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Paint Design Dilemma Exterior

Help us choose an exterior paint colour - 80's brick bungalow

last year

last modified: last year

Hi everyone :) Hoping we can get some help choosing an exterior paint colour, because we're going bananas over here!

We have a lovely brick house in VIC, built in '86. The bricks have quite a few colours (red, pink, blue-grey), and the current trim and gutters are a pinky-mushroom colour. The house has a bit of a mid-century vibe, and there's LOTS of wood (a huge pergola around the side).

We're trying to find a colour that works well for the trim, gutters and garage door, but having trouble.

Initially, we thought Colorbond Monument might work but we think it's actually too dark. It looks black in some lights, and it will look terribly dark on the big pergola.

We tried Basalt, but in some lights it looks silvery-blue.

I LOVE Gully (a gentle green - not a statement colour, but really pretty), but it won't work with the red terracotta roof.

Does anyone have any suggestions? doesn't have to be Colorbond colours.

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CHRISTINE HALL ARCHITECTS LTD

last year

Hi Amy and Cato,

I'd go for a mid grey or charcoal trim and garage door and a bold colour of your choice for the front door. As the bricks are warm tones, you could go with cool tones for the door. I.e, greens & blues.

Alternatively change the garage and front door to cedar.

Good luck,

Christine.

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Comments (6)

dreamer
last year
I actually don’t mind the colour of your garage door. Use something similar to that colour on all the trims, down pipes, pergola etc.. one of these colours would suit, in my opinion. Circled the colours that stand out to me.
Julie Herbert
last year
Woodland grey looks a great match also, I would even do the garage doors as well in woodland grey, could add a real modern edge.
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User
last year
I look at the first picture , and the most noticeable thing ( in a good way ) is the letterbox -- its an offwhite by the looks of it . So I'd do all the trim in that , and it even works with the roof ( sort of ) . The garage door is okay as it is -- the lighter tones elsewhere will balance that IMO . Ideally , I'd look at changing the garage door to a cedar timber at some stage -- again that would work with the roof , bricks , trim , etc .

Probably just me , but I'm with you about going darker -- it may look 'dingy' , but none of them seem a fit with the roof IMO . Even something like surfmist ( off-white with a slight blue tinge ) doesn't gel in my mind .

If you had the budget , and did want to look more modern , THEN maybe go a charcoal like monument , BUT with the cedar ( or cedar stained ) garage door , and 15 or so 40x40 battens , again cedar stained , basically the length of the 3 right side poles , so there's still that 2 metres or so in the middle that is 'open' . The cedar door on the left , and battens on the right , will visually look reasonably balanced and modern , without being too symetrical . The downside is it will cut down the light a bit , so depends if thats worth more than looking modern .
amyandcato
Original Author
last year
Thanks so much everyone - really appreciate your suggestions. We're off to the paint shop to collect the next round of sample pots :P

We'll definitely be updating the facade with some timber and a timber-look garage door at some stage (and I agree that darker colours like Monument will look better then), but this is just a quick refresh for now while we focus on the inside (which, realistically, might take years).
nicko
last year
I’m in exactly the same boat as you!
Only difference is our house is not as cool as yours.
Same age and also recycled brick (but a bit more orangey)
Make sure to post pics when you settle on a colour to please
Best of luck

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