HELP! My house is too brown. Need help with exterior colours!

12 years ago

I have attached a BROWN picture of the exterior of my BROWN house. It is obviously too drab and I need to brighten it up. I am keeping my red door and unfortunately I HAVE to keep the brown framed windows for now. I am willing to change/paint the wood sidings/panels, eavestrough, downspouts, and maybe paint the wood pergola. I have blocked out my address. This was taken on a dreary spring day. Any comments appreciated!

Featured Answer

Maria Smith

12 years ago

I think the brown trim on windows is just fine, would never go white trim windows on this house. House would present better if the masonry was uniform. Color for the masonry should compliment window trim and maybe pick up a bit of grey from driveway but have some contrast. . Keep masonry laid horizontally to counterbalance vertical lines, paint pergola same as 2nd floor trim and window color, do plantings/raised boxes beneath window on rt (red geraniums like door color) to soften hard lines and detract from little white window. Planters and other elements need to be to scale of home/entry. For instance, large planter (maybe dark brown in color to match trim) to left of door should come just above bottom of door window and be about as wide as 2/3 of sidelight with columnar plant, draping plant, and color plant accent to brighten entry or one very large bright green fern.

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Comments (11)

houssaon
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
I think it is the dull color of the siding under the windows that is washing out the house.

See how vibrant the brown shades in this house are:
Traditional Exterior · More Info

gargoyle 1546 Paint - Benjamin Moore · More Info
Would look much better.
Cloud Cover · More Info
would look good antwhare you have white now.
Dragon's Breath 1547 Paint - Benjamin Moore dragon's breath Paint Colour Details · More Info
would look good on the pergola, although I would use a solid stain, rather than paint there. Paint the one white window brown to match the others.
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PRO
garden design online
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
Replace the door,landscaping.add hydrangea,hosta,azalea,boxwood,dogwood.
Maria Smith
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
Just saw this in my Houzz update (pic below), you could do a twist on this but in different colors or with the light grey as suggested above, but maybe keep the red door, and the entry wood work dark, like the windows[houzz=
Front Doors · More Info
].
PRO
Sharon Charboneau, RESA Pro, Interior Stylist
12 years ago
You've rec'd some great paint colour ideas. Another way to brighten look of front of house is thru landscaping with evergreen perennials (meaning stay green all year) & ones with bright coloured flowers.

check out Ideabooks for house colours and landscaping - lots of good looks
PRO
ASVInteriors
12 years ago
i agree with Sharon - some additional planting will break up the lines. This house is perfect as a backdrop to natural plantingWisteria or Clematis or some other trailing plant could look lovely over the beamsSome tall Cypress to add verticality and filling out the bed by dotting it with some evergreen bushes such as Azaleas could add some visual interest...
camacho64
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks everyone for your comments. I have taken some of your advice and this is what it currently looks like. I am pleased. Even though it is still brown, it is refreshed.
Maria Smith
12 years ago
Very nice! Love the chartreuse plantings in the mix!
camacho64 thanked Maria Smith
nancy22032
12 years ago
Nicely improved. Some day you'll have to unify the masonry - either go with the brick or the stone - I think the stone is more complementary to your home style. Find ways to use touches of red (like the door) in trims or plantings or pots.
Mary Spagnolo-Paul
11 years ago
I just became a member, as I was looking myself, to see what I could do with my dull brown windows (not even an option for new ones although they are in very bad shape! And are letting out heat and air!) I was wondering if I could paint them white, but then I saw your post and couldnt believe how great your home turned out!! I also really like the picture of the home with the brown windows but with the white framing around them! I do have a small white frame around ours however, our windows are sunk back about 8 inches and the frame is just a very small frame on the outside of the window, or in other words, the window is sunk back and the framing is out front before the window, so its effect is so not the same as the picture above!! Should I post a Pic? Your home is so Lovely, btw...you did an Amazing job on it!
Liz85207 Liz
11 years ago
GR8 job. I probably would have painted the peragolo a brick color to tie in with the bricks but what you have done looks really sharp