Windows - black or white?

[malcolm]

I've recently stripped and painted my smaller bay window but I still feel uncertain about my colour choice. From a distance in the photos the black looks OK, but from the pavement the area of black seems far too much even after 2 weeks. I was tempted today to paint it white before I remembered I didn't like the white in the first place.

I feel that I'm missing something and first impressions from you guys might fuel some ideas. The facade has always been trouble - I'm not sure anyone got the colours right even even before the roughcast render was first painted.

Current:

Previous:

Even more previous for fun:

 

[Feltwell]

My vote? Black - so as you've got it now, but also paint the bay on the right black. It suits the building I think. I don't think it looks like too much black personally.

 

[plasticpigeon]

I think the black looks nice too. I wonder what colour it was in that photo. It looks like the roughcase was left unpainted. The wood could have been any dark colour.

 

[CliffordPope]

Black, both bays.

 

[Edward Ian]

I think it would have been originally (at least in the early 20th C) painted brown to look like wood.
I think black is the way to go in this instance

 

[Edward Ian]

Interesting in the photos, is that originally (i.e the early photo), the wall perpendicular to the street was all brick. Now it is fake timbered above ground floor, but still in line with the brick. Any more photos?

 

[Kearn]

What I'm intrigued by is what happens at roof / void level?! It looks like the gable end roof the other side of the chimney has gone and been incorporated into an additional higher roof for the extension (?) behind, continuing the pitch of the road side elevation...

I wonder why it was done line this, I've not seen such an example. Is the space inside usable at that height or is there a very tall roof void?!

 

[Kearn]

Now I've looked harder, I'm really interested! What's the history of the building, was it a pub in the earlier photograph? And was that always the case?

What has now caught my eye, back to your original question (black by the way!), is the height of the furthest bay window! Is there a full height vaulted room to the far right side of the front door?

 

[malcolm]

Thanks all, black it is then! The original finish from around 1920 was a brown timber frame with white windows, and both were later brown and then green before becoming black and white. I'll paint the larger window next year.

Fake timber? It's all structural! Excellent detective work @Kearn. The house had been a pub since 1646. The timber frame in the gable is the shape of the original end wall. The gable was modified when the chimney was added presumably 17C, then replaced with a replica and exposed in 2015. I think the brick extension to the rear is early Victorian. The roof was raised when the facade was built around 1920.

The other side of the house includes an attic room and the ceiling heights must have been very low. Much of the first floor was removed in 1920 to create a double height space behind the big bay window. The original domed ceiling is mostly intact but there is currently a false ceiling in place (photo below).

I have a restoration blog http://www.the-salutation.co.uk/blog/ but haven't written up the history yet.

 

[1610ness]

Hanging Baskets!

That is what will make the windows seem less dark once painted black, I used to live in a pub similar in style to your house and once we had the hanging baskets up it made the whole building come to life.

 

[Andys]

If you don't mind faffing about with paint shades, how about off-black? In about 2015 the black paint on HMS Victory was changed to a sort of very dark grey (charcoal?) and does look a bit softer close-up.

 

[Tc345]

Hanging Baskets!

That is what will make the windows seem less dark once painted black, I used to live in a pub similar in style to your house and once we had the hanging baskets up it made the whole building come to life.

Completely agree, see below for a well known example where the black windows have been very much softened, although apparently at a cost of £25k a year...

 

[malcolm]

25K? I think the graphite paint sounds like a good option! I'm terrible at looking after plants but do have hangers for hanging baskets and it is a good point.

 

[Feltwell]

Completely agree, see below for a well known example where the black windows have been very much softened, although apparently at a cost of £25k a year...

He's going to need a taller stepladder......

 

[Kearn]

Best time to walk past is Christmas...

 

[88v8]

You're making a great job of that pub/house.
Does it have a name?

Fwiw I agree with all black. Hope it's not south facing, but I see from the photo that it does get some sun. Or at least it did then, what with the change in the earth's tilt, perhaps not now.

I've been apply Bedec Barn Black to some south-facing timber. Fingers crossed.

Ivor

 

[MikeG]

Well, I'd paint all the timbers white, personally. Black and white is such a recent thing. With the rest of the timbers white there would be no call for black windows either.

 

[MikeG]

.........I've been apply Bedec Barn Black to some south-facing timber. Fingers crossed........

If it's sawn (rough) timber, you'll be fine. It should last 7 to 10 years before you need to re-coat. If it's planed timber (smooth), you should be using Bedec MSP.

 

[malcolm]

All white render and woodwork would have been rare when the facade was built in 1920. The roughcast cement render was not painted, the timber frame was brown, and the windows white.

The quality of materials and detailing are great, but the house isn't trying to be original. I have always found it odd to have mock Tudor inside and out sandwiching a layer of real Tudor in the middle.

It has been called The Salutation for a couple of hundred years. Before that it was called the Ragged Staff.

 

[Kearn]

It has been called The Salutation for a couple of hundred years. Before that it was called the Ragged Staff.

1910-facade.jpg

Changing the name of an old pub is a sore topic in my village and I presume the name Salutation will remain as your address? BUT... Living at the Ragged Staff would have an interesting ring to it :lol: