i think you need a 3rd color, for the trim.

this is my house... i like black sashes, but the trim needs more of a stand out than being body color.

leave the downspouts body color.

I would vote no on the black gutters. The gutters that come from the factory are way too dark black. Match the gutters to the house.

Also, I would test black because some are more interesting than others.

Update the lights at the entrance.

nnigrt: Thanks for the feedback. I've thought about using a third color for the trim and think that the white trim around your windows looks great, but I'm not sure how it would look on ours since the width of the trim is not uniform like yours. Thanks for the advice on the gutters.

Thanks Beverly! We've tested the blacks and decided that we like tricorn black the best. It also happens to be the closest black to the factory black gutters that we tested. Any idea whether gutters can be painted the same color as the house?

Great looking house! I like the light fixtures in Beverly's last pic.

I like the light fixtures too, but unfortunately the current fixtures are gas fixtures (that put off absolutely no light).

Can't the rounded moldings over the top windows still be black even if you just paint the sashes? It's not like there is a lot of it - you can be on site when it's painted and just change that element to white if you don't like it.

I actually like black gutters and think they would look good.

Thanks Brickwood. Good idea on the rounded moulding on the top window--I think that's probably what I'll do. Any opinion on painting sashes and casings v. just sashes?

love the house....I vote to keep the gutters white.

There are two parts to what we generally refer to as "gutters," gutters and leaders. I think black gutters would look great. I initially thought I'd do white leaders with black gutters, but then I found this house and it looks great with all black on a white house.

Banbury · More Info

Project One · More Info

On a closer look, the sample house you chose has black gutters and leaders, too. When you get them, you might want to get 5 inch leaders rather than the normal 3 inch. I have the larger ones and there is less of a chance of them clogging.

Thanks houssaon. Do you think two black leaders on either side of the door would look fine? (see current view of house for reference).

Houssaon, I think you've gotten your terminology mixed up. Gutters are the horizontal troughs along the roof's bottom edge that catch the water. Downspouts (or leaders for our non-USA friends) are the vertical sections, which carry the water to the ground. ;) Speaking of leaders, though, I think round, black gutters and downspouts with collection boxes (or conductor heads or leader heads) would look great (with so many different names for the same things, it is a little confusing!)

Since they're front and center, they might as well be pretty!

I was inspired by some other photo shops, so I did my own. Black gutters or not? (you may need to squint).

i dont care for them black, and here's why.... its a coin flip if they are perfectly aligned. but... gutter guys arent exactly artistes, and you may have some wonkyness that you dont really want to highlight. not *quite* symmetric, not *quite* straight, blown out of kilter every time its windy... if you walk around your neighborhood you might see what i mean.

just a thought.

I still like the black gutters.

Agree with Lori on the liquid eyeliner comment. Also agree on Tricorn...great black.

Gutters are supposed to disappear, not be enhanced. They are functional pieces, not accents. I would get them in white. Or black along the roofline, and white for the downspouts. Don't highlight them.

Gutter material comes in quite a few colors and usually even if it is off a shade it will blend in. If you are that picky have them painted but know they are going to flake at some point so it will be a maintenance issue.

Gutters and leaders also come in different profiles and also the way they are hung. They make exposed hangers for a more traditional look and the downspouts also come in different shapes. If you are putting that much thought into it make sure you use a Co that shows you all your options as there are a lot of them.

Problem with darker colors especially black is they will dull and look chaulky fairly quick.

How about copper or? They make a lot of color options now that look like copper, bare metal but are actually plain coated gutter materials.

Beautiful house.

I spent a few years painting gutters and downspouts (particularly downspouts) so they disappeared.

So, when the trend of 'popping out' with color these otherwise utilitarian exterior elements started gaining momentum, I noticed immediately.

Apparently, it's not a new trend; it's a concept pulled from historic exterior color design (of which I know no details). Proper prep and top tier acrylic paint products means the paint job will last as long as the other painted parts on your house.