Cape cod house colors - help needed!

2 years ago

Hi! I am re-doing the siding and roof of my cape cod style house. I am posting some inspiration pics to show you the look I am going for.

I am looking at using Foundry shingles for the siding in color Mountain Ash. For the roof I am leaning towards GAF Weathered Wood - you can see the samples below and other roof options I am also considering. Please let me know what you think with the direction I am headed in.

I also found this pic on Houzz of someone who used weathered wood for a roof to show you a better idea.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and appreciate the help in advance. Thanks!

Featured Answer

User

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

The third house has authentic wood shutters with all the hardware necessary to actually use them. Workable, correct size shutters must overlap, in this case, because there isn't enough room between the windows. The point being, back in the days when shutters delivered multiple uses, weather, safety, heat, cold, the shutters covered the glass completely and could be fastened from the inside for security.

I believe your post is about color and not shutters, I would choose third from the right as they resemble the white cedar shingles before they weather. Otherwise, go with a darker gray as it would come close to how cedar would look weathered. Expand the photo below to see the different tones of the cedar roofs. Guess which one is new?

A quick history of the clapboard front: again back in the day there were very few trees on the Cape. Cedar shingles presented a more inexpensive way to harvest the most from a tree. Clapboard, a larger cut was used more to show off...the homeowner had more money than the neighbors and could afford clapboard. The other three sides were shingled, as was the roof.

The three houses in this photo are in Yarmouthport, MA on Old King's Highway (rte 6A). White cedar roofs, with white clapboard fronts, and, authetic shutters which overlap.

So,the third house is not horrible. It is authentic. Notice the muntins in the glass windows. Perfect!

Go white for the siding and choose any B.M. Historic color you like for the shutters and a correlating color for the front door.

Check out B.M. Somerville Red. I had it on my front door for over 20 years. I love it.

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Comments (12)

marisag24
Original Author
2 years ago
Also wanted to note I am leaning towards doing green/black shutters.
Amanda Smith
2 years ago
It would help if you posted photos of your actual house.
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marisag24
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks! I dont have pics right now because all the siding has been stripped but it looks just like the third inspiration pic
PRO
JAN MOYER
2 years ago
Separate your images to THIS siding with THIS roof, or THIS roof or THIS one.......
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
There is no way to help without seeing your actual house and IMO you do not rip off the siding until you have materials decided . The 3rd pic IMO is horrible with shutters . they just are wrong there. Even your front entry is a n issue when these decisions are made . So IMO no pics no help.
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
2 years ago
Why fake shingles on the front when your inspo houses all have clapboards.
RedRyder
2 years ago
What makes these inspiration houses look so sweet is they have shake roof shingles and the siding is also individual shake. Weathered Wood will be kind of close since the shingles aren’t solid colored.

Are you going for white on the body of the house too?
Boxerpal
2 years ago
Our second house many years ago was a cute little cape. We lived in a part of the country where capes were not popular. We painted it white with green shutters and everyone loved it. We had neighbors we did not know well left notes in our mailbox or stopped to tell us how great it looked. It was a big step because even our local painter was a little nervous about going white but the white made it stand out in a good way. We loved that adorable house.

Go for it. It is going to look fabulous. I think green will be striking too on your shutters.

One quick last question. Have you heard of Hardie Board. I saw a house recently 20years old with Hardie Board that looked new. A great product and an alternative option for your shingles.

Here are a few more capes that might make you smile

Cape Cod · More Info

Hardie board by James Hardie are the shingles below.

Aged Pewter James Hardie Siding | Kirkwood, MO (63122) · More Info
marisag24 thanked Boxerpal
PRO
VOLAR Home Design
2 years ago
With dark green shutters or black shutters plus white exterior the dark grey roof will be the best ( middle in the photo)
marisag24 thanked VOLAR Home Design
chloebud
2 years ago
Just posting this after seeing Boxerpal’s mention of the Hardie Aged Pewter. This house also shows Aged Pewter.

https://sanctuaryhomedecor.com/how-window-shutters-and-planter-boxes-transformed-the-exterior-of-my-house/
marisag24
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks everyone! I went with the middle roof option. It was a gray with a green undertone. Very happy with the outcome! Thanks for your feedback.