When I look at my SW paint fan, poolhouse its very similar to Delft (close in lrv), delft is just a tad bit more green. Thank you!

We're all assuming these colors are approved by the builder and/or neighborhood?

'Safe' colors? Simply a background for the landscaping. I'd rather my garden highlight our new build features rather than the color obscure everything.

Both are great colors and match many houses I see here in Raleigh/the Triangle area.

Delft is traditional. Aqua is coastal.

The designer told me I can pick anything from SW, but then it needs to get approved by the association, but going on google earth, and "walking" through the neighborhood, I do see some brighter colors, which make me assume they are pretty lax. but like I said the majority seem to play it "safe" Probably because I am coming from a Tudor house with light brown brick on the bottom half and almond/tan stucco (with dark brown boards) I really want to do something different/more on the fun side, but at the same time, not be (when I meet new neighbors), "oh, you live in that "blue" house" if you get my drift.

And let me comment that the reason we loved & picked this neighborhood to build was we love the variety of the homes/sizes/styles/colors/different builders.. so the neighborhood isn't one where all the homes looks almost identical/cookie cutter. Its very custom. Its located in Cape Fear National neighborhood in (Brunswick Forest) Leland NC. I dont think the house to the left of me is sold yet, but I know the house to the right of me is doing a VERY light gray (sw passive..a gray. Almost white) so I am trying to do something opposite of them. Which is why a white or grey color is not an option. and I looked at green colors... oyster bay, quietude and painted poster boards, but it just didnt do much for me, kind of just blended into the landscape. So green is out as well.

I think the Aqua might get you more of the "oh, you live in the blue house" reactions. Have you seen this photo of it?

Having said that, we painted our house Cabot's Barn Red (hobby farm on acreage) and a neighbor said to our adult daughter: "Oh, your parents live in that maroon house?"

This is my experience with a semi custom builder neighborhood and the HOA: what you see right now in the neighborhood ("I do see some brighter colors, which make me assume they are pretty lax") may not be what is available to you. You don't know when the fun color homes were built compared to the safe color homes.

Consider asking for HOA approved color palette or scope of options. Otherwise you submit a color, wait for the review board to tell you it's approved or denied, and if denied you'll have to find a new color. In HOA world, the past does not mean the present.

We moved into an HOA, on the 13th with our fence request ready for review only to be denied the day after we moved in. Our desired fence type was not permitted anymore. Even though there are homes with this fence, the new homeowner HOA - acting as architectural review committee- decided, without any substantiating discussion or documentation, that the fence we wanted is not permitted. Neither our neighbors nor other homeowners knew this fence type was not permitted anymore.

I know you want to believe that a custom, high-end neighborhood won't have an HOA with undue influence but that's their role.

I hope you get the color that you want but be prepared with a couple of safe options.

I like that house above that is painted with poolhouse! I think either deft or interesting aqua would be lovely.

On the other hand, I love being the “blue house” on the block!

We stained our house SW Junpier Blue. It looks great. In the mean time most of our neighbors picked a shade of blue. There's dark gray-blue, powder blue, medium blue, light blue-gray and lightish navy. My joke is the street should be renamed Blueberry lane.

Blue is a classy, classic color. Sure, there will always be people who think houses should only be boring neutrals, but you're never going to please everyone, so please yourself.

Hi! Would you be willing to share what you ultimately decided? Currently trying to decide between the same two colors. This picture is apparently Interesting Aqua:

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