This house is adorable. In fact, it’s the kind of house that almost makes me wish I lived in a house. It’s neat and compact, with an interesting brick chimney and a yard that’s not at all intimidating. And, with just a small amount of color love, this house will practically be yelling, “Come in in!”
Apartment Therapy discusses the dilemma of painted brick.
An exterior like this always begs the question – should you paint the brick? I’m not a purist, nor am I modernist. I think painting brick is a personal choice based on what you like. You can make this facade work either way.
First, here is the classic unpainted brick. A blue, black and red scheme compliments both the brick and the red/gray roof tiles. I added shutters for some interest on the facade. Although if your budget is tight, you can paint a double trim using both white and black. Also, a red door always makes a house pop.
The following options show a white painted brick. I do think that painted brick can look very fresh. If you favor fresh over traditional, go with the white brick. Here, a muted warm gray tone-on-tone makes for a very sophisticated little bungalow.
This is a cooler variation of the sophisticated look. I think this goes well with the roof. I also some added some accent lights. The look is inspired by the amazing exterior renovation at Fly Through Our Window (scroll down to the last few photos to see the gorgeous painted brick.)
Lastly, a little french style inspiration via Lindsay Christensen Design (and Flickr.) This is obviously not a French country house, but we can certainly borrow the color scheme. The easy part of this palette is that the house remains white and only the brick is painted white. That should leave some money to slap on some contrasting shutters, add a sweet yellow door and throw down a couple of very distinguished mini-topiary at the front walk. Mini French-country bungalow, anyone?
This lovely house is an easy update and nearly any palette will make it distinctive and just like “home.”
Continue reading about Easy Exterior Color (with or without Painted Brick)
To celebrate the arrival of the summer season, here are some ideas for an adorable beach cottage. Our reader writes in looking for help with the bright white roof. Indeed, the roof is rather prominent, but is made even more so by the reflective white. Let’s see if we can find a few options to raise this roof from eyesore to architectural distinction.
The cottage is currently red with white accents.
A classic red cottage from the 1940's with a multi-colored gray/slate roof.
I love the red shingles – such a classic! This cottage could be easily updated by simply painting the roof charcoal gray or dark slate blue.
Here is an easy fix to set the roof back and bring your attention back to the facade and crisp white fence:
Check out beach cottage rental sites for inspiration. This image comes from www.capecodpads.com.
To lighten up the entire cottage, try a another classic: the gray, white and black Cape Cod style. So crisp!
Add a bright red door for a pop of color and to make sure your beach cottage doesn’t get lost in the crowd.
If a classic Cape Cod is too predictable, try a mellow green or sunny yellow. To get some inspiration, check out Valspar Paint’s “Color by Architecture” section. It’s an easy way to quickly see many exterior paint options on a variety of American vernacular home styles.
This cute beach cottage is quite the charmer. With a darker roof, I think this place looks good in nearly any color.
Continue reading about Raise the Roof! Update on a Summer Cottage
I’m so jealous of this tropical villa in India! Check out the lush foliage, multiple outdoor terraces and white stucco walls like a huge blank canvas. This villa has tons of potential and in a tropical location, you can be bold and fun with color.
Here is the current villa, with walls in need of some color love.
In each option, I picked a range of colors from the Asian Paints palette, one of the main paint companies in India. Tropical villas always look cheerful, yet refined in warm yellows and terra cotta. Here, bright Sun Dial is the base color, accented with Dark Saffron and black. I little bougainvillea warms up the facade for a more “lived in” feel.
I love this classic pinkish coral color, called Coral Bells. Only a tropical villa can get away with pink and still look respectable!White and black trim give the perfect contrast to keep this look crisp and not too cute.
Lastly, for a more sophisticated look with tasteful shades of green. A dark Broccoli combined with a refreshing Inspiring Green make for a regal villa that blends in with the surrounding foliage.
Stucco homes are so much fun, as they take so well to a rainbow of colors. As I see it, this house looks good in any shade. Have fun!
Continue reading about A Bright Facelift for a Villa in India
Our first post on exterior colors comes from reader inquiry. She wanted some ideas for her parents’ house before settling on a final palette. I just love the hacienda bungalow style – complete with arched colonnades and a terra cotta tile roof. I’m certainly envious of this warm weather home.
Spanish style homes often look best in classic Mediterranean palettes. Colors include yellows, peach, pink, olive, terra cotta, brown, white, etc. Think lush, warm earth tones and refreshing cool waters. This is Behr Sunbath, a color that is optimistic and timeless. It also goes well with the terra cotta tiled roof. I created some contrast with bright white trim and a dark brown deck.
Another classic hacienda color is pink (or coral/peach). I chose Behr’s Antique Cameo and again contrasted it with a white deck and brown columns. Make sure the pink/peach doesn’t clash with the terra cotta roof. A warm shade of pink should do the trick and a little Bougainvillea adds another dimension to the palette.
If yellow and pink are too colorful, why not a tasteful beige? I found this nice color from Behr called Cardboard. When used with terra cotta, white and dark chocolate brown, Cardboard is much more interesting than the name implies.
Lastly, and perhaps my favorite, is white with colorful accents. White is very fresh with the roof and greenish-blue trim. The element of the shutters adds even more visual interest with a beautiful tile pattern. I found these lovely Pueblo shutters at Shutterstile. An architectural accent like these shutters is not only distinctive, but can provide inspiration for the entire palette.
I’m always a fan of trying daring colors on interiors and exteriors, but sometimes it’s nice to stick to your architectural roots. Rooting this house in a Spanish hacienda color palette is both festive and classic (and will look great even years from now).
We hope our reader’s parents find something they like!
Recent Comments