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Exterior paint color suggestions for Mediterranean-style home?

smiles33
14 years ago

Hello! We live in Northern California and would like to get our home painted a new color scheme. It has a stucco siding and is Mediterranean style (or at least closest to that style, as I can't figure it out given the shutters).

Our HOA president lives next door, so I was hoping to come up with some specific color ideas and talk to him before officially applying for approval from the Architectural committee. There is no official palette, but many of the neighbors have opted for peach, white/gray, yellow/white, and a brownish tan/white (not quite sure what to call the color--browner than taupe I think).

Our home looks like this:

We are talking about using gray as the base, with an off-white trim and black shutters, but I'm not sure that makes sense with the Spanish tile roof.

I also found this photo of a similar style house that has the same tile roof, but I'm afraid it will look too similar to our neighbors, as both neighbors have brown-toned houses.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Comments (20)

  • smiles33
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for the tip!

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    14 years ago

    I live in the land of Spanish-Med stucco houses. My two favorite colors are a deep ochre like SW Baquette or an interesting dark olivey green like Mossy Gold. If you live in a super sunny locale, get the Baquette mixed 200% -- amp up the color to stand up to the affects of sun. Bright sunshine washes color out so you need to err on the side of a heavy hand with exterior color. Soft, subtle colors don't cut it in sunny geographic locations and can actually look a bit wan or pallid.

    With as much grace and kindness I can muster, I must tell you that...

    Gray, black, and white is not the kind of color palette that house should be wearing.

  • randita
    14 years ago

    Great suggestions, funcolors. I can really envision the Baguette or the Mossy Gold against the roof color.

  • smiles33
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    funcolors: those are great suggestions and I know, gray/black/white doesn't make sense with this architectural style. I just like the look and the vibe it conveys. We live in a very bright sunny locale, so I appreciate the suggestion to get it mixed 200%. Mossy Gold is a great color, but too close to what the neighbors on both sides have. I'm leaning towards the Baguette, but don't like the accent color (Rockwood shutter green looks a little too teal on my monitor).

    I liked Truly Taupe, though it looks much better on one version of the Spanish Revival house (the one w/the big grassy lawn). It looks grey and washed out on the second house. Still, will it look too washed out in bright CA sunshine?

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    14 years ago

    If you like the Baquette one option is to stick to one side of the color wheel. You'd have orange tones from the roof, Baquette which is golden and then you could do something like Black Bean for the shutters. Black Bean is a brown with strong undertones of purple. Red-orange, orange, yellow, purple is how the palette would shape up.

    Pop of green from the lawn against a one-sided color wheel color plan could make for lovely curb appeal. You could experiment with some fun options for the front door if you wanted, like a punchier more red than orange front door red, or it could just match the shutters in Black Bean.

    Colors on monitors really are not accurate. There's not much you can truly tell by looking at color swatches on your monitor -- it's more misleading than helpful IMHO.

    Definitely spend some time with chips and samples. The Rookwood colors from SW are for the most part great exterior color options. SW really does have an advantage over other color palettes with that little collection -- it's a good one.

    There's a house down the street from me and I'm almost positive it's done in truly taupe. Their tile roof is of the taupe-y sort and the house color matches. It looks very nice. I would think it would go very well with your roof as well. Could keep it simple and use Otter from the same strip for the shutters.

  • leya12
    14 years ago

    Hi, I am wondering if my house is small with a very low terracata roof color, can i still use the baguette color with black bean shutters, or will it make the house seem even smaller?

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    14 years ago

    leya, my house is a Spanish-Med, it is one story and it is a double order of Baquette. Don't have shutters, but dark doors in a custom dark brown trim color that could never be made again. (long story, don't ask). It doesn't make it feel small or squat to me. Here's a couple pix if that will help. They're all I have to share and they are from Christmas. I thought the pine sprays made my coach lights look kind of Acorn-y and seasonal. :~D

  • leya12
    14 years ago

    Could you tell me how to attach a picture, so I can actually show you my dilemna,you truly have been my only hope and guidance thus far.
    thanks

  • leya12
    14 years ago

    I have really tried to attach a picture, no luck, would it be possible to send you the picture to your email address?

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    14 years ago

    I think the easiest path to loading pictures on this forum is thru Photobucket.com.

    After you get your picture uploaded to your Album in Photobucket, which is easy because it shows you step by step what to do, you simply place you cursor on the picture and a little menu pops up. Click on "HTML Code" and immediately a yellow box pops up that says "copied".

    What you have done is parked your picture on Photobucket and copied the address where it *lives*. You can then open a "Message" window here on this forum and PASTE in the HTML Code which is the address where your picture now *lives*.

    Becareful not to delete any brackets or details from the HTML Code. Leave a couple returns (lnes or spaces) above and below the HTML Code. You can type your "Message" above or below the code.

    Or you can email me and I will post your pic here. It's not like who I am or my email is a big secret so here it is. :) lori@colorstrategies.net

  • leya12
    14 years ago

    Okay I actually mailed you MORE than enough, I'm a bit embarressed, I thought the first went through but I ended up emailing it again. Looking forward to hearing from you and please remember I am completely flexible so feel free to go crazy with your suggestions.

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    14 years ago

    Cute house! The palms are gorgeous. I have to run out a bunch today but can at least post the pix now so everyone can see and maybe offer some suggestions if they have any. The yellow looks pretty good as is.

    What are you hoping to get from new color(s)?

  • leya12
    14 years ago

    I don't like that yellow, I want a richer looking exterior. thanks for posting it.

  • leya12
    14 years ago

    I think richer is the wrong word for my type of home,perhaps, "charming."

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    14 years ago

    Okay, that helps. I can get some virtual color on it for you maybe late tonight or sometime tomorrow. Any colors in particular you want to stay away from, besides the yellow. Are there any colors you would like to try-on, see virtually painted on the house?

  • leya12
    14 years ago

    okay, well, I would love to have that key west type look with the light yellow (lantern)? , however, I was told it would clash with my roof and tile, which then made me lean toward the baguette color scheme.
    I really just want someone like yourself to give me a suggestion, I am also getting a new door because it doesn't meet the code here in florida.

  • smiles33
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    funcolors: I LOVE the photos of your home. Baguette looks beautiful, as does the dark brown trim. With a newborn in the home, we haven't moved on painting our home but I think I'm going to go w/Baguette. I'll show photos of your home to my husband tonight! Thanks again!

  • LLMULL
    12 years ago

    I'm curious if Smiles33 painted.. I have a similar style house and same roof. I went out and picked up the paint strip for SW Baguette but it looks very Victorian Gold to me versus the picture shown above. Is this the case??

  • rashesh1374_gmail_com
    12 years ago

    my home colour suggesation