Can I vote for the yellow? I love yellow houses, they feel so happy.

Between the two options that were sampled, I prefer the lighter color. I feel like you need something that will contrast with the roofline so the dormers will stand out.

I sometimes cringe when responders come back with answers like this when someone is wanting a change - but here goes: I really, really love the yellow! In fact, I love yellow with crisp white trim on cottage, country, and coastal style homes.

I just can't see the browns and tans with that roof on that particular house in that particular gorgeous setting.

Hmmm - don't know what to say about the latticed arches - I have never seen that before. That is a lot of arches. It would seem to me that it wouldn't cost that much more to totally replace all the undersiding with siding like the house.

I love older, quirky house like this one, so I am going to sit back and see what you and the kids come up with :).

I would say whatever color they paint the arches, paint the inside lattice as well...that will make the arches disappear more and not stand out. See how that looks before they go to the trouble of replacing the lattice. The roof is dark, so I would not paint the house a dark color as well on top of black shutters...it will all be too dark with no contrast. I'm wondering how it would look with the arches/lattice painted that dark putty color you show on the side and then the top half a lighter version with a creamy white trim. I can't tell if the roof is brown or dark gray...if its brown, I would stay in the brown family...if its gray...a soft gray with white trim would look nice. I'm sure the GW community will have lots of good ideas.....

I like the yellow better then the earth tones sampled. I know those colors are in style, but I don't think they work as well with the house

To me the house should be yellow or white, with bottle green shutters. I would paint all the lattice white. Id ask about removing it, but I am not sure what is behind it and if it is the front of the house?

All that said, if this is being done for resale, id ask a local realtor or two.
No painter needs a paint color day one! If he does, he is doing a lousy prep job!

I much prefer the current color it suits the house and the setting. The taupe browns will look dreary by comparison. If they are considering selling I would not put a done into that exterior unless it is in worse shape than it appears in the photo.

LOL...they DO NOT want to go yellow again. I am just glad that I noticed the roof on my way out the other day and stopped the darker color. The lighter color shown will not work because it has some pink in it.

The roof is brown. Also, the house is not that old (less than 10 years) but the porch is in worse shape than it shows. hence why the stairs need to be torn down.

I have suggested that they go with a light beige like this. Can anyone suggest a SW color that is similar, but has no pink undertones?

They also love the wrought iron in the above photo, but it is costly.

I like the idea of painting the arches AND lattice the same color (either go darker or with the trim paint color) if they cannot replace it. There has to be something there, but I don't think more Hardy Board would look too good...too massive. Behind the lattice is gravel, heat pumps and storage.

The painter has been trying to do this paint job for a few months now, so he is ready fro prep and paint colors.

Keep it coming, but no yellow. Thanks!

Cream/warm white?

Grey or blue would be nice if the roof was not brown

tinan - I hesitated using the word CREAM and instead used light beige because cream tends to have yellow undertones...like butter. But yes, that's what I was thinking. The above photo seems to have a touch of green in it, which would blend with the roof. Somewhere between that color and white would be nice. Blue would look fine with a brown roof, but I know the kids are not interested in a blue.

This post was edited by newhomebuilder on Tue, Jun 25, 13 at 19:41

If not yellow which I prefer, then I'd go with white or cream. Anything darker will take away from the fresh & airy look of the house.

I would try BM Nantucket Gray. Outside it becomes a nice greenish beige. BM Briarwood also looks good with a brown roof. These are popular colors in the Boston area on capes and colonials.

Thank you. I'll have my daughter go pick up a sample card tomorrow. BM is higher in price than the SW. They used mostly BM inside. Maybe SW could match it.

This post was edited by newhomebuilder on Tue, Jun 25, 13 at 21:08

Odd man out here, but I like both the sample tans. And I'd paint the lattice the same as the arches, same with the lattice in the back.

I just moved from a smaller house than your daughters that also sat on a hill. Pale worn candy green when we bought it and my decorator (who I was later to learn gave me sound, enduring advice both inside and out) suggested a brown with gray base, trim darker brown with black base so it wouldn't fade to red tones in my coastal climate - her reason being it would blend into the landscape and site, not look as though it was perched or shout 'building/constructed', appear more that it had always been there, would always belong there.

I took her advice, then years later when repainting I just couldn't resist the chance to try a lighter color for something fresh, and a change. She was right. I hated the house a lighter color once I'd seen it finished. And that's not a good time to change your mind about something as labor intensive as exterior painting :)

The original brown colors were perfect, timeless, made the lot, landscaping and house cohesive - all in earths/woodsy colors. I shouldn't have doubted her. She's gone now that I have a larger house to decorate and I miss her classic good taste.

Morz8 - I wish you had a photo??? Although I don't think that going darker on the trim is an option. Would cost more.

I did a little searching and think I found a color combo that may look good. See link.

Here is a link that might be useful: SW Macadamia Nut

I wish I had a photo for you too but sadly I don't have either the before or the after - before when following my decorators advice or after when I decided to choose my own color :)

That's close although a little lighter than my house had been. I hope I described the intent well enough, so it would never look like a new home (if that makes sense) but rather an integral part of the landscape itself, no competing between the two for attention but blending in to the site. Quiet and peaceful.

I will look on Google and see if I can find anything close to what you are speaking of. It does sound nice, but not sure my daughter and husband would like the combo.

Unless the paint is in really bad shape I wouldn't spend the money to paint the house if I was going to sell it soon. I agree that the yellow really suits the house - and I'm not a yellow house lover.

It's pretty faded and dirty. Especially the railings, lattices and porch decking. Also, they have already painted different shades of grays/beiges/browns on the sides and back of the house.

The selling of the house thoughts have come after the thoughts of painting. This may or may not happen. The market is starting to pick up in our area. However, with Summer half over, now may not be a good time to list it. Late Spring always seems to be a better time.

Any more opinions on what shades of Tans/Beiges for house color and off whites for trim?

I do like yellow houses, but think it makes this one looks insubstantial. I think also that the brick tones should play some role in determining the color of the house. A true taupe, with no pink undertones, would be nice for this house. In fact, I really like the darker color for the siding.

Painting a house a dark color can make it look smaller. That problem can be mitigated by painting all the trim pieces a lighter color----- not white or cream, but a much, much lighter shade of the color of the siding itself.

As for the foundation, I think they have done the color scheme backwards.....you don't want three great dark holes. I would paint the arches themselves (stucco or drywall or whatever it is) the same color as the house. I would add trim pieces to the outline of the arches, molding that isn't a super fancy profile, but substantial, and paint the molding the trim color they use up top (the lighter taupe). The lattice I would leave in place and paint a lighter color still....not white, but the lightest taupe compared with the siding (darkest color on the house) and trim (much lighter taupe than siding). The shutters would be the same lightest hue as the lattice.

That would unify the very disparate elements and colors going on. If they replace the railing--- and I would--- I'd use simple square railings the trim color (not the lightest, but the middle color in this palette). The door would be something entirely different--- perhaps a green or even a light coral.

It's a pretty house with lots of curb appeal!

Paint the house SW Manor House 7505 .... including the lower storage areas ....then leave the trim in fresh white

To disguise the arches ... paint them all the same color, preferably the same color as the foundation brick, or a slightly deeper tone. They are prominent now because the solid parts read as white, and you see the shadows behind the lattice. Darken it all and it all recedes.

And plant a few more trees in front of them as disguise

kswl - You may have something there. Not sure what you mean about "three dark holes" though. Also not sure about a lighter color for shutters. And what about garage doors?

The arches are made out of plain plywood. I don't think there is trim and curved trim would be expensive.

teacats - On my way to looking up that color. :)

lazygardens - They just planted some new trees in front. they just aren't tall enough. :)

BTW- The kids have been in the house about 4 years and have done nothing to the outside except to add onto the back deck and do landscaping. The previous owner was the builder.

This post was edited by newhomebuilder on Wed, Jun 26, 13 at 11:19

By three dark holes I meant that, when the lattice is painted a darker color than the surrounding wood arches, it looks like three unknown spaces--- black holes, if you will--- especially if they are painted even darker as some have suggested. If the lattice is dark, and there is no light behind it, the whole archway will look filled in, but not in the right way. Lattice underneath a porch or deck like the one you posted looks best when it is in good repair (not necessarily new) and painted a lighter color since behind it is dark. (Sorry for the bizarre sentence construction.)

There is a flexible molding that is made of some kind of polyurethane that would be a very easy attachment to those arches. It is not very expensive at the big box stores ---- certainly much less than replacing the lattice with slats. They really need some kind of trim that will define them better, IMO.

I wish I could photocshop the way some GWers can--- it makes a world of difference to try out the colors that way.

I see what you mean. The number three confused me because there are 6 arches. :)

I know what you mean about Photo Shopping. I tried a few programs, but I did not get good results.

The following colors are what we have come up with based on the input here. My daughter is getting the samples tomorrow. It has been stormy here today, so they have had a reprieve.

Color Family - Warm Neutrals

SW 6142 Macadamia or SW 6143 Basket Beige
House and dormer SIDING and ARCHES white portion (plywood)

SW 0046 White Hyacinth or SW 7104 Cotton White ?
House TRIM and LATTICE of arches

SW 6146 Umber
SHUTTERS and GARAGE DOORS