Need Help with Exterior Color.

I have a high ranch with pillars and the front is stone. The stone is laid flat with their cross-sections showing. I can see all colors from a dark grey to pink to white to yellow showing up in the veins, but the background of the rock is predominently a salmon color. Roof is a reddish brown, windows are white. What colour could I paint my front door to compliment the rock? Thankyou!

 

I'm not much of a colour person, but I think you want contrast for the stone, and here are my thoughts on that:

The door treatment will help stone look even stonier, if the door's real smooth and glossy. Conversely, the rocks then make the door look crisper and cleaner than it really is. So do take your time prepping this door and use an oil/alkyd. I would want an unnatural (man-made) colour, again to contrast with the natural stone. And I'd ask someone else to pick it.

 

Thankyou for answering. It's interesting that you should mention an unnatural color for the natural stone. I was just thinking the same thing, actually, without realizing it. I thought, if I choose a colour that's in the stone, I'll bring out that color in the stone, so I tried some, but didn't see any punch in that respect. The stone is basically salmon, and using those colours just seems to bring out nothing but a harsh contrast. (I've been sticking color paint samples in the storm door and stepping back, for what it's worth,lol) The eavestrough and roof are a dark red brown, so I was thinking that I had to stay close to that somehow...maybe not, I'm not familiar with the "rule of thumb" when bringing the front of a house together with trim, eaves and all. Instead of trying to set off the stone, I next approached the idea of tying it all together instead. The colour that I ended up with was a red/brown...(think rust, then add some quiet red to it...a bit darker and warmer.) The storm door is an original shop paint color of chocolate brown and needs to be painted as well, or it's going to ruin any attempt on the door. It's ugly and needs to be replaced, but next year when I can budget for it. I was thinking of painting the storm door the same color as the big door in order for it to "disappear", but I'm afraid that I'll end up with this big "too much colour" doorway that makes for a big brown hole in the end. If I did paint both doors, your suggestion of oil/alkyd would surely be the way to go! Thanks for your reply. Every little bit of assistance sure helps me to take another step forward. Actually, I've been mired for years on what colour to paint this door. It's reckoning time and thank goodness for this forum to ask on and the people willing to help.

 

hmmm.........any chance of posting a pic??? you think this is tough for you? imagine how much harder it is for us "blind" people!!!

my first thought is a version of the salmon color - maybe stronger/brighter, but still in the same family that would work with the red/brown of the roof & trim.

what color is it now?

is the door recessed so that it's in shadow & seems dark? if so, you definitely don't want a dark color like dark brown. what about white, like the windows? too stark? is there a creamy beige in the stone?

 

I was also wondering what color the pillars are? Or are those stone as well?

 

Sorry I took so long to get back here! I'm always getting slapped sideways! I've been trying to take a picture but was unsuccessful. I couldn't get the true colour to show up because the sun wouldn't come out and play.

The door isn't recessed but does have a storm door in front of it. The storm door is dark brown. I'm definitely thinking of painting this storm door as well! (white?) The door behind it (the one I'm asking about) is grey right now (manufacterer's colour grey for steel doors)
Could I paint the storm door either white or the same colour as the door behind it to make it disappear more? (I think it's ugly and will be getting a new one down the road. In the meantime, why not paint it and get rid of the brown?

To recap the situation:
Roof: Red/brown
Windows: White
Stone: Basically salmon with veins of (dark grey, rust, beige, etc.)
Porch and Pillars: Stucco white, only warm white, colour of concrete.

Developments:

I've got some Sedums in the front garden. The flowers on them are a dark, warm pink (dusty) and I think they'd look good in the gardens in front of the house (both sides of the porch...thinking of moving them there) Thing is, I'm not a pink person, but these flowers are a really warm, muted, med. dark pink. I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to paint the door this colour, I have a feeling I'm going to regret it. I don't know if I should even be trying to match the door with the flowers, anyway.??? I don't know what it is about the flowers, their colour just feels good in front of the stone...blending, I guess. It must be the pink in them pulling the pink out of the salmon in the stone. Should I make the door blend as well, or should I go darker, be braver and add more contrast?

I also tried a very pale yellow...wrong! Made everything white look dingy! Ahh! Why does this have to be so complicated? Please, please have patience with me!

I've also noticed that the grout inbetween the stones is a plum colour, maybe that would be a safer kind of pink for me? (Got a hearth upstairs that's plum coloured brick as well) Do you think I could match the door to the grout? ( a med. tone of plum colour and slide sideways from pink? (Seems I just want to play it safe and blend everything...would work with the flowers, though)

Sorry to get your heads spinning on this one. My head's been spinning for years...it's time to make it come together. Any suggestions would be most appreciated!

 

using the grout color for the house's body color or trim color or shutter color is done often, and always looks good. it allows the brick or stone to stand out. plum sounds like a good front door color to me, as long as it works with the stone AND the roof.

i'd paint the storm door the plum color, too, or just take it down if the paint doesn't stick well or come out looking good. (not sure those are meant to be painted - don't they have a factory baked-on finish??)

 

Thanks Annette, you're a blessing! Picking colour can be quite a process! I will go and see if I can find a plum colour and see how that looks. I'm glad that you also approved of painting the storm the same colour as the door. I was thinking whether it's light on dark, or dark on light, it still was going to ruin the effect. Yes the storm does have a factory finish, what's left of it. It definitely needs something! I was asking myself, what's the use of painting the main door when the storm is looking ugly in front of it and ruining the whole effect? Both doors will be replaced next year anyway, but this is still important to me, as it's the beginnings of how I think about the whole house and have been for years. I can ask myself questions till I'm blue in the face, and am so glad to be making headway on this issue, even though the doors are only temporary. I'll just be playing with the colour on these doors, but it's serious play and good ground gained in my thinking for when I get new doors and it really counts! Now, to go and find some "plum" of just the right shade and see if it works with the grout/flowers/roof! Thanks so much!

 

Why not make a statement with your front door. It is the portal to your home and considered very important in fung shui. I'm thinking a striking blue. Took a quick look at the Kelly Moore web site (kellymore.com) and came up with "Soothing Saphire" or "Cascade Twilight." Of course, hard to tell without pictures. But it is a thought...blue that is.

-Deb