Recommend a dark grey or blue exterior paint color

3 years ago

We're in the midst of a reno/addition and after some unpleasant discoveries during demo, we've had to replace our siding and add new insulation to the whole house. I'd assumed that I'd get to pick a color (siding is Hardie) and had settled on Hardie Iron Gray from the standard options. But the contractor is using unpainted, so now I need to pick a paint color ASAP. Can anyone recommend a good paint color? We're on a busy street and I'd prefer to go darker than the current grey vinyl siding. I think we lean toward a very dark grey, but would consider a dark blue as well.

Photo of existing house and proposed new elevation (with new portico and no shutters) is below - the demo issues have enabled us to expand the window size more than the original plan, but otherwise no changes.

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Tiny J

3 years ago

We just did our house in SW Charcoal Blue, could work nicely on your home.

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Comments (9)

Marylee H
3 years ago
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Marylee H
3 years ago
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smalloldhouse_gw
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks @Marylee H! I think Kendall Charcoal looks too close to what we have now. I want something darker. I've been playing with the various paint company tools and I'm thinking something in the dark blue / dark grey spectrum: SW Cyberspace, SW Peppercorn, SW Iron Ore, BM Witching Hour, BM Soot.

Here are some very bad mockups - any preferences? any better ideas? My husband is of no use on these kinds of decisions!

BM Witching Hour

BM Soot

SW Iron Ore

SW Peppercorn

SW Cyberspace
littlebug zone 5 Missouri
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I think your instincts are right to go quite dark. The white-ish trim looks great against the peppercorn or soot. Speaking of trim, if you still have a rain gutter running down the front of the house, be sure to paint it the same color as the house.
smalloldhouse_gw thanked littlebug zone 5 Missouri
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
3 years ago
Too much gray with roof. I would go with dark blue instead.
smalloldhouse_gw thanked Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
debvanatl
3 years ago
I think witching hour looks best of all the mock ups.
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PRO
PPF.
3 years ago
I'd experiment with some additional portico options.
smalloldhouse_gw thanked PPF.
smalloldhouse_gw
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks all! I now have a massive collection of paint chips and am no further along toward a decision! I'm not sure if the online mockups are all that helpful - when I find images of exteriors with the various paint options, they seem to look very different than the chips or the online mockups. For example, the mock-up and the paint chip makes SW Iron Ore seem very dark - almost black - but this old thread from Houzz shows it painted on a house that looks blue-grey to me.

I'll probably try testing some samples once they get the siding up. The problem for me is narrowing it down to 3 or 4 options. I have trouble making decisions in general and this reno has forced me to make about a billion so far.

@debvanatl I like Witching Hour as well but a few photos make it look a little "brighter" than I think our little house can bear.

@Celery. Visualization, Rendering images I started out wanting just a darker version of our existing color but now I'm tipping over into blue. Still want to keep it dark and grey-toned though.

@Tiny J your house is beautiful! Charcoal gray is now in contention.

@littlebug zone 5 Missouri & @PPF new gutters and a new portico are part of the plan. And the new windows will be double-hung 6/1, at least a foot taller than the existing windows.