Paint Update

[nicolewi]

Trying this for first time with Tapatalk. Exterior paint job is done.

I like: I love the siding. I am glad we went lighter. I did the trim around the front door with the siding color, so that we didn’t have the trim color clashing with the door color. I like that.

Don’t like: I think the trim is too dark, but I was trying to not get too far from the darker/grayish tone of the existing gutters and windows. Also, everyone but me felt sure that we needed to do darker (as-is) so the house didn’t look washed out in back.

Overall: I am really happy that it is lighter, but I think both DH and I feel like something is off. Is the chocolate brown too stark?? Other?

[nicolewi]

[nicolewi]

[lessel]

I like it. It's a big change--you kind of 'inverted' colors on your house, so I can imagine it's taking some getting used to. It looks like you had two colors before and went to three? So yeah, that's an adjustment too. I really like the lighter color, especially around your front entrance... really opens it up.

[bee20]

I agree with the way you did the trim on the door. I like the overall look, I think it went from "standard western contemporary" to a little more of an upscale chalet look.

The only criticism, and I really have to think about it, is that with the new color you are coordinated less with the rock cladding colors and they are now more their own element. If you don't like that, you could get big dark brown wooden or wood-look planters (I'd do a half barrel style) and put some plants on either side of your front door to break up the linearity of it. I don't think you need to, but if you still feel like something is off a month from now that's an option.

[rubytue]

I agree with lessel, the off ness is likely just adjustment because it quite a (good) difference.

[audry80]

I love it! I think it looks great!

[artichokie]

Looks brighter, but you're right - something is off.  I think the shutters should be the same color as the trim around the windows.  It'll make it look more cohesive.

[nicolewi]

Should the trim pieces at top and bottom of the windows be painted to match the siding??

I KNOW the trim color is off. It feels off to me. But seriously, we tried so many colors and we just couldn't get it. I liked the one we started with, but it wasn't enough contrast and looked awful with the gutters and windows. The existing color on the house was my second choice, but it did look a little washed out/faded in back. So we went darker...but this isn't right, but I don't think it's "wrong" enough to repaint all the trim.

[deadwing]

I think the problem is the rich, warm brown of the shutters clashes with the cool brown/taupe of the roof. The rest of the trim is cool toned. If it's not worth repainting, is simply removing the shutters an option?

I like the main paint and trim colors! It looks very clean and modern.

[maudefindlay]

You could take the shutters down and repaint with a spray painter fairly easily in a weekend. It'd be a pain at the time, but you'd enjoy the result.

[artichokie]

Sept 13, 2022 15:47:19 GMT -5 nicolewi said:

Should the trim pieces at top and bottom of the windows be painted to match the siding??

I KNOW the trim color is off. It feels off to me. But seriously, we tried so many colors and we just couldn't get it. I liked the one we started with, but it wasn't enough contrast and looked awful with the gutters and windows. The existing color on the house was my second choice, but it did look a little washed out/faded in back. So we went darker...but this isn't right, but I don't think it's "wrong" enough to repaint all the trim.

I don't think so.  I think you should paint the large trim piece on the front of the house (it was light in the original pic) the same color as the rest of the house, and now I'm thinking just to remove the shutters.  They look "chalet-like".  Removing them would update.

You could keep the garage the same dark color.

[nicolewi]

We could paint the shutters, but not remove. I wanted to remove the ones on the front porch only, which are "incorrect" shutters, but there's stone missing on one if we do that, and it looks weird to have just one with no shutters, so we aren't up for that kind of adjustment. DH really likes the shutters. I'd be open to removing them, but I don't think I could convince him.

As of now, I'm planning to just sit with it this winter and see if anything is still bothering us enough in spring to take on a partial re-paint or similar. Unless I have a total brainstorm about some kind of easy fix.

You all might be on to something with the dark brown being too warm. It's much more chocolatey in the sun than anticipated.

[gaudi]

Sept 14, 2022 8:29:21 GMT -5 nicolewi said:

We could paint the shutters, but not remove. I wanted to remove the ones on the front porch only, which are "incorrect" shutters, but there's stone missing on one if we do that, and it looks weird to have just one with no shutters, so we aren't up for that kind of adjustment. DH really likes the shutters. I'd be open to removing them, but I don't think I could convince him.

As of now, I'm planning to just sit with it this winter and see if anything is still bothering us enough in spring to take on a partial re-paint or similar. Unless I have a total brainstorm about some kind of easy fix.

You all might be on to something with the dark brown being too warm. It's much more chocolatey in the sun than anticipated.

I think the brown on the shutters and garage door is too warm. I don't remember your original colors, but off the top of my head I wonder about something like Sherwin Williams Griffin for the shutters and garage doors. We have it as our trim and it reads as a nice grayish brown but can read with a green undertone in cloudy weather.

When we picked our color, we had the paint store write out the different pigments that went into the mixes and found alternatives based on that information because the lighter/darker colors on the cards didn't look right together because of our roof and brick.

[artichokie]

Okay, leave the shutters but paint them the same color as the trim (the mid-brown color?)

Then paint that large piece of trim in front of the house the same color as the siding.

[nicolewi]

By "large piece of trim," I think maybe you mean the beams?? Those are actually big wood beams that are not attached to the house. Is that the part you mean?

[artichokie]

Sept 14, 2022 17:09:02 GMT -5 nicolewi said:

By "large piece of trim," I think maybe you mean the beams?? Those are actually big wood beams that are not attached to the house. Is that the part you mean?

Yes - didn't realize it was a beam.  In that case, leave it (obviously)

Your house is beautiful

[dr.girlfriend]

I agree that the shutters/garage doors are darker/warmer than I would prefer, but it wouldn't bother me enough to repaint now, more that I would think about changing the color when it's time for the next painting. I agree with planters flanking the door, and if you can just take the shutters down I would be interested to see how that would look.

[nicolewi]

Thanks for all the great thoughts! I decided I am moving on from the paint project for now and just sitting on it over the winter. I'll see how it looks in winter/spring and then see if we want to change the dark brown or do something different with it after that. There is something off, but it's not enough to motivate me to immediately change it.

I usually do have things on my porch (mums, Christmas trees in planters, etc) so that will help, too.