see what I mean about selecting the design- so many details!

I agree your home could look very nice with a couple of updates. Since your porches make the areas underneath very shaded, I would suggest keeping those area light. I'd be inclined to keep the brick columns white, re-paint the siding and front door from cream to a warm white so it looks crisper and less dull compared to the columns, change the concrete on the sides of stairs to white, and paint your 2nd floor balcony railing white. Your balcony floor appears blue now and I think that would be a nice color for it so I would suggest re-painting that blue and doing blue trim around your windows to make them pop against the white. I think the biggest area of opportunity in the front is with your stairs, pathway, and landscaping. I would initially power wash the stairs/path, add landscaping around the house and down the path, and add a heavier railing. The landscaping can then bring in color and add interest to the light and streamlined look of the home. Similar changes can be done on the sides of your home.

I think the brick columns and the siding across the middle should be the house color - not the trim color. Paint the rail the trim color white and around the doors and windows white and the fascia white but all the other house siding and trim at corners should be house color.

Yes, you could try using instinct on the front wall as a lighter shade of new hope gray but I wouldn't - select one and stick to it for the main walls. You could use the instinct tone for the ceilings of the porches - - maybe even go a little bluer / less periwinkle there . . like mt rainier gray http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/mtrainiergray

the brick columns are not like the white house - white columns that should be antebellum . . paint them with the house since otherwise that is what you evoke - you have a foursquare - wonderful american style ..

If you want to do the window sashes in a contrast, go to a lighter shade of the apple green - like bm soothing green http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/soothinggreen

that is a shade that will be great next to a warm white, tie things in but be charmingly pastel and bridge back to the door being the star . .

Choose a classic white trim like swiss coffee - not too blue or too cream - kind of a perfect undertone for white next to blue.

For porch floors - i dont' think with blue that you want to go with a warm gray like porpoise - sw will make ben moore colors for you . . or look at their truer grays - for porch floors I would stick with a true gray - they will read blue as they reflect the sky anyway .. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/englewoodcliffs is a tone that seems about right . .

white porch floors - darker than swiss coffee - maybe maritime white - they would be great because they will reflect more light up onto the walls - they might drive you nuts as hard to maintain . . but I think you would like them more than any other choice .. consider it . . http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/oc-5#ce_s=maritime white

thank you for all the great advice! I am going to landscape and the idea of a heavier railing is exactly what the porch needs! Also I am thinking about two porch swings, one on each end of the porch (what color should they be? White - Trim color or one of the greens?). I have purchased dark color ceiling fans (the photo is not exact but close) for in the center of the ceiling downstairs and two for upstairs porches. Also a nice wall fixture for the down stairs porch - see photo - that I will paint to match the fans. The new house numbers will be a dark color too. I really like the idea of the white railing upstairs and white concrete on the sides of the steps and if I paint the wooden porch white/trim that would be so nice and light- just what that dark area needs! So here is where we are: Paint the porches, concrete step sides and rails upstairs white/trim. add a larger wooden railing to the front porch step sides, remove the metal one; paint the new railing white too. add landscaping and a short picket fence (was in the plans already) to the side and around the back yard painted white/trim. add two porch swings; color to be determined. paint the body and the columns one color - "to be determined". paint the doors "shades of spring" green. Paint the window sashes "soothing green". A very light shade of blue or white/trim color like the floors for the porch ceilings? The long sideways siding between the upstairs porch and the downstairs should also all be all painted the body color including the little trim strips? I think I like "Swiss coffee" for the trim and porch floors color. Need a body color! I will get samples this weekend. Mount Rainer Gray or Instinct is what I'm leaning towards? What do you all think? ps. on the side and back doors I have old fashioned screen doors with full view glass doors on the frames. do you paint the screen door the same color as the door?! probably a stupid question! thank you!

The bronze fixtures are going to be great on the pale house - sure paint the screen doors the same as the door - why not? As for the porch swings, I think the lighter green is the ticket!

ok, thanks!

ok, I tried to get the green. I went to SW and I ended up with SW Kaffir Lime and SW Queen Ann Lilac for the walls, with SW Plum Dandy on the door and SW Creamy on the trim and porches. There are so many options it is overwhelming. I think I would like a green on the door just not the one I ended up with on the test (Lime was a bit much!). I did not love the lilac or plum dandy on the house. I'm scared to go with these colors to be honest. The creamy trim was so-so. I tried several variations with the colors; applying them to the sashes, trim, door, etc.. When I put Black Fox on the sashes I liked it the best. (I had this from prior sample purchase.) BTW, I painted the colors on boards and carried them around and I like the colors on the boards! Just not on the house. I did not find this helpful since everything looked good to me on the boards away from the house! Now I'm back to considering a different - more traditional route. SW Black Fox on some trim (around the windows and the strip between the up and down stairs) with a slight lighter shade for the other trim areas like the posts, railing, etc. Then a heather

gray-blue wall/body and a lighter shade of that on the wooden porches and ceilings or maybe white? I think going this route will allow the door to be a range of colors - green, Black Fox, slate blue..... As you can tell I'm at a loss and still need help if anyone is up to it. I saw this house on TV last night, the picture off the TV is not true to color but I think you can get the general sense. I liked the dark trim (I think the door color could be improved upon) and though all this I have really liked the SW Black Fox color. Help if you can! thanks!

here is my house:

The colors you got are too bright (period) for an exterior. SW will make you ben moore colors. Please go get samples of the colors that were suggested andtry a few others in their vicinity.

Originally, i pulled bm new hope gray and bm instinct - muted periwinkle blue gray tones. Instinct is the best of these as it will appear as a pastel / offwhite - best for your style home with the white roof I think. If you want to go a bit more grayed - test bm gray timber wolf or mt. rainier gray

http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/mtrainiergray

These were chosen in two shades to try so you could see them outdoors to see if you wanted a tone of off white or real color. If you want to try a sw color - try sw krypton.

I'm not sure about creamy trim with crisp blue gray. You need a white that echos the white of your roof and creamy is likely too yellow for that. SW has zurich white that should be great with a blue gray wall - http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW7626-zurich-white/#/7626/?s=products&p=PS0

Try them on the side of one of your columns so you can stand back from it. Yes, with too much color, what you were asking for could go wrong. But what matters to get right is the field color and the rest will take care of itself.

You have a terrific house.

The white trim is working - eaves, window trim, door trim, railing. Find the right house color and the rest will follow easily.

The black fox color could work on your window sashes or railings as a neutral . . it is warm but may clash with your bronze fixtures and make you want black fixtures. It doesn't work with straight blue gray as well as some others would It is a warm black, so worst case you can use it on the window sashes.

ok, thank you! I will get the colors you suggested and do a test run. I figured as much but wasn't' sure. I really appreciate your help very much. It is so important to get this right. I will call SW and have the colors mixed so I don't get sidetracked in the store!!

Here is my paint list:

Body, porch ceilings
and columns:

Benjamin Moore:

Instinct AF-575

New Hope Gray 2130-50

Mt. Rainier Gray 2129-60

Doors:

Benjamin Moore:

Soothing Green 535

Shades of Spring 537

Trim:

Window trim, rails, porch floors, eaves, around the bottom
of the house (including the concrete bump outs) and the large middle strip on
the front of the house between the floors (where the house numbers are now):

Sherwin Williams:

Zurich White 7626

The only thing missing is the sashes. Wouldn’t they look better painted a
contrasting color like either the body color or the door color?

If you agree I will get the colors and pick the ones that look best.

Thanks again!

I originally suggested the lighter green for the sashes. I think you will love that. But one step at a time so it doesn't feel like too much. There is a story book right now about exteriors in navy - go look at the whole thing.

I'm using it to show you a navy house with a little green trim that you might like to visit - Your house will be more pastel but it gives you a sense of the difference between white trim and colored sashes - kind of subtle

and bright trim with white sashes (white windows are what most people have prefinished /not paintable ). .when you have good architecture, i always think painting sashes is a great way to show that your home is closer to custom

.. this bright trim is a fun look too - but less subtle and less you i think

So = see what the green door does for you - you will definitely want the deeper shade there. The lighter shade was for your porch swing - either one would work well on sashes.

Here's the link for the story - https://www.houzz.com/magazine/exterior-color-of-the-week-go-navy-stsetivw-vs~51574608

Yes, I took the test but I didn't see the navy article. Nice!

I like the idea of periwinkle with white trim and lime door

I love navy. If I did that and put the whet trim on the ceilings and floor instead of the wall color would the bronze ceiling fans and wall lamp work? Use the greens we have already selected for the door and Indigo Batik for the body with the white trim and what about Navel sashes? the green sashes look a little harsh to me. I think the green goes better with the pastels we had?

I think that is great idea doing navy/blue (darker) sashes, because I think lighter porches would be better, don't you agree? That is the anchor -dark color- that I have been looking for with all the pastel. Also the dark sashes reflect from the glass in the windows providing a sense of privacy that is nice that the light colors do not offer. Can anyone suggest a color of blue to go with the Benjamin Moore body colors; Instinct AF-575 or New Hope Gray 2130-50 or Mt. Rainier Gray 2129-60 and trim in Sherwin Williams Zurich White 7626 and the green doors and porch swings? That brings in the whimsy and traditional, don't you agree?! When I get the samples and try them on the house I can try this blue variation in addition to the green just to see the difference. thank you all so much!

the right undertone and depth of color - so it reads blue not black, even in the shaded porch - try bm kensington blue http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/kensingtonblue - it will read navy / very crisp but definitely an anchor - great for porch swing and pots - consider buying eggshell instead of gloss - gloss makes colors appear darker than they are and here, the color itself is dark enough. Also, gloss is harder to work with and not put too much paint on to get a smooth finish - sashes don't want to have any more paint than they need on them. Do use a tinted primer or the primer paint combo product and do more thin coats if in doubt.

Thank you, great tips. I am going to order the samples over the phone and try them on the house. I love this blue. Very nice. I will let update later with photos. thanks so much!

found this - looks nice - close to what I am trying for.

I hope the colors I have waiting at SW will look similar. :-) going to get them tonight.

that is a terrific blue - but it is a blue on the blue green side instead of the purple blue side - periwinkle side

there are some terrific blue greens for house exteriors - try the historic colors filter at the ben moore website - then google images for the precise paint name and you will usually get a range of photos - pay more attention to the exterior images if there are any - the same color appears about one shade lighter in full sun

Navy house, apple green door, white ceiling and trim and/or white shutters, now what do you think of stairs and porch floor in a burnt orange / rust? The porch is crying out for stylish big clay pots with orange, navy, green and white flowers to tie it all together. Try big hanging baskets on one side of the staircase and two or three big pots on the other. Lovely house!

I am intrigued! but now what actual colors?! I am leaning toward using blue as an accent not the house color.

and then there is always the tan.
The accent on the tan here could be navy and green instead of black. I have so many sample colors on my house! I struck out with the periwinkle blues on the walls- I just did not like them. I liked the greens, all of the new ones! So now I am leaning towards the sage or cream body and navy or dark teal sashes with green accents (doors) or vice versa; navy or teal on the doors and green sashes. White trim still. :-) I have even tried lilac..... I just don't think it fits this house?

I don't think SW did a good job of matching the BM Kensington Blue?

Thanks!!!!! I am meeting my painters asst at SW tomorrow and I am making a decision no matter what. Keep your fingers crossed it turns out well, this house needs to shine!

OK - you know you aren't loving the periwinkle, but leaning more towards blue greens - almost every house you pull has a blue green base color (except for tan and that is what you have now The trim you have and railings will be gorgeous in a creamy white tone against blue green. Test bm wythe blue on your house. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/wytheblue

It is pastel for an exterior, but wonderful with your favorite sw creamy. Then do the kensington blue as navy sashes (it just comes out darker in the shade there) and creamy as your trim. Then, a lighter shade / mid tone blue for the front door. Test bm denim wash.

A pale olive green will work on this house but it will feel too old lady for you unless you really use the third shade liberally - you would want a geranium pink front door like the sample I see and a shade darker pink on all the sashes maybe bm rhubarb http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/rhubarb). Then you will have a pink and green house . . . so think if you love it that much. If you love the pink door and rhubarb sashes, you might instead head to the neutral taupe - but on the cool side - look at bm edgecomb gray - it will read as an off white outside . .

Close but a different spin - neutral house - go to a soft pastel like bm collingwood.

Then, do a blue green front door - boca raton blue or mill springs blue is a historic classic where you can go a bit brighter - and creamy trim. You can use a slightly deeper shade on all the sashes and highlights . . fort pierce green.

It is only paint. mock up combos together instead of all the different things against your existing paint. You can't see the colors properly all next to each other . . the greens start to look good because they are the calmest thing going.

One question .. what color are the houses around you?

That rhubarb is awesome! I like all of your suggestions. You are great! I am making a list for the paint store today and adding your suggestions. why do paint samples cost so much??!! I really like the tan with the pink, that's a nice twist as opposed to the trends. The neighborhood houses... blue grey next door, tan on the other side- (literally one color tan!), khaki with white and black, white, white, white. I don't want to be ugly but they are all tired looking. There is one house down the street that is gorgeous. First it is neat as a pin. The entire front is painted shell, trim and all (I stopped and asked him the color!) and the doors (it has a front door that faces the side street on the right and patio doors to a small porch on the left that face the front street) are painted olive green. The reason this works on this house is because it has a beautiful gigantic gnarly oak tree in the front and a big open window with a colorful stained glass strip across the top that peaks out from under the tree on the front right of the home. The symmetry is perfect! on the sides and back of this house they painted the window screen trims dark, like charcoal (the front has no screens just shiny pretty windows). the front did not need a trim to color to bring it out with the tree, doors and stained glass. This house makes me envious! there is another house that used a somewhat dark khaki with a bright teal blue on all the doors and under the eaves on the face of the house, they accented everything they could in this teal. It's like the color you see at the beach, I mean bright. I like it- because the neighborhood needs the updated kitschy young look that house conveys. it's fun but not over the top. Thank you for all of your help. I hope it turns out good! I will keep you posted.

Look on Houzz for ideas.

Ok I picked colors that were combined from your recommendations here and things I found on Houzz. I ended up with BM Thornton Sage for the walls/body, SW Creamy for the trim, BM Hale Navy for the sashes and accents, BM Wedgewood Grey for the wooden porch floors and (surprise!) SW White Raisin for the doors- (green would still go too). I have samples and am going to put them on the house hopefully tomorrow night. I am going to decide from all the samples I have, because I have plenty! I will send pictures. Thanks!

In order to really see the colors, paint over every single ' sample' you've put on your house, make them white/off white whatever. Then as suggested make up some mock examples (on a plain surface) using the colors you've just chosen in the different color combinations. I think they are great colors and while there are so many out there, it's the process of elimination that can drive you crazy. But look at three, eliminate one, look at two eliminate one, etc. until you end up with the 3 or 4 you've been searching for. I can't wait to see your house in the new colors, it is sure to be a standout amongst the others.

I did paint over some of the colors yesterday with the Thornton Sage. It's just taking so long and I have bought so many samples!! and I feel pressured to make a decision and get it done. I tried a dark teal on the door yesterday. did not like it. I was going to get Rhubarb to try but talked myself out of it at the paint store and got the teal instead. I did not feel like it looked good with the charcoal color on the floors and sashes nor did it compliment the wall color. Saturday we drove through some old neighborhoods of similar homes styles and I saw quite a few homes where the trim and walls were all one color and the accents were limited to specific areas like the doors and one part of the trim or something. I thought that was interesting and thought I should reconsider my ideas. I am exhausted and don't want to start over - I keep telling myself to be patient and don't give up. But now I'm considering all white with color on the sashes only, if any, and Wedgewood Grey on the wooden porches and ceilings (which is nice cool blue). Then maybe a green, blue, yellow or Rhubarb door would look good (I just don't want it to be too harsh or bright). Maybe do the door and sashes the same color - or match the sashes to the porch floors; Wedgewood Grey with a green door. I feel like I'm really making this too hard. It's just important to me the house is fresh and young with some whimsy and something out of the ordinary- traditional. I want the eye to be drawn to the door - not the walls and I want it to be comfortable, interesting and inviting The problem is it takes 35 mins to get to the paint store from home, then another 20 mins to the hope floats then 45 mins to get back home and I work full time and paint does not dry fast!! to get the true effect it needs to be dry! I just feel defeated!! I appreciate all the great suggestions. Please don't give up on me.

We understand that it can be overwhelming. Let me look back tonight and catch up.

yay! thanks!

Sage is going to require reworking all the charcoal anyway. I pulled the rhubarb when I saw the pink you had in your samples. too tired tonight to think but will get back here tomorrow

Paint the house a pale grey-green such as BM Nantucket grey, with deep moss trim and accents. If you want to a add third color consider chocolate brown or deep aubergine.