Need help with exterior paint scheme on 1880's Victorian!

11 years ago

We have taken off the aluminum and hired a painter, who is willing to do pretty much any paint scheme we would like. This is an 1880's rural farmhouse in upstate, NY. We are guessing it is a "Folk Victorian." Only have the very tops left for aluminum removal (it is scalloped under there as well).

We are somewhat limited in our color choices, however, in that we put up a large Morton building (steel construction) when our origianl barn burned in '05--it is white with dark green shutters.

We do not necessarily want traditional Victorian colors in the sense of very dark, very busy, with dark trim and dark windows. Windows will stay (original) but will have new storms (most likely white). Dark green shutters will be on all four sides.

Should I add a third color? What about light yellow for the clapboard and white trim w/green shutters? Too "cute" for a big home? There are so many "parts" to the house's siding--window trim, bandboard, the scalloping, clapboard, etc. that I have no idea what would look best on each part.

Please help--I am paralyzed with making a decision!

Sherwin-Williams Emerald line will be the final two coats after primer, so if you know any great color names/numbers, that would be awesome!

-Sarah

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Comments (4)

graywings123
11 years ago
I think you received a lot of good direction from the Home Decorating forum. Your options are to do the research yourself on colors and placement or hire someone to give you specific information.

I know how you feel. These are hard decisions to make.

Here is a link that might be useful: Home Decorating thread
sarahandbray
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks--definitely got good info, I know. Guess I'm just down to the wire and can't find exactly what I want to model it after. T-minus one week to having to order paint. :(
Internet research, toured several historic neighborhoods in the area, checked the library, and even tried to work the virtual house painter thing on the Benjamin Moore website and still not 100% sure.

Thought I was sold on light yellow for clapboards, dark green for shutters and white for bandboards, scalloping and trim, but then I worry that yellow might be too "cute" for a big house.

Oh well...I'm just not great with color--takes me forever to paint interior rooms and this is ten times worse!
:(
Sarah
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graywings123
11 years ago
I don't think yellow is a bad color for a large house. I used a soft yellow that is popular in the historic district of my neighborhood. It is made by McCormick and is called Wheat. It is one of McCormicks pre-mixed colors, which tells me they sell a lot of it.
dakota01
11 years ago
My friend has a farm w/a victorian home. She is quite artistic and her color scheme is soooo pretty. She has blue, orange ( a salmon shade) and some green. Her roof is all slate and I think she drew the house colors out of the slate roof. I just love it!
She also has a pole building/barn and another older bank barn. THe barns are the same color tones but since the house is in the middle of these buildings, you really don't notice that they are slightly different shades.