What colour?

[katyfrances]

Are builders are just about to start on the lime render on a wall of our house and having got over all the stressful bits of our renovations - rotten timbers etc - I'm onto the fun stuff - like what colour to paint it. Except I can't decide! We will either limewash or paint it with Keim Granital, but there are massive colour ranges with each of these now so I have a big choice. Now I know this is hugely subjective and that colours vary with the weather etc - but I wondered if anyone can help anyway.
The house was white with black tiles, but we want to tone it down a little. The wall is south facing so very sunny and we want to keep the windows, barge boards etc white. So I am looking for what my husband calls a sludgey grey/beige. The nearest I have found is Farrow & Balls Slipper Satin - but it's a bit too grey.
There will be a lot of people who can't help at all. But if someone who was once in a similar position is out there - please let me know and a picture of your beautifully painted house would help too! Then maybe I won't have to buy up every tester pot known to man.

 

[MdB]

Post a pic of your house and I'll Gimp(*) it for you.

(*) a free photoshop type program.

 

[Juju]

A book I found really useful for external colour schemes was - John Prizeman 'Houses of Britain: The Outside View' pub. by Quiller Press. It has loads of photos and drawings of houses - and is all about colours, regional differences, etc. Lovely to look at it and very practical too!

We've spent months contemplating the colours for the outside of our house but we're going to live with the colour of the render because it was painted by the previous owner only about 2 years ago. We don't particularly like it (yellow) so we looked at how to tone it down with door and window colours (rather than the existing shiny black door and brilliant white windows). I was also inspired by a visit to Stockholm where they often have yellow render like ours and put green with it. So that's what we're doing - sage green door (also appropriate for Cotswolds/Oxfordshire where we live) with off-white windows, door frame and render plinth. As you say, everything is subjective but we think it will look great (only done the door so far).

By the way, I've just used Little Greene Paint Company paints - really nice to use, lovely range of colours and we have a local stockist within walking distance. Not sure how hard-wearing they are yet of course... They claim environmental credentials - not entirely convinced about that but at least they're manufactured in the UK (I think) and give money to English Heritage on every sale...

 

[shelli]

was also inspired by a visit to Stockholm where they often have yellow render like ours and put green with it. So that's what we're doing - sage green door (also appropriate for Cotswolds/Oxfordshire where we live) with off-white windows, door frame and render plinth. As you say, everything is subjective but we think it will look great (only done the door so far).

I love the colours they use in Stockholm on houses - the blue and the terracotta they use a lot of are stunning

I got loads of pics of houses like this when I was there



edited for spelling

 

[Penners]

I can't believe that anyone would be able to advise you on the colour you should paint your house - particularly without knowing the age, construction and style of your property. Colour is hugely subjective - what I like you might hate, and vice versa.

There's also the region in which you live that might influence this. Here in Suffolk, for example, pink is very traditional. In Cornwall, there are lots of white houses.

My suggestion would be that you simply look through brochures and magazines and drive around your area until you see a colour scheme that you like. Then copy it!

PS: Beware of MdB's offer. You could ruin your reputation if it's discovered that you've been gimped.

 

[MdB]

In Cornwall, there are lots of white houses.

and one horrible mouldy green coloured one:

(shortly to be painted white)

PS: Beware of MdB's offer. You could ruin your reputation if it's discovered that you've been gimped.

Ahh yes, I'd forgotten we had fun with your out building:

Penners wasn't the only one though:

 

[shelli]

I seem to recall mine got the "Wacky Warehouse" treatment! :shock:

 

[Pford75]

whisper it quietly.....so far i've escaped

 

[MdB]

whisper it quietly.....so far i've escaped

Yours was too easy. Simply get rid of your old pile of bricks and stone and replace:

:wink:

Edit -

Oh and Katy, don't be put of posting an image, I can modify the colour of the paint work sensibly as well.

 

[Penners]

whisper it quietly.....so far i've escaped

Well so has the principal perpetrator... until now.

 

[Penners]

By the way, MdB, I didn't have the heart to tell you at the time, but your design for our garage was refused planning permission. Apparently the CO didn't like the white barge boards.

 

[MdB]

Well so has the principal perpetrator... until now.

:shock: LOL! Like it :lol:

 

[katyfrances]

Well thank you everyone. I agree that it's hard for someone to advise me on the colour of my house - I was rather looking for tips such as those from Juju - thank you! I forgot to say that it's a small cottage in Suffolk and that I have driven around endlessly asking people what colour their houses are painted! I have discovered a couple of things by doing this - most people who are currently painting their houses in the Snape area of Suffolk are using Little Greene Company paints and that when I buy the tester pot it never looks the same on my house! Oh well! The search continues . . .

 

[Carol]

Sludgey grey beige sounds terrible! But it might look okay.
What about Suffolk Pink if that is where you are?

And what colour are your neighbours, if you have some? Sometimes it is a good idea to think about the whole group when changing colour.

And if you are listed you might have to please your CO if it is a very different shade.

 

[Carol]

By the way, we are County Cream, which was lovely until our neighbours all chose the same or very similar!

 

[Penners]

What about Suffolk Pink if that is where you are?

The problem with "Suffolk Pink" is... what is Suffolk Pink? Suffolk is full of pink houses, and pretty well every one of them is a different pink!

According to received wisdom, the pink was originally created by mixing animal blood into the limewash. A light pink showed that you were poor, because you couldn't afford much blood. Dark pink showed how wealthy you were.

So, if you want to show off...... :shock:

 

[DaveBrigg]

We are in an almost exactly the same position, although the render is only just going on. I had never heard of Keim mineral paints, but their website says they have been used for the French Embassy
" a special colour was produced to match Crown Estates cream which is the standard for most major period buildings in this exclusive area which boasts many delightful and expansive Georgian properties owned by several of the world’s wealthiest elite."
That would tone down the white wouldn't it?
Just in case katyfrances cannot post a picture, if anyone would like to experiment with a suitable new scheme for a currently black and white house, feel free.

 

[shelli]

or you can do mine if you like (again !) - would quite like to see it cream with green (british racing green- ish) or grey window reveals

(

 

[katyfrances]

I have been put off pink in the past because of all the lurid examples around here - but there are some lovely dark pink ones in Bungay, our nearest shopping town. I'll be back on the case armed with tester pots once the rain stops. We were told by the conservation officer that Keim paint is an acceptable and breathable alternative to limewash, but I haven't met anyone who has used it yet. We are going to use the Granital system if we do use it and they will colour match any 'popular paint brand. Has anyone had any experience of using it?

 

[Pford75]

'scuse my ignorance....but what is the granital system?