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designerblock

Exterior/Trim color and curb appeal

designerblock
7 years ago
Hello everyone! Would like to enhance curb appeal but not sure where to begin. Would painting trim lighter color help? But we have gutters same color as existing trim. Or should we have an entire exterior repainted? Any other landscaping suggestions (I am working on treating the grass) are welcome!

Comments (25)

  • Kris Mays
    7 years ago

    They stucco'd the beams? No.

    Okay, first, gutters can be painted, yay!

    Second, I'd like to see this house in a shade of cream.

    Third, replace those beams or find a way to strip them back to wood (not sure that's possible, I'd just replace them). Those should be wood beams, not stucco.

    Fourth, enlarge your porch area to the right under the window and out toward the street more. Grass should not be growing up to the house.

  • PRO
    CORINNE GAIL INTERIOR DESIGN LLC
    7 years ago

    Gray and white with red roof... make sure the front door is an accent color and not the house body or trim color.
    Black accents work with gray and white.

  • designerblock
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    We were told that the beams are written wood wrapped with chicken wire so we've been dreading opening the stucco to see whats in there. My concern of extending the roof over the pergola is loosing the sunlight. We even got the tile for extending the roof but would have to replace the beams first.. Kris can you recommend a certain name for cream color? and what about the trim, same as exterior or a/two shade lighter? Good point about grass not touching the house, would you say that paving with concrete is better or laying the pavers as in Vstavay pic in ok? - really like the look of the extended patio - thank you! Corinne, I like the look of grey exterior and white trim with red roof but our house is very small and interior is already grey color so wasn't sure if exterior and interior being the same/similar color is ok..

  • libradesigneye
    7 years ago

    Here's a great warm color for red roofs - you can leave the dark brown at the gutters but paint the rest of the trim that isn't around a window to match the house . . the decorative squares sort of date the house. I would paint the stucco beams (better than dry rot beams) and the horizontal beam support a dark brown so they match your gutters, but then do the body in a warm white (it will look like tan - outside you have to use colors to look like whites) and consider a Mexican tile sort of blue for your entry door.

    Back with colors to test ..

  • Kris Mays
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I didn't say extend the roof. That would ruin the look of your home. Extend the porch, your concrete or whatever surface you choose and change out the beams for wood.

  • Kris Mays
    7 years ago

    Try BEHR Whipping Cream or Pot of Cream

  • Bailey R
    7 years ago

    I'd remove all landscape (except grass) ,. Extend porch as Kris suggested, probably widen walkway to the driveway (can't tell from pics how wide it is). Planters across front maybe extending to driveway parallel with porch / walkway. Hard to design without Birdseye view of your yard.

  • libradesigneye
    7 years ago

    Test bm light khaki https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/2148-40/light-khaki

    for the body. Use brown on the horizontal beam and post that hold up the stucco beams .. they can be either color but will likely look better dark.

    For the front door, test bm azurite https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/cw-670/azurite

  • designerblock
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    @libradesigneye so trim around the windows beams and supports same color as gutters and body of the house and trim that is not around the windows warm white and door Mexican tile blue? I agree that the trim right now adds to the dates look
  • designerblock
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Kris, would you do trim same color as the body?
  • designerblock
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    What would look. Better for extended porch - concrete to match the driveway or pavers and if pavers then what kind? We were also considering adding concrete skirt around the house so maybe all concrete would be best?
  • libradesigneye
    7 years ago

    If you do concrete, get it colored and add a salt finish, and layout your control joints / ask them to saw cut them in so it looks like big stones. Pavers would be more meditteranean .. red brick pavers are pretty and can be done in a basketweave pattern just for your courtyard . . leave planter space so there is some green between yard and house .. pocket planter for a columnar yew tree against the side wall perhaps . .

  • designerblock
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    I like the idea of the yew tree in a planter on the side! Thank you for suggestion on finishing the concrete. Lots to think about now:))

  • Bailey R
    7 years ago

    Belgard has beautiful pavers, if budget allows.

  • Kris Mays
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I would paint everything the same white color except your gutters and all of the beams. Otherwise do as LDE suggests.

  • PRO
    Dreamscape Outdoor Living & Garden Inc.
    7 years ago

    You have a very attractive house and I
    agree with Kris May's suggestions for improving the curb appeal. I'd also do the
    following:

    • Replace the concrete path with a beautiful, warm colored paver
      and use the same paver for the new patio area by front door. Place ceramic
      or terracotta pots planted with flowering plants on the patio. For the
      hanging baskets, choose ceramic hanging planters filled with trailing
      flowering plants.
    • The existing shrubs overwhelm the front of the house so I
      suggest removing them. Create a flower bed on the right beneath the
      window. Plant it with a mix of low growing shrubs and perennial plants. Around
      the edge of the bed install aluminum lawn edging which stops turf grass
      growing into the bed and keeps mulch and soil in place. Saves time on repetitive
      yard maintenance work! This picture
      gives you an idea.
    • I get the impression from the picture that the existing shrubs
      may have been planted as a privacy barrier. If you want to keep some sort
      of privacy barrier, I'd plant a couple of small flowering trees or multi-stemmed
      flowering shrubs in the lawn (not too close to the house). Use the same
      lawn edging to create a 'tree ring' around them. Choose trees/shrubs which
      have an open, light appearance, nothing too dense or solid looking (see
      picture of Chokeberry shrub below). If you ask your local garden center,
      I'm sure they'll have some helpful suggestions.

  • emmarene9
    7 years ago

    The most low cost improvement would be to paint out the excess of trim in the color of the house. It would calm the look significantly.

    I don't like the brown and I would change it to a color with less contrast. The gutter can stay brown.

    This type of door is not right for the house and if you could replace it that would be best. Still, doors are expensive, so if you can just paint it a different color that would help too.

    Also, the shrubs blocking the window need to be pruned below window height. That will help a lot. I would not add shrubs near the entry. I would plant evergreen perennials there.

    I am not ignoring the other goals mentioned by others above. Those things take money and careful planning and the help of professionals. I hope to encourage you to do what you can while you are deciding the rest.

    Is the right side of the house brick?

  • emmarene9
    7 years ago

    Painted the house cream with brown rafters.

    Ignore the color around door and windows.

  • libradesigneye
    7 years ago

    Emmarene has done something else that would make a big positive difference for just a few dollars - widened the trim around your existing windows ... easy to do .. I agree that the Victorian style door is not best for a modern Mediterranean style home, thus the suggestion for painting it a strong Mexican tile blue. Thanks E for show and tell - a picture tells a thousand words! Also- where you have mature shrubs .. just trim them severely - 1/3 size until you get them down . . much harder to tear out and plant again in drought climates .. mature things have value just deserve being shaped back ..

  • PRO
    Lumon
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Rainforest Retreat - Patio Cover · More Info

    Hi designerblock, like a few others have suggested, I would strip the beams down to wood and create an actual patio space underneath the beams instead of having grass there. If you want to cover it for protection from rain or snow or debris, there are glass and acrylic options that would let you keep the space bright and full of sunshine.



  • PRO
    ODL, Inc
    7 years ago

    Hey there, designerblock! Changing your Decorative
    Doorglass is an easy upgrade that adds a ton of curb appeal. We think opting
    for a wider, rectangular design could really open up your doorway and
    complement the large windows you already have. Check out our Decorative Doorglass Selector
    tool to choose the perfect design, shape and size of glass for your door. Let
    us know what you think!

  • designerblock
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Emmarene, thank you for the pictures - I can see the difference just from changing the color that few people suggested earlier! The right side is brick, why? Should it be painted differently? I agree with the paint in blue that LDE suggested earlier as well I knew there was something off with this front door until LDE mentioned the style. What style front door would be in line with the style of the house?
  • emmarene9
    7 years ago

    Mediterranean would be nice. I'm not sure if they are easy to find. Then paint it. Probably anything other than a fan door or a Craftsman.

    I was just curious about the brick.

  • designerblock
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Got it, thanks