Need Exterior Color Scheme

13 years ago

Hello - I'm having the worst time trying to coordinate exterior colors on the property. I have a large barn which will be Cottage Red (the large sliding doors on the stone foundation could be another color. I believe the main house - a large Colonial with Federal entry will be a Navajo White with Essex Green or Black Forest Green doors and sashes. Now I also need a color for the studio/guest house which is next to and about 30 feet away from the main house to tie the property together. I was planning to paint the multiple doors Cottage red to make it look somewhat like an outbuilding which is is, but I go in circles with Body and Sash colors - Navajo white, Woodcliff Lake, Black Forest Green, Essex Green, Fresco Urbain, beiges. Any opinion/thoughts/ideas welcomed. Thank you. Here are some photos of the building...

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User

13 years ago

House and guest house the same off white with green trim and the barn, red with the off white color of the body of the house as the trim color.

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Comments (15)

carly4
13 years ago
First I love that house it's so awesome. I would paint the doors either red or a blue. You could do an antique white with maybe blue door and shutters or paint around the windows and some flower boxes at the windows and omg it will be awesome
deannab
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks. Flower boxes...what a nice idea!! I like the antique white and blue idea...but it won't tie in with the rest of the property. That has been the hardest part trying to figure out how to coordinate all the buildings so they look as if they are all part of the same property. The old owners kept it simple - they painted everything green :-)
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anne dee
13 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
Pentwater Lake Cottage · More Info

A)color suggestions seen in the inspiration pic

B)Have you considered letting the building remain as is with just a few tweaks to clean up and refresh the exterior. Not everything needs to be perfect!
It's quite beautiful as is .Reno the interior
Reminds me of an Andrew Wyeth painting.
felixgrantham
13 years ago
I'd paint the guest house to match the house.
deannab
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you. That is very pretty. I like how the windows would tie it into the barn, but probably too colorful for our area which is completely surrounded by orchards.

I wouldn't mind keeping it the way it is now that I've had 18 month to get used to all the green. As ugly as the color is...it does somewhat blend into the trees. But there is peeling paint on both the outbuilding and the barn. The main house is in good condition - it is a asbestos siding, but it is somewhat yellowing.
PRO
Sharon Charboneau, RESA Pro, Interior Stylist
13 years ago
if you want all buildings to look like they belong together, probably best for guest house to be painted same body colour of main house, and if you want it to be distinctive do different door colour & trim - so charming
PRO
Sharon Charboneau, RESA Pro, Interior Stylist
13 years ago
Asbestos siding could be issue. It is considered environmental contaminant. My husband did environmental consulting & his suggestion is better left alone - becomes an issue when messed with. Or you have to go to expense of having professionals deal with its removal, as it is toxic. May not be an issue where you live per your building codes; however it is in Canada. Hope this doesn't ruin all your plans.
User
13 years ago
Here's a barn with your dark green trim, but I still like the crisp look of red and white better.
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deannab
Original Author
13 years ago
Ugggh. That was my original plan. But then I was convinced that it should look more like an outbuilding and the main house should stand out.

I wish HGTV would come over and choose the color and paint it for me overnight :-)
deannab
Original Author
13 years ago
The white and green for both may be the way to go. What would you think of almost doing the opposite on the outbuilding and painting the body a dark green with the trim white? Then on the main house white body with green trim?

Here is a photo of a house I've always loved so this is another direction I have considered. I thought staining the building dark might look nice next to a crisp white house and the stone garage and stone barn foundation. Clearly this is a nicer house, so I'm not sure the building could pull this off
User
13 years ago
I have a barn and out building and they're both barn red with white, but my out building is an old milking shed that we use as a workshop and potting shed, so it looks more like what I consider to be an out building. Your guest house looks like a dwelling. You can bring prominence to your main house with landscaping and a portico as a future project, and keep the guest house a more simple structure but with the same primary color scheme.
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anne dee
13 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
white house with red barn
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studio/guest house white (as per felixgrantham)
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deannab
Original Author
13 years ago
These house are sharp looking. I see what you are saying. A portico is in the not too far away future. I'll start looking for a good landscaper in the meantime too. If my place turns out anything like these, I'm in for a tax hike for sure.
PRO
Timberlane Shutters
13 years ago
Adding Board and Batten style shutters will really enhance this home and it'll give it even more of a rustic feel.