What colors should I paint my house? I plan to unify the house by painting the brick and siding one color.

13 years ago

I love an all white house, but think that it might be blah. I plan to replace the front door with one door flanked by side lights and want to paint the door a fun color (robin's egg blue?) I plan to replace the 3 ugly metal posts with classic white round wood columns. The roof is new and my windows are new. Now it's time to paint. What do you think? How can I add curb appeal to the front walk?

Featured Answer

Navy wife and mom

13 years ago

Absolutely , here are some places to work with a color wheel the first is from color lovers it is a color palette software. http://www.colourlovers.com/copaso/ColorPaletteSoftware , this next one is a color palette generator, were you upload a picture you like and it generates a palette from it http://www.pictaculous.com/ , this next one is a color blender were you simply put the color values in and are able to see them as color swatches http://www.colorblender.com/ , this next one has everything from pre-done palettes to color pickers and blenders and working with the color wheel http://colorexplorer.com/ , on this next one you submit your own base color and it automatically generates matching colors for you http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorwizard.asp , this next one is simple and easy to use for finding color palettes https://kuler.adobe.com/#themes/rating?time=30 , this next one you simply find pictures that inspire or make you feel good and they have the laid out color palette with it for you http://design-seeds.com/ , this site also has many beautiful premade color palletes with pictures to see what colors and combos inspire you http://sarahhearts.com/category/color-palettes/ . also if you just do a basic search for color palletes , color schemes you find many things to help you. you may also wish to read a little bit about color theory. Hope this helps.

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Comments (84)

Susan Barndt
13 years ago
http://www.behr.com/dsm-ext/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=192ff3843f267110VgnVCM1000006b0910acRCRD&vgnextfmt=default#vgnextoid=192ff3843f267110VgnVCM1000006b0910acRCRD;channel=INSPIRATION;view=4

Good luck with your project, I prefer not to see real brick painted, however, bluenan has posted some lovely ideas...just add a strong color for your front door!!!!
Anum Ismail
13 years ago
how about beige walls & sidings with red roof / window shutters treatment? with a front lawn divided into levels. with each level having different types of plant in one.
major issue is the landscaping
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conniedial
13 years ago
Sounds pretty..pics? Love color on older home remodels....
Anum Ismail
13 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
nearest are these:
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(reddish shutters)...

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Bud Dietrich, AIA
13 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
ase280 - The photo is a little small but your house looks a bit like the before (which I've added here) of this one:
http://www.houzz.com/projects/14094
The brick was recolored and the siding restained. The front porch was reworked with new columns.
Good luck and hope you get to post finished pics.
wishingwell120
13 years ago
My house is very similar and I did exactly what you have planned. With my house, I felt like the brick dated the house and made it look disjointed. I have received tons of compliments. I replaced the skinny posts with classic columns, I painted the entire house the same taupe color and I added window boxes to my 2nd floor windows. It looks so much fresher and I never regretted painting the brick. It is pouring rain now but I will try to post a pic when the sun comes out. Paint the brick!!!!!
PRO
Ellen Catanzaro Custom Art
13 years ago
PAINT THE BRICK. We did exactly what you are talking about doing, and we LOVE it! It looked choppy when it was two colors, now it looks like a clean, crisp colonial. We used a color close to Benj.Moore's Burlap, then Benj.Moore LInen semi-gloss on trim, and black semi-gloss on the shutters. GOOD LUCK!
J'Aimee Rogers
13 years ago
Bud Dietrich,
That is gorgeous! I looked at the before and after pics in reverse order and was thinking "Why would anyone want to change that (first photo)?!!" LOL. I also like brick and would be reluctant to paint it. It is so maintenance free! But the updating that you did was fantastic!
PRO
Bud Dietrich, AIA
13 years ago
@JAime Rogers - Thanks.
Mary Fyock
13 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
I love brick in its natural color. I would go for a gray that works with your roof shingle color, lighter or darker. Then if your heart is set on a blue door, it would work. I agree with landscaping comments above, too much height, no balance. I've attached a house from online that is similar to yours.
hunterkk
13 years ago
http://www.houzz.com/photos/users/hunterkk
bevballew
13 years ago
Love the theme from Mary Fyock. I have seen that look in my neighborhood and it is cheerful and happy looking house!
Donna Forkum
13 years ago
Why not put stone around the door (where the siding is) . I wish I could see the colors in the brick. That could help with colors for the siding, shutters and front door. A tan or taupe color would look good for what I can see, dark gray/black for shutters and a deep red door. Your round post should be color of siding color.
dmhouse
13 years ago
Excellent demonstration by Bud Dietrich of how a tasteful selection of color for siding and trim can change conventional-blah to sophisticated. No need to make a drastic change like going monochrome. The photos from bluenan look good, too, but the difference is that those houses have much stronger architectural "bones" that can support the monochrome look. Not the case here.
pollygoose
13 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
When we repainted our home in California, we chose a color from the used brick. The painter came out with a gazillion paint chips and we picked two complimentary colors from the coloration found on the surface of the bricks. We also scrapped the white, six light, farm door for an oak Craftsman style with three lights at the top. When it was completed it looked awesome!

I always think that painting brick is a mistake. However, cleaning up the view from the front and putting up columns to replace the metal poles is a perfect start!
J'Aimee Rogers
13 years ago
Good idea, llswink! We chose our front door color (Gray/blue) from a color in the red brick and it looked good, too.
morehouselake
13 years ago
Oh boy! You do NOT want to paint the brick unless you have it professionally prepared and painted. It will be an upkeep nightmare as it will flake and peel if the surface is not properly prepared. I love the reddish brick (very classic) and would like to see the upper part of the house a color of your choice (in a midtone), white trim around the windows, dark shutters, and the porch done is a creamy white to highlight it and make it more inviting. Then your darker/brighter front door will stand out.
Taking out the pine in the front yard would open it up as would smaller understory trees and shrubs with perennials to soften the structures. Maybe some hard structure in a flower bed in the front yard. All are welcoming and draw your eye to the house. Good luck!
curacaoblue
13 years ago
I think it's one thing to paint brick inside a house but painting brick that will be exposed to the elements is not a good idea. I think if you pick a more neutral color and some landscaping that you enjoy you may find that the brick is a very nice accent.
User
13 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
Hi ase280,
You've had a running debate on the painting of your brick (I'm of the paint and unify camp), and was wondering what your thoughts are after the deluge of opinions. BTW, I live in St. Louis where we have cold winters and hot, humid summers and many of our most beautiful and stately homes as well as quaint, charming homes are painted brick.
lois63
13 years ago
Hi. First remove the overgrown landscaping. Also... please never paint over natural brick. Leave the brick and choose colors to compliment its natural beauty. Your house is not balanced center, your porch and eve moves to the right. Either landscape to the left more to balance or remodel to create a center/middle entry focal point. I actually like your current color scheme, classic for your architecture. Build on this with red accents in your landscaping... maybe add a couple cute awnings.
User
13 years ago
Replacing the black lamp post with a white post and copper or bronze lantern will be a nice touch at the front of the yard and relate to the white posts on your porch.
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housegroupie
13 years ago
Do not let the purists make the "never paint brick" decision for you. It's just an opinion, and I'm convinced, after researching the topic for MONTHS, that there are just as many who love painted brick as not. Decide for yourself.

That said, I live in St. Louis, MO - there are many painted (or whitewashed) brick homes here, in the nicest neighborhoods. They are charming and appealing - and sell well, I am told. I plan on painting my own small brick cottage in the spring - a yummy gray tone with an aubergine front door. (My house is caramel-colored brick and I've always hated it!)

Have it done by a pro - and spend the money to "sample" several colors before you choose.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-after-erins-painted-house-177005
housegroupie
13 years ago
More terrific painted-brick homes! http://www.beneathmyheart.net/2011/06/more-painted-brick-homes-and-my-favorite/
dosmeows
13 years ago
These are my before & after shots. The multi look always bugged my sense of aesthetics. I replaced the siding and took a spare piece to Home Depot where they matched the color. Personally, I prefer black shutters and a colorful door. Good luck.
Jason Laforme
13 years ago
You need to address the landscape as well as the siding. Anything you do to the house will be lost by the view from the street and the unbalanced plantings. House can be neutral colors and the brick can be textured . Shutters should be your color and accent everything with gorgeous plants that have color and all season interest. Your house value will go up just by changing the plant scheme . Landscape done right will always return a 100-200 percent on your investment .
Mary Fyock
13 years ago
If you look at profile, you see she has reposted a little clearer pic. There seems to be some landscaping on both sides of walk. You just can't see it for the overgrowth. Trim shrubs way down, and replacing Xmas tree, keeping balance and how much care a planting needs in mind.
magsterbomber
Original Author
13 years ago
I am so grateful for all of your suggestions. I didn't realize how badly overgrown I'd let the landscaping go, so I definitely plan to address it. I do love blunan ideas for soft color palate. I'm not starting my project until April, so I still have time to digest all the constructive criticism. Please keep sending me advise. I promise to post lots of before and after photos when I'm done. Thanks everyone!
magsterbomber
Original Author
13 years ago
PS I am definitely painting the brick and siding the same color. I'm leaning toward a very faint gray, white trim and perhaps a dark shutter (black) OR house "bluenan" suggested that is off-white with taupe color on the shutters, white trim. However, I want an off-beat color for front door - maybe deep regal purple or sky blue or turkoise color. Someone had suggested Halycon Green (as a robin's egg blue)... if anyone has great colorways to suggest to me for body of house, trim, shutters and front door, I'm all ears! Thanks everyone for taking an interest in my design dilemma.
User
13 years ago
I saw a great idea to test door colors. Take a color picture of your house, make a large print (at least 8x10), cut out the front door in the print and put paint samples behind the cutout. It beats holding a small sample up to a large door and squinting! I would recommend gloss paint for a door.
User
13 years ago
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Kathleen Coleman
13 years ago
The door's are all beautiful.
PRO
Tres McKinney Design
13 years ago
Since you desire a robins egg blue front door I am wondering if you like a more subdued palette.
I recommend white washing the brick, painting the upper portion of the house a light taupe all the trim and new pillars a creamy off white and the shutters a darker taupe. Houzz has some great images of white washed brick.
bevballew
13 years ago
You always do a nice job blunan!
PRO
Louis Pardoe
13 years ago
Start by adding extra wide concrete stairs & walkway, it will give your house the illusion of being bigger than it is.
Atalay
13 years ago
What color should I paint my walls? Getting sterling silver appliance and new granite and backsplash (in the brown and tan family color)
bevballew
13 years ago
What colors are in rooms near it?
rinked
13 years ago
atalay, you can make a seperate post with this question in the discussions main page
User
12 years ago
Hi ase280. did you ever finish the exterior of your home? I'd love to see some after pics!
Kathleen Coleman
12 years ago
Tan
PRO
Lori Dennis, ASID, LEED AP
12 years ago
white with navy blue shutters, classic
User
12 years ago
This was posted a year ago and if you read the thread she said she was painting last Spring. The decision has been made.
magsterbomber
Original Author
12 years ago
Sadly, I experienced paralysis by analysis. I haven't done anything but address the landscaping, which has helped a lot. I'm torn now with whether I should rip off the aluminum clad siding and replace with hardi-plank and paint all uniform one color, or just replace front door and power wash then paint over existing aluminum clad siding and brick. I will paint over the brick. I want a uniform look. My house already looks like a mismatched layer cake… I have greatly appreciated everyone's comments. I promise to post an after photo/s once I do something!
Kathleen Coleman
12 years ago
Tan.
lepstein
12 years ago
I think you need a stronger colour than tan, or a bright white. If you go white, a blue door would be awesome. If you go with a stronger colour, do your trim and door in complementary colours (perhaps white for the trim and an interesting colour for the door). Keep your roof colour in mind when you are doing this. Looking forward to seeing your photos.
Katie Gooding
12 years ago
I'm a little late adding my two cents, but it's probably not very helpful anyway. In my old neighborhood there was a house that looked just like yours and was (no offense) kind of an eyesore compared to the rest of the neighborhood (think golf course neighborhood where some homes are 1M+, not that mine was, lol). Anyway, the people ripped the porch off and put in a porch that spanned the entire front of the house with nice big columns and the new porch had a hip roof. They kept the brick put painted the rest and did some landscape as part of the job. I wish I had a picture to show you, because honestly, when they were done it looked better than some of the significantly more expensive houses in the neighborhood.

Probably a different budget than just giving the house a paint job, though :(
lepstein
12 years ago
Just curious. What colour did they paint their house? Big porch sounds nice.
sheilaskb
11 years ago
Perhaps it would be a good idea to paint the brick on the lower part a soft white and paint the upper story the robin's egg blue you suggested, but a shade or two lighter than the robin's egg blue you want for the door. Since your roof and shutters are dark, the blue and white will look wonderful. You might consider using the light robin's egg blue on any soffit overhangs. A bright white would be nice on other parts of the trim.
chicobarbie
11 years ago
I would leave the brick as is and paint the siding white. I would do navy front door and navy shutters for a classic red white and blue color scheme. I agree with some other posters that the landscape is overwhelming your home. You are very lucky your home has great bones!
PRO
Em and Em Enterprises
8 years ago
Seems like the new go to colors are gray and taupe. every other house in my area is what you see. The one White house on the street is a breath of fresh air, very traditional and classic. Not a pure white a decorator white, the house has a dark trim dark gray or black. Your door color is you so keep it Robin Blue. Very traditional looking. Keep the brick as is.
suezbell
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Update?

If you've still not painted the brick, consider painting the siding to match the brick instead. You could then paint your shutters and fascia and window and door trim white.

If it will grow well in your planting zone, consider outlining your walkway and/or driveway with liriope.