Are you building a home? Renovating an existing property? On our walk last night, my husband and I sneaked inside a newly framed home up the road. I love touring homes at this stage of construction. It’s like stepping inside a sketch. The views are framed, ceiling heights determined, and rooms are identifiable, but there remains endless potential for personalization. A part of me is always dreaming of my next nest, and I don’t know if this itch will ever depart. (There I am at 98 in the nursing center, jockeying for a room with Eastern exposure and harmonious feng shui.) Let’s escape for a moment in this parade of dreamy inspiration for façade lovers. Absorb the wonder of architectural excellence, traditional elements, and color palettes to save for reference.
Discover a handful of exact paint colors from a few of these beauties too!
Façade Lovers Eye Candy: Unforgettable Homes
Homes/Photography: Sotheby’s Realty, unless otherwise noted
Traditional White House Exteriors & Painted Brick
Tired of seeing white painted brick homes yet?
No exhaustion here yet!
In fact, I just saw a post from Martha Stewart providing a ton of “good things” about painting your brick.
We don’t always know the history of such design decisions.
For example, we may assume that when a particular look is trending, it is a new idea and not a historically appropriate gesture.
Here are tips from Martha.
It is doubtful we will ever whitewash our own brick house. Since a painted surface means transitioning from an essentially maintenance-free surface to one with a bit of maintenance, it is sensible to weigh the cost.
Also, there are contexts more obvious than others that paint will improve the look of the home.
What’s your opinion? Do you admire the look of traditional red brick?
The Warmth of Stone
Ideas for Paint Colors for Siding, Doors & Trim
I love it when designers share exact paint colors, and you’ll discover a few new-to-me colors in this collection that follows.
The gate and shutters on this Palm Beach house are James River Gray:
While I thought I knew every white paint color in the Milky Way…nope. Here’s one to sample called WHITE ICE which you see on the stucco above:
White Ice has a light reflectance value (LRV) of 83.79 so it will reflect a ton of light. In fact, for an exterior, it may feel too bright. With its blue undertones, it has a quality similar to Benjamin Moore White OC-151.
You may remember I painted our former home’s interiors OC-151.
White Houses That Aren’t Actually White
The thing about white painted exteriors is that a color we perceive as “white” may actually be a light grey paint color.
Even the facade above which appears white with contrasting light grey shutters could easily be a light gray such as BM Classic Gray.
Do you like a no contrast look when a designer paints shutters the same color as the facade?
One way browsing house exterior inspiration helps is you begin to notice what your eye favors: high contrast between trim and siding?
Low contrast or no contrast?
It’s interesting to note how much darker the Pashmina swatch looks compared to the painted doors on Villa Flora above.
Keep These Paint Tips in Mind
Exterior colors will truly be washed out so don’t be surprised if you choose a color that appears very dark in the can!
No matter what color palette you choose, make sure to sample sample sample before you ever make the final decision.
Because it is one thing to stand in a warehouse under fluorescent lights viewing little cardstock swatches of color…
and quite another to see a color in natural light in your unique location.
It’s one of the reasons peel and stick samples from Samplize are such a brilliant innovation.
You no longer have to settle for tiny little paint chips or messy pots of paint.
Here’s one of my favorite combinations of colors for an exterior.
A warm white with a cool neutral for trim/shutters is just so pretty and classic. Isn’t it a timeless romantic look? Do you prefer warmer tones and sturdier, more masculine tones?
Yet another reason to browse inspiration images online to get a feel for the aesthetic that feels right for you and your home.
For example, if you are desperate for your home to feel like a traditional wedding cake…
yum!
Bold Front Door Color
And how about the front door? Do you love a boldly surprising entrance?
I had never heard of this blue, and doesn’t it remind you of a Toy Story sky?
So unexpected on that ivy-covered charmer above!
Did someone say ivy?
Ooh la la!
I have always loved a classic black front door.
Just so gorgeous with wrought iron and black accents.
And isn’t black a lovely contrast above and below…
and also here:
Another new to me white!
I thought this was an unusual whitewash or limewash treatment for the brick siding:
The painted siding on the garage side is BM Glacier White:
While the beautiful new build below (it only looks like a 1920s home!) has a custom color, it reminds me of Glacier White.
However, the homeowner says the color is closest to Benjamin Moore Gray Mist:
Love Contrast for the Shutters?
Oh, I could get used to this tropical paradise:
Oh so lush!
Try These White Colors for Your House Exterior
I’m always telling you to not fall for a paint color just for its beautiful name…
but I have a crush on this color name!
Isn’t that a fabulous description of that serene hue?
Here’s one more new to me white:
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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