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kendravicknair

What color would you paint this house?

28 days ago

We are renovating this house top to bottom, replacing the stucco with a mix of Hardie board & batten and lap siding. The roof will also be replaced. So we have a completely blank slate. The only thing we're stuck with are the white windows. I'd love to hear some ideas.

The neighbors are mostly red brick or beige or gray siding. There are a couple in the pea-green family. There's one house recently renovated that did white board & batten.

Also, the house faces north, so it's almost always shaded on the front.

Thanks!

Comments (33)

  • PRO
    28 days ago

    The only thing we're stuck with are the white windows

    The white color is fine, but consider removing the half round windows.

    Below the red line is foundation and would look best in brick or mortared stone -- no drystack.

    If you must using siding there, run a trim board across and paint the lower part a darker color.


  • 28 days ago
    last modified: 28 days ago

    white, white and white! The white will look well with the windows and matches any roof shade and landscape flower colors.

    I don’t know what you are trying to achieve. Do you want more modern? Just a change ? Your house is very pretty and with some new landscape it would look great. If you want more modern removing the arched windows would definitely change the look. I personally like the windows.

    For a formal clean look I would use a clean neutral white, and pick a cooler shade for your roof color. Remove that tree unless it carries special significance and add some evergreen vertical accents as well as some nice foundation plantings. Good luck with the project.

  • 28 days ago
    last modified: 28 days ago

    Is there something wrong with the stucco, that you want to change it. I think the stucco looks good on the house. I also like the white arched windows. It gives the house a more interesting look. Are you redoing the landscaping too. It could use quite a bit of it. I would paint it a bit darker than it is right now. I dont think white is a good look for it. The house has a slight spanish look to it, so maybe a dark gold color.

  • 28 days ago

    Thank you all for your input.


    The stucco is cracked, bubbling and peeling beyond repair, mostly on the rear of the house. Also, stucco and Spanish are not our style at all.


    Yes, we are redoing the landscaping. We took out several large shrubs that covered most of the house. The only thing we left is the Japanese maple that we would like to keep. We are also redoing the retaining wall.


    I would love to do brick around the foundation, but unfortunately, it is not in the budget. We plan to replace the half-round transoms with a more subtle eyebrow arch. We may be adding a window in that area below the red line to get more light to the basement.


    I'm not sure what I'm trying to achieve either, and that's why I'm stuck. Maybe more modern. Updated but also classic. Cozy. White was my first thought, but I worry that it will be too plain with the white windows and no porch columns or shutters or any way to add wood tones or other contrast other than the roof. I've also considered a very light warm gray, like Repose Gray, or a soft grayish green, or even a navy blue or charcoal. I like all of those when I see them on other houses, but I have the hardest time visualizing them on this one.

  • PRO
    28 days ago
    last modified: 28 days ago

    Maybe you should post pics of a few homes that ring your bell? Are you changing the roof? Are you committed to changing the windows?

    Admittedly, I never understand why people buy a home whose style and exterior holds no appeal for them and then attempt to remake it into something it may not be possible to achieve. Or should not be attempted.

    I'd not replace any window with an arched anything.

    "I would love to do brick around the foundation, but unfortunately, it is not in the budget.........."

    This is why I ask.... show a home that makes your heart sing. This home isn't going to become a classic colonial : ) Or a Craftsman or?

    Maybe a very soft soft white, and a charcoal roof. BIGGER windows and a charcoal trim. As PPF add a line / breaker and the low portion in a charcoal. I see mold.....landscaping far enough from house to avoid that: (

  • PRO
    27 days ago
    last modified: 27 days ago

    I have to agree the house is what it is now and unless those windows ar replaced it will always be what it is, This redo is a huge money pit those quoins in the corners scream Spanish as does the stucco . Poorly designed but Spanish non the less. IMO keep whatever you do to one finish and maybe a nice pale green .No arch at all for the windows if even a hint of change is a must.

  • 27 days ago

    We bought this home because we love the layout of the interior and it is in the part of town we want to be in. We've been looking for a home in this area for two years. It has the same floor plan as another home we looked at that was way above our budget. We really like the gables and the overall shape of the home. The stucco has to go whether we like it or not, so it makes sense to change it to something we like better.


    All of our reasons for purchasing aside - I was just hoping to get some feedback on color schemes that might look good on this house. Here are a few I've pinned that I like. I'm aware that the styles are not the same as the house we bought.


    Lake House · More Info


    Cottage Exterior · More Info






  • PRO
    27 days ago

    Here is a before and after photo. I hope yours turns out better.


    Think about installing retention walls to create a more graceful way to deal with the significant change in grade.





  • PRO
    27 days ago

    CLASSIC "REMUDDLE!!!!!





  • 27 days ago
    last modified: 27 days ago

    i like paler body colors with white windows - maybe SW tony taupe or balanced beige (below) BM pale oak could be another option



    kendravicknair thanked la_la Girl
  • PRO
    27 days ago

    I'M CONFUSED.....?

    We are stuck with windows,,.....

    and this

    "We plan to replace the half-round transoms with a more subtle eyebrow arch. We may be adding a window in that area below the red line to get more light to the basement."


  • 27 days ago
    last modified: 27 days ago

    We are stuck with the "white windows". We have the budget to make a few window changes, but not to replace all the windows in the house to change the style or color.

  • PRO
    27 days ago
    last modified: 27 days ago

    Don't mess with the windows at all. : )

    Use electricity in the basement.....

    Go locally shopping whomever has Hardie or similar in your area. Drag home samples, walk perimeter, and consider roof.

  • 27 days ago

    If you add a basement window, I'd keep it the same width as the window above it, or put it around the corner on the left side. If you want to go more modern, use an off-white or light gray that will blend with your window frames, then add interest with wood or a bright color on your door and sidelights. I assume the quoins will be removed with the rest of the stucco? Will you be keeping the stucco surrounds on the windows? And finally, I would choose your roof color first, because you have fewer choices for the roof; it will last a long time and can't be changed, while the siding color has a lot more options.

    If it were my house, I would like a small deck around the door that includes the maple. You might need a landscape architect to design it because of the slope.

  • PRO
    27 days ago
    last modified: 27 days ago

    Some option to go with light taupe



  • 27 days ago

    Did you say you are replacing the roof? What color will it be?

  • 27 days ago

    We are replacing the roof. We haven't decided on color yet. Trying to keep our options open.

  • PRO
    27 days ago
    last modified: 27 days ago

    or dark taupe



  • 27 days ago

    While I think navy with white trim looks great, I'd really stuggling to see a mix of board and batten and lap siding on your house, unless you change the windows. It will be quite expensive. I'd re-stucco with a crisp white, and spend money on fantastic landscaping.


    It will tone down the builder Spanish look, update the house, but be in keeping with the windows and main features.

    Purdue II · More Info



    Custom Home Exterior Photos · More Info


  • PRO
    27 days ago
    last modified: 27 days ago

    Why not lean into the Spanish style? Keep the arched windows.

    Paint it a light terracotta, keep the quoins white. Add some ironwork?

    Look into a clay-lookalike roof? The Tuscan Clay color looks nice.

    https://www.bravarooftile.com/roof-tiles/barrel-tile

  • PRO
    27 days ago
    last modified: 27 days ago

    I guess from her post, she really can't do the Mediterranean thing. The Stucco is apparently beyond all repair, and that could be a nightmare of who knows what behind it, whether moisture or something else.

    I'd do a new roof, ( charcoal ) keep the white windows which she really can't afford to change, do a soft gray shingle with the white windows ( also budget, ) and concentrate on the landscaping/hardscape at the front.

  • PRO
    27 days ago

    Oh I missed that she doesn't like the Spanish style, so disregard my post.

  • 27 days ago

    White siding or whatever to replace the damaged stucco and a light gray roof would look great! I would ignore the windows if they aren’t in the budget at this point and focus on landscaping. I know the OP wanted to keep the maple, but it is big for the area and doesn’t add anything to it.

  • 27 days ago

    I would choose a darker roof, like charcoal. Here in my area at least, light color roofs, always end up with dark streaks on them, and look old in a year.

  • 27 days ago
    last modified: 26 days ago

    It's rude to suggest someone should have bought a different style house in this RE market and the OP should not have to justify their decision to anyone.

    That being siad, it would be helpful to show photos of the damaged stucco and I wonder if was inspected during escrow. The front looks serviceable. I've never heard of stucco bubbling, perhaps it was not prepped properly before painting or it's the paint that is the problem.

    I agree to embrace the style and try to repair the stucco perhaps by sandblasting and re-stucco certain sections and repainting before I would clad it.

    It is a beautiful home. I don''t see this as Spanish architecture. I like the white inspo photos by Sigrid.

  • PRO
    27 days ago
    last modified: 27 days ago

    ^^Helpful to read the whole thread..........

    She said....

    "stucco is cracked, bubbling and peeling beyond repair, mostly on the rear of the house." ( also not her thing, at all )

    .................God bless Google ......?

    "Stucco is beyond repair when cracks are widespread, the surface is bulging or soft, or there is extensive water damage, mold, or deterioration. These are all signs of underlying structural issue that demand full remediation rather than simple patching. If the stucco is old and brittle or previous repairs have consistently failed, it's also time to consider replacement, "

    : ) The house will be sided, in some color ..t...b..........d as she will not spend to remediate an element she does not like. She bought because she "loves the interior layout".

    As one who loves stucco? I defer lol

  • 26 days ago

    I am hoping she picks a color. So tired of white houses, and so many of them, look dirty in just a short period of time. It would be the last color I would pick for a house. I well, remember my mother scrubbing the house we lived in when I was young, and complaining about the dirt, and it was a two story house, and she couldnt do the upper level.

  • 26 days ago
    last modified: 26 days ago

    We had a white rancher growing up and it was board and batten, I don't remember a problem with a dirty house and we had horses.

    Perhaps horizontal boards attract dust more. The vertical boards might have shed dust more easily.

    We live in a white house now and the iron rust stains from the well water is a problem at the hose spigots. I would not paint it white again.


  • 26 days ago

    Most of the other homes in the neighborhood are either brick or some variation of medium beige/gray/tan/taupe. I'm leaning toward white because there's only one other white house, but I would love some ideas for how to warm it up or add interest. A darker roof and landscaping are part of the plan.

  • 26 days ago
    last modified: 26 days ago

    White on white is nice...like cream siding and white trim.

  • 26 days ago
    last modified: 26 days ago

    I like this example you posted with a light gray/green. Take a look at SW Oyster Bay. Nice with white trim. A medium gray roof can give you more options with color IMO.


    SW Oyster Bay


    Also, SW Repose Gray can be nice with white trim.


  • 26 days ago

    I too live in a neighborhood with lots of brick and tan houses. I repainted my stucco this spring and on the advice of Houzzers, I changed from beige to off-white (SW oyster white). I will also be changing the roof to light gray. I have been very happy with the results, and don't find it boring or too trendy. I think your house could look great with just a paint job including a nice color for the front door and sidelights, and some landscaping.

    Board and batten plus lap siding sounds like an odd combination to me; do you have a picture of how that would look? I wonder if you could just repair the part of the stucco that is crumbling?