Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
ckraft24

House is 2 shades of GREEN - Exterior Color Advice Needed

ckraft24
6 years ago

Hi everyone,


My boyfriend and I recently purchased a house in Michigan. The house was built in 1921, and it has a lot of charm, but the exterior colors are terrible. The areas of the house with cedar shingles are stained a greenish gray color, and the areas of the house with wood siding are stained a faded key lime green color (or light pea green). The stairs leading to the front door appear to be a compromise between those two colors. The houses next door to us are red and light blue, so we do not want to match either of those.

We were thinking that it would look nice to go with a navy blue/gray color for the wood siding and to stain the cedar shingles a natural cedar-looking color (very warm light brown color). We don't want to make the shingles and the siding the same color because we think that would take away from the character of the house. We would also paint the door red (a brighter red than it currently is), and keep all the trim creamy white.

However, my dad suggested that we make the siding a light color, maybe cream, because the house is small, and dark colors will make it look even smaller. If we did that, we would make the trim on the house a neutral greige color, like Chelsea Gray, but it might clash with the color of the . One potential problem with going with a light color is that I am not sure if wood can be stained with a lighter color. We could paint the siding and shingles instead of staining them, but I am not sure if it is wise to paint over stained wood.

If someone could give me advice on painting versus staining wood siding and shingles or offer some color combination suggestions, I'd really appreciate it!


Comments (24)

  • Denita
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Rivendell - Cottage · More Info

    What a cute house! I love the roof lines ....it looks like a storybook type elevation to me. Others here are better than I am at selecting colors. I would look at a bunch of inspiration pics to find the combination that resonates with you. There is so much you can do with your new home. Congratulations!

    Here is one pic to get you started:

    2013 Parade of Homes · More Info

    ckraft24 thanked Denita
  • PRO
    PPF.
    6 years ago

    The body of the house could all be one color.


    It's really a neat house -- everything except that deck, which looks like it belongs in the rear.

    Something faced with stone or brick, and a metal railing would be more appropriate, and much better looking.



  • ckraft24
    Original Author
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Thank you for these suggestions. I agree with PPF that the deck is unattractive. I wish we could replace it with brick or stone, but I don't know of any budget-friendly ways to do that. My one issue with making the body of the house all the same color is that the shakes will blend in with the siding. The shakes are a characteristic that is unique for our neighborhood. Many houses in the area are all siding, and I like the extra character and texture the shakes provide, so I don't want them to blend in completely with the siding.

  • Denita
    6 years ago


    Poplar Cottage · More Info

    Rustic Exterior · More Info

    This might be a little more bold than what you were thinking, but take a few minutes to click through to the whole inspiration. It has the siding, and the shingles: red, gray and a cedar look. Even the windows have a trim in the same red.

    ckraft24 thanked Denita
  • shwshw
    6 years ago

    ckraft24 thanked shwshw
  • shwshw
    6 years ago

    ckraft24 thanked shwshw
  • shwshw
    6 years ago

    ckraft24 thanked shwshw
  • shwshw
    6 years ago

    ckraft24 thanked shwshw
  • groveraxle
    6 years ago

    I'm having trouble coming up with a brown for your shingles that I like with the navy. I think you'd do better with analogous colors for shingles and siding:


    ckraft24 thanked groveraxle
  • groveraxle
    6 years ago

    A few more combinations to try on:




    ckraft24 thanked groveraxle
  • PRO
    BeverlyFLADeziner
    6 years ago

    ckraft24 thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
  • User
    6 years ago

    The green is actually pretty good. I wouldn't be so quick to change it, other than to think about the dark on the bottom and the lighter color on top. Especially to anything brown for the shingle. That just isn't going to work at all without something else being beige.

    ckraft24 thanked User
  • PRO
    JudyG Designs
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I like this idea….just one color for the house…the shingles will still stand out as those will be stained and the clapboard painted…so two different finishes.

    You can’t have shutters and although I like the turnstone brown , I think I will like your door AND storm blue.

    ckraft24 thanked JudyG Designs
  • ckraft24
    Original Author
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Groveraxle, thank you so much for making those different color combinations. Your work made me realize I don't like the initial color scheme I had in mind (navy and cedar and white). The funny thing is that the combo you made with green on top looks almost exactly like my house's neighborhood twin (it is located a mile or so from my house). I really like the gray combination you made.

    Thanks to other people's suggestions, I am starting to warm up to the idea of one color for the body of the house :)

    If anyone is interested, here are the house twins: My house is the one on the left.

  • Denita
    6 years ago

    Thanks for posting that twin house down the street. Looks like they may have beefed up the trim around the windows too. I think you have a treasure. It's just a matter of bringing it out of hiding now:)

    ckraft24 thanked Denita
  • groveraxle
    6 years ago

    ckraft, of the versions I Photoshopped, I like the gray the best. It has a bit of green undertone.


  • groveraxle
    6 years ago

    And with a brick red door:


  • groveraxle
    6 years ago

  • ckraft24
    Original Author
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I like the navy blue and gray combo with the mustard door. I really like the gray idea too, especially with that brick red door - Love that red paint color! I just worry because the house directly across the street from me is gray siding with white trim. The architectural style is different, but I don't know if it is in bad taste to make my house the same color. Do neighbors get upset about these kinds of things?

  • groveraxle
    6 years ago

    Some neighbors get apoplectic about these things; others don't much care. You could ask them. They might be so glad you're rehabbing the house, they'll tell you what paint colors they used. ;-)

  • CLC
    6 years ago

    I actually like a green combo, but I think the two tone gray will look nice. If you are concerned about the neighbors, just don't pick the same gray. And don't match their door color.

  • mnmamax3
    6 years ago

    I actually like the greens that were on the house, though I would make the deck match the trim. It's an adorable house and can totally support a fun color scheme. The grey looks nice too but I would choose a orange-ish red for the door (like the brick red Groveraxle photoshopped).

  • wickedwhite
    6 years ago
    This looks great! The door colour really hits it out of the park too. Hope you choose this one. Grover nailed it once again.
Sponsored
KP Designs Group
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars50 Reviews
Franklin County's Unique and Creative Residential Interior Design Firm