I love Mount Vernon and it is on my ‘dream places to live’ list because:
- It is on the water with a spectacular water view! Thanks to some smart folks with the foresight to buy the land across the river and turn it into a park it will always remain that way.
- The grounds are gorgeous and expansive. Keep in mind that in my dream life I can well afford to have someone else maintain the many acres of grass, flowers and trees.
- The home has incredible architectural details both inside.
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Today’s color dilemma…
We are having our dream house built and the builder asked us to choose our exterior paint colors. We love the older home look and would like to have forest green shutters but can’t decide between “vintage cream” siding, which has a hint of soft butter yellow in it or “linen” off white.
We selected the Rocky Springs model from Poole and are having it built on a three-acre lot. Which would give the older home look? We appreciate any advice you could give. Thank you, Dana
Kate suggests…
I can see why this is your dream home. I’m already envisioning you all settled in with enough time to sip ice tea and browse through a magazine on your inviting front porch.
In looking at your builders design options I think the choices you have made so far are perfect. The forest green is a classic color for the shutters and the green will keep the house tied to the surroundings.
The weatherwood color shingles for the roof would go with either of the exterior colors you are considering.
The good news is that whichever color you choose your home will have the look you are after so you can’t make a wrong decision.
Both cream and off-white have always been popular choices and it would be unfair of me to say that one is going to make the home look older than the other and leave it at that.
My first instinct was to say that you might find the Vintage Cream makes it appear older however because I can never help but to think of the entire scheme rather than individual elements I started to think about what color might work for your front door.
Linen Off-White or Vintage Cream??
In considering the style of the home, the choices you have already made, and the knowledge that you wanted it to look older the color that kept coming to mind was a red but not a bright red but rather a more muted coppery red.
This is an intrguing red by Sherwin-Williams. The color is reminiscent of the Roycroft pottery glazes that was inspired by the hammered copper of early Roycroft metalwork. It is very warm and welcoming which is perfect for a front door.
Because I place such importance on the front door I want it to stand out. If I was to go with Roycroft Cooper Red for the door and the forest green shutters so the linen white would set the red off nicely but the vintage cream with this color would also be lovely just a slightly different look.
So think about your door color. If you were to lean toward a cooler hue such as a historic blue or dusty eggplant the vintage cream would surround it beautifully but if you want to set off a warmer color you might lean towards the vintage cream.
I hope that help by giving you some things to consider as you make your decision but based on what you have told me already I feel confident that whichever you choose the end result is going to be stunning.
Enjoy your new home!
Resources:
**Please note: Due to individual computer monitor limitations, colors seen here may not accurately reflect the paint or material color. Please refer to an actual sample for an accurate rendition of the color.
Which color do you prefer: Linen Off-White or Vintage Cream? Please share it with us in the comments.
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Homeowners with historic-style homes are often in a quandary as to whether or not to paint the house using a historic palette. If you choose to select colors based on the homes’ architecture, you have lots to work with.
Sherwin-Williams is the first place I turn when looking for historic colors because they have already done all the research into historically appropriate colors. Other manufacturers have historic or preservation palettes which are also very helpful.
Classical / Colonial historic color schemes from Sherwin-Williams
My favorite exterior colors are from the California Paints Historic line. They include incredibly rich greens and blues as well as interesting neutrals in shades of tobacco and caramel. I like all of their reds. The paint colors were developed along with the Society of Preservation for National Antiquities.
Stephen J. Albro House, Newport, RI painted with California Paint Historic Colors
Those of you who don’t live in a historic home can still enjoy using historic colors in pleasing combinations. When I select exterior colors for my clients, I almost always start with the historic paint palettes whether the house is historic or not.
When selected appropriately, they can reliably add elegance to any homes exterior. Most all dwellings can be improved with an eye-catching historic exterior paint scheme.
For more information:
California Paints Historic Colors of America…
Sherwin-Williams Historic Colors…
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