Carpeting and Vinyl Laid in Previous Home

Looking into the living room from the dining room

Family room

Looking into the kitchen from the breakfast area

Looking from the breakfast area through the entry hall into the den

Stairs

Bonus room

Master bedroom

Master bath shower and water closet

Vinyl in master bath

Master bath tub white tile tub, floor vinyl, and cabinets

Upstairs hall bathroom

Hall bathroom

Stairs

Trim, Millwork, and Painting, November 15-19, 2010

Exterior Paint Being Applied

This photo shows 2 separate phases of construction; the porch, which has been tinted rust, and the house, to which a gold/ocher stucco is being applied. Rust-colored mud in foreground is from power washing porch a day after application.

Stamped concrete porch achieved with Bronze base (1115) and Rust release powder (1700).

Stucco body is Parex Cashmere (10411-49), Swirl Fine. Trim is Columbia Paint Zinc (9254), shot blast fine. 

Exterior Paint Selection

Selecting the paint colors for the exterior of the home entails determining how color looks on the various surfaces and matching and/or complementing colors used for the body color, the trim, including the fascia and frames around windows, and any accent areas, e.g., belly band/apron. The vinyl windows we're installing come in only three colors: white, almond, and adobe.

Our house will be stucco, including the body, window accent frames, and belly band. The fascia is wood and we want a paint that's low gloss (or flat) for that. The house in the photo below is along the lines of what we'll be building, except we'll have 3 separated garages.

We like the body color on the house that's next to our lot (see photo below) and we've asked the Sherman Williams paint person being used by Talon to match that color for us. I've checked with the neighbor and they have no objection to our using the same color, but we may go with one a little brighter (we're considering Concord Buff).

Home Next Door to Our Lot

Home on Dawes St. with body and trim colors we like. 

Back to Countertops

Amy and Danni at Luke's Carpet

Patricia and I went back to Luke's Carpet this afternoon to make selections for countertops and backsplashes. Danni, with Luke's, had all the samples out for us to mix and match; red oak laminate wood floor, Peruvian Slate Sunrise vinyl flooring, Carmarthen quartz countertop, carpet, tile, etc. It's a hassle trying to get everything to be complementary and we really appreciated all the help Danni and Amy provided.

We also talked about interior paint, trying to determine what went well with the other selections. Amy and Danni thought that Divine White (SW 6105) would be a good wall color throughout the house, with Latte (6108) as the trim. After we got home, we decided we'd like a warmer color and one that would match the wood flooring better, and are pondering something like Concord Buff (7684) upstairs and Biscuit (6112) downstairs, where it will go against the carpet. The ceilings could be painted Pure White (7005) throughout the house.

Deciding on the Color Scheme for the Exterior

There are many web sites offering advice on what paint to choose for the exterior of your home. Lighter colors, white, off-white, cream, etc. have been popular choices for a long time. When choosing a light color for the body of the house, it's generally a good idea to choose lighter color trim and accent colors.

It's also good to use architectural accents to give the house a little interest.

More recently, darker, more distinctive colors seem to be in vogue. This house by Talon Homes, Inc., uses a body color, trim, and accents that complement the decorative stonework on the house.

Both siding and stucco can collect dirt and bugs. Siding made from composite materials can swell and cause paint to chip. Stucco can crack and stain. Defects/dirt show more clearly on lighter paint colors, as demonstrated on this older home in Horn Rapids.

The following two houses have exterior paint schemes that comply with the CLPOA ARC guidelines requiring "earth tones."