# Help me decide what color to paint my house **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 19, 2012, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597 "2012-06-19T01:31:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/61 "2012-06-20T21:05:26Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > **Hakuna Matata** - What is it that you do? > StG Oh I am an Architect. And I am going through the same thing you are doing on my own house. Right now it is all white–too blah for my tastes. I have a great home but I don’t like the color it currently is. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/62 "2012-06-20T21:27:13Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > I vote blue! Total no-brainer when I saw the pics. But then I did Googling and saw [this](http://www.penick.net/digging/images/2010_07_09/Blue_cottage.JPG) cute deal. Wow, do those colors clash to me. Ouch. For the OP, I like the slate, although I also like the sage green suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/63 "2012-06-20T22:30:50Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > P.S. I always thought the whole point of a tin roof was that it couldn’t rust?!? You’re thinking of copper. But that is pretty expensive. Tin will rust, unless it’s galvanized. And galvanizing wears off eventually. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/64 "2012-06-21T01:17:00Z")
That first floor window makes your house look surprised. I love it. Driving around town tonight and wishing I had remembered my camera, because there were some interesting paint and trim combinations. Most of them involved shutters though, and I’m not seeing shutters on your house. But for all the houses, it wasn’t the main color of the house that made it interesting, it was the window trim. The best ones were those where the inside trim was white and the outside trim was a darker color – it really set things off. One particularly cute house was a pale cream – almost apricot – with blue-gray and white window trim. It looked like grandma’s house, very cottage-y. Another was light gray with black and white window trim. Maybe the paint was new, because it looked very sharp. Can’t wait to see what you come up with. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/65 "2012-06-21T01:42:55Z")
I like the three-color idea, but it’s hard enough just picking the main color. **Auntie Pam** - Can you take some pictures? I’m going to wander around the historic areas of town this week to get some ideas. StG ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/66 "2012-06-21T01:44:23Z")
Ooooooo, shutters would be lovely. That’s what it needs. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/67 "2012-06-21T03:00:33Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > I like the three-color idea, but it’s hard enough just picking the main color. > > **Auntie Pam** - Can you take some pictures? I’m going to wander around the historic areas of town this week to get some ideas. > > StG Sure. 🙂 It might be a couple days though – I don’t go to town very often. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/68 "2012-06-21T16:26:57Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > You’re thinking of copper. But that is pretty expensive. > > Tin will rust, unless it’s galvanized. And galvanizing wears off eventually. Oh for heaven’s sake. All these years I though the B-52’s were making some sort of deep philosophical statement at the end of “Love Shack.” ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/69 "2012-06-21T18:05:35Z")
I don’t know about paint colors at all, but that porch really needs a nice railing, with turned posts; it would set off the front of the house so nicely! [![](http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRtQ6Riqp7bM05Iex6CfIf-FDo1xc6ncovQg5HSghE23BYYvxg4nA) ](http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRtQ6Riqp7bM05Iex6CfIf-FDo1xc6ncovQg5HSghE23BYYvxg4nA) Edit: Oooooh, sage! ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/70 "2012-09-13T23:48:04Z")
Update - I’ve bought yellow and grey samples. Look at the side-by-side pic and tell me what you think. [yellow and grey](http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j127/StG61/Housecolors.jpg) StG ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/71 "2012-09-14T05:13:29Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Update - I’ve bought yellow and grey samples. Look at the side-by-side pic and tell me what you think. The yellow looks dirty; the grey looks neutral. Did you give them an undercoat of white? Perhaps they look better in the sun or at a distance. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/72 "2012-09-14T05:26:20Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Update - I’ve bought yellow and grey samples. Look at the side-by-side pic and tell me what you think. > > [yellow and grey](http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j127/StG61/Housecolors.jpg) > > StG Of the two, definitely the yellow. But I think sage would be nice. We have a house on our street that is medium sage green with charcoal trim and it looks surprisingly pretty. If you weren’t so far, I would totally come out and help paint. I love painting. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/73 "2012-09-14T12:00:01Z")
It was definitely overcast yesterday, which is good, actually. I need to know how they’ll look even when it’s raining or grey. The yellow looks surprisingly bright in the sunshine. Almost too bright. And the grey doesn’t seem to contrast as much with the white trim as I thought it would. This is one coat of the paint over white. The trim is two coats of cheap white, and could probably use a third. A sage sample might be possible. StG ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/74 "2012-09-14T13:47:58Z")
Yellow houses are sad looking, something about the force fed cheerfulness in it lacks dignity in a house color. Paint your kitchen or bath yellow, the exterior needs more sophistication than pee colored paint. It had to be said…sorry yellow lovers… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/75 "2012-09-14T14:00:32Z")
creme yellow siding and hunter green trim. [![](https://www.blurtit.com/var/question/q/q9/q96/q963/q9637/q963711_296008_myhouse_rearview_.jpg) ](https://www.blurtit.com/var/question/q/q9/q96/q963/q9637/q963711_296008_myhouse_rearview_.jpg) or white trim like this photo. But creme and green are my favorites. [http://www.lelandsbarns.com/lelands/images/products/paintedcabinette/painted\_cabinette.jpg](http://www.lelandsbarns.com/lelands/images/products/paintedcabinette/painted_cabinette.jpg) I agree too much yellow isn’t a good choice. You want a strong creme color. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/76 "2012-09-30T02:55:01Z")
Alright. The handyman came today and started pressure washing. A decision will need to be made soon. A new suggestion had now been made by three people that I should paint a deep barn red with white trim. Anybody want to voice an opinion? StG ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/77 "2012-09-30T03:07:20Z")
[Here’s one that’s really cute.](http://www.houzz.com/photos/298014/Exterior-Renovations-traditional-exterior-dc-metro) StG ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/78 "2012-09-30T03:58:55Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Alright. The handyman came today and started pressure washing. A decision will need to be made soon. A new suggestion had now been made by three people that I should paint a deep barn red with white trim. Anybody want to voice an opinion? Already did, back in post #2. Red is for barns. Houses should be white, with green trim. I suppose if you want to be really radical, you could reverse that to a green house with white trim. But red is for barns. Period. ---
**Author:** ![slm2955](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@slm2955](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slm2955)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/79 "2012-09-30T05:50:09Z")
> [@Ludy](#): > > I have always been partial to a sage green house. +1 ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597/80 "2012-09-30T10:34:35Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > I vote blue! Total no-brainer when I saw the pics. But then I did Googling and saw [this](http://www.penick.net/digging/images/2010_07_09/Blue_cottage.JPG) cute deal. I like that blue, but not the green shutters… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-decide-what-color-to-paint-my-house/625597.md?page=5)