Desperately need help in new colour scheme

10 years ago

We are updating the entire house colour scheme from peach/yellow to something more modern, and I am so confused ! I personally like a neutral clean crisp palette that I can add colour with accessories and styling, but outside I'm really struggling to put a colour palette together. I hate the colour of the aluminium joinery, and aren't a huge fan of the brick colours (not a fan of yellow and orange) however we don't have the budget to change those elements so they're staying. Everything else can be changed. I'm looking for ideas on the concrete tile paint, as well as the shutters, front door and beams on the pergola. Ideas?? Suggestions?? Please help!

Featured Answer

Carole

10 years ago

Actually your bricks are quite interesting and are not the problem. The narrow shutters are distracting and a very dated look, remove them altogether. Current colour trends are for any shade of grey, which could compliment your bricks and tone down the beige the window frames. First decide the style of house you want to portray. It looks like you have a Victorian style front door and the colonial shutters on some windows, seems like a typical confused project home look. You are going for a more contemporary look, so update the entrance door (stained timber with single glass side panel), use the bricks to pick out neutral accent colours for the pergola posts and trim, eg BP Grey Charter or Dulux Raku but you really need to get paint chips then sample pots to test colours under various lights before you commit. Keep the eaves white, they look peach? in the photos or is that due to the roof over the pergola. Not sure where you want to use the 'concrete tile paint'. Some colourful large pots with palms would improve the bareness. Good luck with your project and trust your instincts, your outdoor setting is also inspiration for colours you could consider.

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Comments (16)

TAP
Original Author
10 years ago
OMG - I didn't even think of removing the shutters. Sometimes the obvious is so oblivious! Nor changing the door and side panel. That makes perfect sense. Thanks Carole. really appreciate your feedback.
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Your welcome Mari, like I said you already have a good eye. I don't think you necessarily have to paver the whole drive either. I’d recommend doing driveway improvements after you’ve done the major stuff that might scuff up the existing driveway, like landscape contractor or fence guys with equipment and extra dirt or stone being scraped off of it. I was just thinking a skinny band of pavers to help out, maybe 3’ or however wide the covered walk is on the side next to the house. It looks like the existing drive is asphalt. You can just saw cut a nice straight edge and then install the pavers next to it. I also did the band across the end to help fix the cracked piece. You could have the asphalt resealed black to make it pop or since it looks like most of the sealer is worn off you could probably pressure wash and do a colored acrylic sealcoat. It might work but you’d have to do more research and ask some professionals in your area of Australia. I like the idea of a lighter color on the drive so it doesn’t get intensely hot on summer days. Here were a few of the color choices off this website I pulled up. Thanks for letting me contribute - Septic Tank in Chicago http://www.sealandcoat.com/colored_asphalt_coatings/index.php
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cooper1992
10 years ago
If you could afford to replace the pergola sheeting to something that would add more light...it looks quite dark. Even if you did it only in a couple of sections like Carol e said the light changes the colour. Neutral colours add light and give a sense of a larger space and not so closed in. Good luck
TAP thanked cooper1992
Melbourne44 Melbourne44Musk
10 years ago
Change the yellow light stuff , paint all the other things Dulux 'Terrible Billy' ...dark grey brown, or very dark grey, remove shutters and deal with the red bricks!!!! Window frames etc look like metal. Sorry to say I would HAVE to paint them.
How did anyone choose that colour OMG for the patio floor?. Paint or have a coloured 'brick match concrete' layer put on. Personally if I had the money I would cover it in timber and make it look like a deck!
Just worked out bricks match the roof?
TAP thanked Melbourne44 Melbourne44Musk
Barbara Dunstan
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I might be wrong, but the paving stones look removable, (set in sand) so pull them up if so and sell them on ebay and get a colour of tile or timber that you like.
Agree to change the door and remove shutters.
As a future project, you could choose to render the home and if that is on the cards, then plan towards this change as far as you colour choice goes for this initial reno.
Good luck,
Barbara
TAP thanked Barbara Dunstan
TAP
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks so much for all your advice so far. Really appreciate it. (I love this website!) Unfortunately there is approx. 400sqm of the concrete pavers front and back, so completely replacing with timber will be too costly and overcapitalise the house (by the time we do the other renovations necessary). I went to a Resene paint shop yesterday and they suggested a dark grey door, plus trim for the house as well (similar to the "Terrible Billy" suggested), so we are all in agreeance there! They then suggested waiting until all the painting was done before deciding on the paver colour, as changing from peach and yellow to neutrals and greys will change the feel of the entire house.
kooky_karen
10 years ago
I agree with Carole - get rid of shutters. I could never see the point in shutters that don't actually cover the window. The bricks allow for a gray coloured paint - but not too dark. Cooper1992 is correct in suggesting that you replace the pergola sheets to allow more light in.
Carole
10 years ago
The only caution with changing the polycarbonate sheets to a clear is that it may make it too hot to sit comfortably underneath it. You could consider grey tinted sheets with better UV/heat transfer properties that would tone down all the yellow/peachy colours if you want to go to that expense or if you were planning to replace the sheets eventually. Your bricks, windows and pavers might not be the current trend but they are not awful and you can work with them to update to a contemporary style without going to vast expense and overcapitalising. Agree, don't try and do it all at once, live a little while with each change and test and adjust as you go.
TAP thanked Carole
Colleen McCarthy
10 years ago
http://www.dulux.co.nz/colour/hue/NeutralsCONZ/327358/terrible-billy has some nice colour combinations. I also like some of the new Colorbond colours http://colorbond.com of Cove, Mangrove, Terrain
rachelen
10 years ago
I look at those bricks and see a smokey lilac or french provincial grey/blue going well with them. It is hard though as they look different in each photo. I would be cautious to make the colour not too bright but more as a complement to the beautiful bricks. Paint the pavers in a neutral to match with the trim.
baysig
10 years ago
if you are after a 'miracle' sheeting that lets in over 90% of the light but none of the heat or UV rays...we used the (usually) commercial product Danpalon (DP8). it is quite expensive but solved all the issues that polycarbonate sheeting creates. It may be over- capitalising if you are selling the house soon but it is also a great selling point! You can actually use the area 12 months of the year - in the heat as well. We are selling in a few months and will definitely use this on the next home. It's awesome.
maykezza
10 years ago
Hi
I agree with Carole your bricks look quite good !
Take a good look at your bricks and grab lots of samples swatches of colours when you think you have a good colour get some sample pots and ask your local hardware for some scrap pieces of gyrock of similar , then make big paint swatches . If your going to paint your pavers , paint away with your sample pots !
I think quite dark charcoal would give a great contrast to your pavers . I also pull towels and anything where I like the colour and put it up against what I want see ha ha then you just need to match the colour to the towel , have fun ! All the best :)
TAP thanked maykezza
specialvintage
10 years ago
I also agree about paving bricks looking okay. You will be able to work with them rather than painting. Painting bricks, particularly with those walked on don't last long due to abrasion.
maryan01
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Agree about the paving stones - a mistake to be repaired & pulling them up & allowing someone on eBay to reuse them where they may match, sounds good.

However, don't agree that the bricks are a mistake. Personally, I love textured bricks as you can pick out a colour from them to do trims & in 15 years, change the colours & refresh & still go well with the brick colours. I think yours are particularly nice.

Removing shutters - great. If you can, take the opportunuty to take off the ornate screens on doors & windows & replace them with the very simple looking security screens. Renewing the roofing material to something that lets in more light is also a good idea. If it's not feasible to do at this time, it can always be planned in steps, but it's good to know ahead what the plan is/will be.

Re colour choices. I would suggest not going with the current fashion completely. Remember when everything in every suburb was "mission brown"? Everything that has that colour is immediately dated.

Best of luck, and enjoy
TAP thanked maryan01
PRO
up the creek retreat
8 years ago
If it was mine I would lose the shutters & the ugly awning, the brickwork is fine but I would spend the money on new contemporary look steel awning & a new security screen with (plain black st/steel mesh no crisscross) You will be surprised how good the house will look by just doing that. If it's the pavers u won't to paint i would decide that after the awning is in..maybe a taupe or grey Then decide on a colour for front door
Crissy
8 years ago
dulux have an app that i discovered the other day and it's great for ideas

Desperately need help in new colour scheme

Carole

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Desperately need help in new colour scheme

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