Expert: Rikki Nyman - 6/27/2010

Question
Hi Rikki,

Thanks so much for taking my question!

We own a Dutch Colonial Revival  and we plan to give the exterior a fresh coat of paint.  The home has a beautiful cedar roof that was stained and preserved by the previous owner, so it remains a beautiful golden cedar color (as opposed to a weathered gray).

I would love to paint the exterior walls red - like that nice muted red you see on saltbox homes in New England - hopefully you know what I'm talking about - it's not a bright, bold red - maybe has some brown undertones to it.

Anyway, I don't think this is technically an historically accurate color, but I think it would look really nice with creamy white trim and shutters against the cedar roof.  The home is situated in such a way that the biggest area visible from the road is the roof - it looks a lot like a barn.

We live in PA and I think it would blend in well to the other homes in our neighborhood, not to mention the fact that we're about a 5 minute drive to some very rural parts of the state, where big red barns are quite common!

I've been really struggling with color choices - my other choice would have been a buttery yellow but my neighbor's house is that color.
If you do think the red is a good color, do you have any suggestions as to brands or names of the color/paint?  I would hate to accidentally choose a red of the wrong tone - are there paint colors that are advertised as historically accurate?  (even if not accurate for a dutch colonial?)

Please help!!

Thanks so much,
Maggie

Answer
I think you should go ahead with the red and use the creamy white for trim.  It sounds like you've given it a lot of thought and I can't think of a single reason NOT to paint it red.

That said, a dark brown with a markedly red undertone (like mahogany) would also look lovely with the light trim. You could paint the door red for extra color and emphasis. It would get you the warm, rustic look you seem to favor and prevent it from looking too much like a barn.

Both colors were common on traditional style homes. Red in particular was often used on barns because it was inexpensive way to preserve the wood. Farmers are generally a very frugal lot, so they often compounded their own red paint, which was a combination of linseed oil with rust (ferrous oxide) added to give it that characteristic color. As a side note, white paint was loaded with lead and very expensive, so that was as much a comment on social status as anything else. Being able to add white trim was similar to adding lace on a plain dress.

Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Rikki Nyman
www.antiquehomestyle.com