Oh yeah, the ceiling color on the porch should be sky blue.

Bought an 80's house that had been re-shingled at least once. The current color was a fairly dark charcoal like yours (white house), which looked fine. Found some left over shingles in the garage that appeared to be a former roof - much lighter flecked grays, whites and a little light blue - read a light gray. When I had the shingles cleaned (don't use chlorine!), I discovered that the extra shingles suddenly matched the cleaned roof. It had gradually grown darker from molds/algae/dirt over the years (about 10) and was amazingly uniform all around (no trees near house).

So unless you've followed this house since it was built and know that the last shingle replacement was this dark, do try cleaning a small spot BEFORE selecting paint. It could change everything! If you know it was this dark, then never mind....

Temporary for the driveway is not expensive. Just kill the weeds, choose a caulk meant for concrete driveways and fill in the cracks for now. You can DIY brush on a layer of mortar (specifically made for this, just add water) to even the color and make it look new until you decide something else. Worked on mine - and it still has the mortar as the top layer nicely intact.

the reason the ceiling should be sky blue is because in the old days it was believed a blue porch ceiling would keep bad spirits away. Mine is not but I haven't met any bad spirits......I love the lt blue ceiling on the porch with a white pallete...visited several plantation homes in my past.....most have blue ceilings on the porch. There are many alternatives to fixing the drive so whatever the budget allows....good luck with your project....enjoy and try to stay calm....lol....can be stressful

Blue ceilings deter dirt daubers, wasps and hornets from building nests on the porch.

I'd actually go with a buttery white, which would warm up the look. And I agree with the sky blue porch ceiling. Though it may not keep away bad spirits, it does tend to keep insect visitors to a minimum. Supposedly bugs think the light, sky-blue color is the sky. Don't know if that's true, but it does seem to work.

Love white...it's a classic and trim as well. I would go with black shutters and door. Love the black lanterns with the flame bulbs...haven't seen those before. And black rockers a must! Enjoy! Have a blessed.

Ok, I have one more comment. Our porch ceiling is medium light grey w/a blue tint as well as our deck. Never an insect problem. I also used a boat deck paint by interlux, It is called Brightside Finishes (polyurethane). Color: Kingston Gray. This is a great paint that upholds the weather. An old tradition to keep away bad spirits is to add a Gargoyle at the door entrance or a prayer to bless all who enter your home or both! There has been a lot of talk about shutters. Again, start with shutters at the front door to make a grand entrance and dress up the upstairs windows. Rocker are a must. Black is striking with Red kidney shaped pillows or red rockers with black shutters in the background is fun! You have many great ideas from many people to where you are on information overload. Take time to reflect and do a list of your favorite ideas. It is time to get started. Let us all know what you end up doing. God Bless...Doreen

I would suggest an off white, more light cream. This would not show dirt or spider webs like white-white does.

white or bright gray

There is no point trying to minimize the roof. Embrace it's swooping dominance as a feature. I would go for white or just a whisper of grey, with a whimsical front door colour -- whatever is your favourite or whatever would coordinate with any outdoor furniture you have. I feel that every big porch deserves rocking chairs! If your furniture is also white, then you might consider shutters of a complimenting colour, or just cushions and planting to add some colour. If you are daring, you could also paint the decking (assuming it is not concrete) a shade similar to the front door. Then you would have a quirky wow factor (but I realize this is not everybody's preference).

Consider a pale yellow with white trim . I like the green on one of the pics / comments related to the lantern like lighting . It really pops . Beautiful home . And the dark roof will enhance the pale yellow .

You also have to take into consideration energy costs. If you live in an area where its mostly hot, I will cost more to cool your house due to darker shingles heating it up.

I like the dark color. Be different- maybe you'd prefer it be 'whitewashed' if you like that look on top of that color. I saw the outside and immediately thought-beautiful house. Be unique, but if you have your heart set on white, go for it. I think you'd have to add accent colors outside, or it's going to look bland- white outside is just what you said "like everyone else." Pick a color that speaks to you and then get input. I don't know where you live either, but let's say you picked bright yellow, unless you're planning on staying there forever, likely that's a hard color to sell, unless it's common. I'd suggest breaking up the color, or whitewashing over it to tone it down to lighter, but not sure that is the look you want. I love the dark.

You could go traditional old school and play on the historical elements Uncle used. Your house looks to me like a lowland Creole. Have you been to Laura? Interesting color palette they found there under years of paint layers. Santa Maria plantation house, in Baton Rouge is yellow. Then there's the more traditional light colors accented with the green shutters...Cherokee in Natchez, Louisiana, Beau Fort in Natchitoches Parish (a personal favorite of mine as I think it just is classsssy!) or Magnolia Mound, also in Baton Rouge. With your location, you can visit these homes and view first hand in living color a palette that is spot on for the type. Personally I would not waste those gorgeous large windows across the front by NOT putting shutters up. They scream to me for full length working shutters, just the windows though, not the door and sidelights. That's my two cents worth.

It looks very gloomy in it's current color, you can't really see the house. Anything lighter would bring some light onto the porch.

Thank you rebnflames53. The colors on Laura are a little too bold for me. There is a similar style house close by that is yellow, so that color is out since we are so close. I am very familiar with the other plantation style homes you mentioned and most of them are white and light yellow. My end goal is to stick to traditional and go light on the exterior. I am headed there this weekend with paint samples.

Has anyone used or seen SW Roycroft Vellum on an exterior?

From SW color visualizer

Emilie, whatever you decide is going to be lovely, I'm sure of that. You have a great canvas! Going to watch this so please do post some "after" pictures so I may drool. :-)

I love the color it is. If you do go white use three colors.

keep the gray but liven it up with smoky lime green shutters and front door...add foliage in front which leans toward bright greens, then add third color, ie white in small doses or another color...

I love pale yellow with white trim (and green shutters) on this style of house. It has a timeless, traditional look.

Vote for a cream side of white vs a grey stark side of white. There is a color chart that is almost like black and white to both of those colors above! Make sure you look over it! If you like summer hot pink tones and brights/ than white white is your color! If you are a classic exterior elegant style- cream white is going to make you happier! And as for the door.. personally I am seeing a natural wood take a balancing roll.. it is in the front brick.. which btw.. between the brick and a natural door/ cream white will blend. Roof will be fine! Roofs need new ones and you will get to that later.

Hi, Landscaping can add so much color and contrast as well as pick up any paint choices you make. Bright ceramic pots on you entrance walk and blooming shrubs will do lots. So many folks are treating their porches like outdoor rooms now so color can be used there as well.

Right on! I think the other house parts are always like Deborah says.. it is where I start especially if trees or bushes are planned.

Right now I feel as if you can't really see the front of your home. All you see is roof. Brighten it up and show what you have. Paint will certainly help the front but landscaping, lighting, shutters, and perhaps potted plants will all add to the end result. I do agree with Irene Morresey who suggested the grey with white trim. She even included pictures and paint samples. The deeper grey for the shutters would also be a wonderful accent color. My mother always has had the same combo on her home and it was stunning! I'm an Interior Designer and color is my specialty. You don't have to go with white like everyone else, be daring, you won't regret it.

Right now I feel as if you can't really see the front of your home. All you see is roof. Brighten it up and show what you have. Paint will certainly help the front but landscaping, lighting, shutters, and perhaps potted plants will all add to the end result. I do agree with Irene Morresey who suggested the grey with white trim. She even included pictures and paint samples. The deeper grey for the shutters would also be a wonderful accent color. My mother always has had the same combo on her home and it was stunning! I'm an Interior Designer and color is my specialty. You don't have to go with white like everyone else, be daring, you won't regret it.

Here is something to think about that nobody has mentioned yet (I don't think). I love the transom windows! Right now the trim around them is light colored but the trim around the windows underneath is same as the walls. To me, this makes them appear not to fit properly. Painting all the trim all the same light color as the walls will look better because all the glass (top and bottom) will appear dark. That way the panes will line up and unify (even though the trim does not).

Or paint the trim around the transom windows dark like the windows (not wall color). Somehow you need to get the top and bottom to visually become unified.

How about a softer white (cream) on the house with a natural wood beam (brown)?

Your house style is Acadian. It would look beautiful in white with black accents.

NancyNew

I actually like this color, but I agree that the house appears dark. . clean white shutters would give it more character than it already has.

emiliet88 be sure to post your decision - and pictures of the finished project! This is a lively thread, and I think we would all love to see the outcome! Thanks for sharing it.

As an Interior Designer, I would paint it white to brighten up the home. The roof line is very heavy and the white on the bottom would highlight the home. I would however paint the door a prominant colour to add an extra layer of colour.

I see a couple of competing features. The steps are of brown stone yet the roof shingles are a dark dark gray/black. Those two do not relate in any way. How old is the roof? Will it be reshingled soon? I think you might consider how to relate the stone with the roof and paint colors. To me, the stone is as prominent as the roof and needs to be included .

All white is the traditional 'southern farmhouse' style. So, if you want to blend in then that's the route I'd go. But PLEASE don't add shutters unless they are the right size to fully cover the windows if closed. small little 'fake' shutters would cheapen the look of the house.

What about a very light neutral grey - almost white?

In the camp with those who don't think white will work with the heavy black roof. I would also prefer a light grey....

Creamy white on the house with white trim on the windows and also on the columns.. Shutters a very almost black hunter green...

Have you considered Painting the house white with deep cobalt blue columns & trim? Top it off with natural grey wood stain on the porch floor and add some big beautiful ceramic flower pots. You really have a unique home. I'm sure it will look awesome when you're done. Hope it see it before and after.

Be mindful of the roof. It dominates the look of this house.

Off white with black trim would be beautiful it brightens up the porch while highlighting the details of the home.

CAN WE STOP GIVING THIS MAN ADVICE ON PAINTING HIS HOME; I AM GETTING THESE COMMENTS ALMOST DAILY. HE HAS MORE ADVICE THAN HE CAN POSSIBLY READ.

@Austingerryd You need to SWITCH OFF your notifications for this POST. YOU are the only one who can control the comments you get NOTIFIED ABOUT. Scroll down to the BOTTOM it's in GREEN. SEE EXAMPLE--BOTTOM IN GREEN.

Surely we could think outside the box. Since you like white so much, maybe the box is where you want to stay, but I find the limited house colors that Americans choose to be quite boring. Right now, the grey would be good, but it blends into the roof so much as to look drab. I would go with a very light green or a slightly vibrant yellow, keeping all trim white. I favor the yellow, since it would contrast nicely with all the greens of nature around the house.

On another note, since we are now having to dig up shrubs and trees that my husband planted too close to a house, I would make sure that none of those shrubs around your house will grow so big as to crowd or obscure it. You would need to be able to keep a larger one, like crepe myrtle, trimmed up, or move them further away and put smaller shrubs and annuals close to the house.

I never post on here and I'm not a pro but what about this.
Leave the house color as it is, I love it! It's not the color that's the problem, it just needs some pop around it.

Add cedar shutters. Paint the pillars, window frames (second floor and above big
windows first floor), along with the front door a bright white. Fix the bottom
boarding between the bricks and house, paint that white too. Find the color
match to your staircase and paint the brick the same color. Then change out the
shrubs to a lighter green but make sure it fills the open gaps to hide the
underside of house.

To paint the exterior of this house, I will go for white paint.

Taking another look at the picture, I notice the ceiling is a blue or gray that does nothing for the house. The white posts and trim also do nothing. You could paint the ceiling, posts and trim all a light color found in the pretty stone steps.

If this house is south of the Mason-Dixon line, the blue porch ceiling is a must. It prevents dirt daubers and wasps from building nests. No matter the color palette, a sky blue porch ceiling can be found on every Southern home.

Judith Adams, wow, thanks, who knew! I've lived here for two years. I wanted a sort of rip papaya color for the porch ceiling. Failing to find it in composite material, and not wanting to paint, we got yellow. We have every critter imaginable from unidentifiable terrifying bugs to lynx and black panther (yes they are both in NW AL), especially wasps on the porch. No problem with mud/dirt daubers. They were found in an old bird house nearby the porch. Always something to learn.