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fittiger

Need help choosing exterior paint colors

9 years ago
I installed new windows and don't like the white with the beige paint. I'm also looking to modernize the appearance of the house and was thinking using a grey blue paint with a grey accent for the eaves and siding. I'm just not sure how this will work with the rusty roof color.

Any suggestions?

Attached is a photo of my house and another from a Behr color visualizer app, with the colors I was thinking of, Rush Hour & Blue Metal.

Comments (31)

  • 9 years ago

    Try searching "blue house tan/brown roof" and look through the images to help you visualize your idea. Either grey or white siding will work with blue.



  • 9 years ago
    I'm not a huge fan of warmer greens and I would prefer a grey over green. Any suggestions in a muddy grey maybe? If so, what trim color would work well with one?

    I plan to remove the shutters, thanks for the suggestion.
  • 9 years ago
    @Angie X.

    I'm trying to avoid white trim.

    Your other suggestion of using grey trim is what I was asking about. The grey I had selected was the "blue metal" but I don't think I like it with the roof. How would you suggest altering that choice?
  • 9 years ago

    I don't think any shade of gray goes well with your roof. Need to stick with warm tones.

  • 9 years ago

    You might try an image search for "gray house rust roof" since your roof has some red in it. Would more of a gray/olive shade be okay with you? I just think anything too cool will fight with the roof color.

  • 9 years ago

    Remove the shutters and beef up the window trim. Blues are great with a brown roof.


    Benjamin Moore Copley Gray and Elephant Tusk on the trim. Good with a brown roof.

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    Benjamin Moore Blue Note and Benjamin Moore Sparrow on the garage door and gable ends with Cloud Cover on the trim.


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    Benjamin Moore Hale Navy.

    Lochley - Narrow Lakefront Lot · More Info


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    Benjamin Moore Hale Navy, Wethersfield Moss and Manchester Tan trim.

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  • 9 years ago
    I recently painted my house SW Macadamia with SW Rosemary for the shutters and Shoji white for the trim. I love blues and grays, but I decided it just didn't go with the stone. Same problem as your roof, there was just too much orange in it and the opposing colors on the color wheel just fought each other.
  • 9 years ago

    I like Bette's examples, but none of those roofs look as red to me. The Copley Gray or Wethersfield Moss might be possibilities.

  • 9 years ago

    Okay, I think you should give the white trim a chance. It will help with the look of your windows. I actually like your beige paint color. Gray wouldn't be good with your roof. BLue can work.

  • 9 years ago
    Betty, I'm not sure I can beef up the window trim, it's recessed windows up against brick.

    The other reason I was thinking king those colors might work was because I liked them against these rust doors..... But I agree and I still don't think it would look right with my roof.
  • 9 years ago
    I really want something that will stand out, while not looking too crazy. Everything in my area is a muted beige, brown or a natural brick rust/red.

    I plan to add a vertical cedar fence in the front, do some landscaping and I'm adding gutters, which is why I need to find a color.

    I've also redone the interior and it is fairly modern with a hint of mid century.
  • 9 years ago

    @fittiger

    Personally, I think white would look better than grey with the blue paint color and the brown roof. Since you prefer grey though I would suggest to look into warmer shades of grey/taupe that would be more complementary with the brown roof.

    I like the shade of blue with the grey that is on the bottom right of the image below. If you have time to play around with some warmer greys and/or white trim on the Behr visualizer app I would love to see what you come up with.

  • 9 years ago
    take the shutters off and pant the trim the black. it will modernize your house a lot.
  • 9 years ago
    What about one of these colors. Most of these photos have the colors against warm tones, I just can't picture them against my roof.
  • 9 years ago

    Do you happen to know what your roof shingle color name is? Just wondering if that might help clarify, considering everybody's computer monitor reads as a different tone.

  • 9 years ago
    Most of the "warm" accents your are referring to look like teak wood, which is actually considered a "cool" wood tone.

    Out of those 4 images the best one is iron mountain, which is described as "dark grey with warm brown undertones". The swatch looks too dark but the image of the painted house looks just right imo.
  • 9 years ago
    @Bette, I don't know, it was installed a few years before I bought the house. But in person it looks brown with red tones.

    What is the color of the eaves in the Copley grey house?
  • 9 years ago

    fittiger, I'm thinking Sag Harbor Gray might be a possibility with your roof due to some green undertone. Same with Ben Moore's Nantucket Gray and Sandy Hook Gray.

  • 9 years ago

    Benjamin Moore Sweatshirt Gray. See the link for the suggested brown complementary color which is Northcreek Brown. https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/2126-40/sweatshirt-gray?color=2126-40

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  • 9 years ago
    @chloebud,

    Those all look very similar to the color the house is now, which is what I am trying to get away from.

    I'm afraid I may be stuck with something like this though.....and I'm not sure it's worth repainting just to change a slight shade.
  • 9 years ago

    The only thing mentioned in the comments section for this Houzz photo from the builder is: "chocolate" colored aluminum soffit and fascia material. From Alco.

    Salem Avenue Renovation · More Info

  • 9 years ago

    fittiger, it's a little hard to see the actual current color on my screen. Don't worry...you'll find something you like. We're still trying to figure out something for our exterior, too.

  • 9 years ago

    I love Iron Mountain.

  • PRO
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I had the same issue, how to find proper wall gray color with light brown ( shakerwood by GAF roof) shingles. I thought I have to go with graige color. Gray color with brown undertones to match roof and neutural in the same time. I found the solution with functional gray by Sherwing Williams. When I painted it was dark for me...so I went one step lighter with requisite gray. Looks good. Do not go with dark gray/blue that looks like cement/concrete color

  • 9 years ago
    Thanks, I was actually looking at the dovetail, which is pretty close.

    I also found this but no details on color.
    Olema Road · More Info
  • 9 years ago
    My roof added onto pictures of other houses.... Thoughts?
  • 9 years ago

    One thing to consider when choosing paint is the direction the house faces. The facade is entirely in shadow. I think the current color is too dark and your chosen color is also too dark. The Behr visualizer has never worked well for me so I used BM visualizer and some dark blue colors. Here is how they look.

    Your house will look better in a much lighter color.

    You can make your house stand out by enhancing the entrance area.

  • 9 years ago
    Ok, I see your point.

    I'm not sure if it matters but that photo was early morning sun. It's not so dark around noon.

    (See original and new photo for comparison)
  • 9 years ago
    How about this?