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Architecture/Need Help With Exterior Paint Colors

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Expert: Rikki Nyman - 6/12/2010


Question

1930's house
Hi Rikki,

I'm moving into an 1930's home that is painted white brick.  The roof is grey, the porch is light grey, the front door is white, and there are no shutters.  I'm about to get the entire home painted, and I want to leave the field color white.  Do you have any suggestions for the trim and porch colors?  I'm completely lost!  I've attached a picture of the house.

Thank you for your time and consideration!

Answer
Your temple-front Greek Revival cottage is wonderful. The classical revivals were often painted in a variety of whites with punchier accent trims of dark green, black, and rich reds.

I think you could anchor its appearance with a medium gray porch. (I also think a short, formal boxwood hedge around the base of the façade with low growing plantings of bright reds and pinks would be awesome. You could accent the formal symmetry with classical urns filled with handsome plantings.)

If you want to leave the brick body white, I'd keep the scheme very, very simple and go for white trim too. I'd make the front door glossy black.

If you are open to an alternative, you might consider painting the body the color of manila folders (buff) and do an ivory trim and warm taupe porch. A red door would be really gorgeous.

Beautiful house ... classic. Put a couple wicker chairs on the front porch and a couple ferns.

Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Rikki Nyman
www.antiquehomestyle.com

Rikki Nyman

Expertise

Residential architectural questions concerning houses designed between 1900 and 1950, where the question pertains specifically to styles, designs, plans, building materials, color schemes, paint colors, interior finishes and so on. I am NOT qualified to answer engineering questions or issues involving construction methods, plumbing, electrical and the like. For example, I can describe what an appropriate color scheme would be for a vintage 1920s kitchen, or sources for plans for Storybook Style houses. I can not tell someone how to replace the electrical wiring in their old home.

Experience

I have been researching old houses and writing about them for more than five years. (See www.antiquehomestyle.com, which is my site.)

Organizations
Oregon Historical Society Architectural History Center, Portland Oregon

Publications
www.antiquehomestyle.com

Education/Credentials
B.S. History, Minor in Architectural Design

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