…Garage Doors
Thanks for visiting my blog. I would love to help you. I answer questions regarding your home’s exterior (siding, trim, accent color) for $30 per color dilemma (the cost of a couple sample cans of paint). Click on the secure PayPal button below for your convenience. After receiving payment, I will answer your question directly on the blog. Working together, we can save you from costly mistakes and unnecessary trips to the paint store. Let me help you with your color challenges. -Barbara, Your Home & Color Coach
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Your Home & Color Coach 
Hi
I had asked a question about the color of garage doors and front door last month…i can not remember where i asked it…i am not sure if you answered it…can you tell where it was by my email address? Thanks
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
I scrolled back and found your post and my reply which was only to suggest that you send a photo to my email address: bmeglis@yahoo.com
If that works for you, I will then respond after seeing the photo. If you don’t have one to send, then write back and we can discuss your door color options.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Before posting a comment,
+++PLEASE READ LATEST POST+++
AUGUST 29th, for changes to blog
Hi there. We have lately painted our shutters black, installed a new black door, and repainted the garage door, but we don’t like the colour. We want the garage to recede. What colour should the garage be? We’ve made a paypal donation under the name Trevor Gray. Thanks,
Gracena Gray
I will try to send you a picture, but can’t seem to figure out how.
Hi Gracena,
Would love to see a photo of your house as it is currently. You can attach a photo file to an email at bmeglis@yahoo.com and I’ll be sure to get it there. Or you can insert a link to a photo album right here in this blog reply.
Looking forward to helping you with your garage color.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Gracena,
Have a look at Ben Moore’s Fairview Taupe HC-85. It looks like it would blend with your grout color (the goal here) and make the garage door blend in with the stone nicely. It has a touch of green which recedes naturally anyway.
See what you think. Hope it works for you!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara,
I sent this on Sunday and have not received a response. I sent a donation via Paypal and I e-mailed pictures. I really need your help.
We have a brick house with a white front door and white garage door. I would like to paint the front door and garage door, leaving the white trim. The roof is Barkwood (dark brown), and the bricks multi-colored.
I am open to painting the front door and garage door a different color. I am thinking maybe a burgundy for the front door and a lighter color for the garage door, but am not sure.
Let me know if I need to send the pictures again. Looking forward to your response.
Andy
Hi Andy,
I answered on Sunday but under a different blog post — number 247 House Color. Sorry you missed it. I just copied the reply right here so you won’t have to scroll around. I’ll send it via email too just in case. Again, sorry you had trouble finding it! -Barbara, Your Home & Color Coach
One option would be to use Yosemite Sand AC-4 for your garage door, picking up on the sandy tones in your brick, and then a richer version, New Chestnut AC-6, for your front door. It ties in with the roof color but adds a little more body to that entry area. I like the white trim.
Another idea is to go a little less conventional/predictable and pick a light warm gray for your garage door (Revere Pewter HC-172)– that color cools the house down while picking up on the grout color. Then you could still use a warm brown for the front door, the same light gray, or a cool taupey brown like Berkshire Beige AC-2 (a little more sophisticated palette, perhaps).
Since your brick is so orange and I don’t see any burgundy in it (could be my screen), I would not use a burgundy or dark purple for your front door. But if there is burgundy in the brick, try Townsend Harbor Brown HC-64 for your door color. It’s a nice rich shade that usually goes quite well with multi-colored brick.
See what you think. And thanks again.
Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
We have a side entry garage (which is the side of the house you see first from driving down the street). Most of the garage doors on the street are the same color (taupe) to match the siding. This is a 3 car garage (one 2 car door and 1 one car door) with a side garage entry door too. Would you suggest the doors to be a shade or two darker then the siding, lighter than the siding or keep the same color as the siding?
We don’t want it to stick out too much and look strange, but would like it to be a little different then all the neighbors if it won’t look funny.
Hi Leigh,
Thanks for sending the photos over to the email.
Take a look at Sherwin Williams’ Downing Earth (SW 2820) or Weathered Shingle (SW 2841) for your garage doors. They are not trying to match the Pebblestone Clay siding color but rather pick out a slightly greener or browner shade from your brick — and also coordinate with your roof. I think one of those will be perfect!
Then for your shutters, take a look at Bitter Chocolate (SW 6013), a very dark eggplant color that should bring out some of those wine tones in the brick and coordinate well with your aged copper over the window (balancing the house, so to speak).
See what you think. If you’d rather stick with an earth tone for the shutters as well, look at Library Pewter (SW 0038).
Hope those colors work for you!!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
We have just bought a house and need help determining the color to paint the garage door and trim & columns of the house. We will use Benjamin Moore paint. We like the look of tan/brown colors. There are a few places that are tan stucco on the house that are close to the color of Bemjamin Moore’s Shaker Beige. We want the garage door to blend and not “stick out.” Also, what do you do about the gutters/downspouts? What color should they be? They are white now.
I have just emailed you a picture of my house and a close-up of the bricks.
Thanks!
Bridget Robinson
Hi Bridget,
Thanks for the photos and the extra info on the interior. Check out Davenport Tan for your garage door! I think you will really like it with your roof and the door will certainly blend much more than the current hunter green. Then you might also paint the stucco above the front door the same Davenport Tan. I do like the white trim and columns on your house because the windows are all white and the keystones on the brick are white too. You could move to cream for the trim, but you’ll still have white windows.
As for the gutters, they should match the trim color. Sometimes we paint the downspouts to match the house behind them (in an attempt to make the gutters go away) but otherwise you can leave them white. The goal is to camouflage the “function” part of the house and highlight the aesthetic/architectural features instead.
See what you think. Hope that helps!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I am in some desperate need for your advice. 🙂 I recently purchased my first home from my grandfather and we are pretty much remodeling the entire house. The exterior of the house needs some sprucing up and we were wondering if you could help us pick out some colors for the garage door, trim and front door. Next week we will be getting all new white windows. There is currently shutters on the house and I was wondering if I should repaint those as well or just get rid of them? The house is red brick and the roof is a light gray. I will email you a few pics of the house.
Thank you! -Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
Congratulations on your new house! Here’s what I suggest for the exterior:
Take a look at Ben Moore’s Revere Pewter HC-172 for the garage door and siding above it. I chose a warm gray to blend with your house. (It’s okay to paint the garage door the same as the front door but it will really stick out. I’m not sure you want that.)
You can keep the soffits white since you’ll have white gutters and windows. As for the front door, take a look at Cromwell Gray HC-103 (a rich gray-green).
Your shutters are not really adding too much to the curb appeal. Try going without them when you install the new windows. If you’d like the traditional look of shutters, I suggest investing in a “raised panel” style which will go better with the front door and the small-scaled brick pattern. See what you think. Wood (or wood-like) shutters are the way to go. Vinyl will look … well… like vinyl.
Hope this helps. Thanksk for posting!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara,
I am about to close on a townhouse that is in the style of a New Orleans townhouse. It is mostly brick with some siding on the dormers and on the back of the house. The windows have shutters. The garage door is at the front, facing the street. The front door, like a true French Quarter townhouse, is found after you enter through the gated courtyard, and is not visible from the street. I would like to paint the shutters Paris Green, but should the siding and the garage door match the brick as closely as possible? It seems that the townhouses in the French Quarter that are made of both brick and stucco tend to have the stucco painted to match the brick. I don’t mind painting the garage door a different color, but I’m at a loss as to what that color should be. If you’d like to see what the house looks like, I can email you the link to the realtor site. Thanks!
Hi Katie,
Just like New Orleans’ French roots, the color scheme of the bones of the house can be subtle with the real pop of color coming from the shutters and then the embellishments (usually wrought iron). So yes, I think it’s a good idea to keep the dormer siding as well as the garage door a neutral found in the brick. What’s there now looks a little peach. But it’s very nice. Although you could go with more of a cooler taupe (also in the brick), something like Ben Moore’s Shaker Beige HC-45, I do like the warmth of your current trim color, especially if you’re going to move from the black shutters to Paris Green. Make sure the green doesn’t clash with the olivey tones in the brick. But the idea of Paris Green is certainly classic New Orleans…
You’ve probably seen this document, but it’s helpful if you’re trying to recreate a particular period. I noticed it does say that the trim was painted to match the brick. Shutters: Paris Green!
http://www.nola.gov/RESIDENTS/Vieux%20Carre%20Commission/Historic%20Paint%20Colors%20(1820-1920)/
Good luck with your project!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi there,
I love your web-site. We are buying a house that is bricked at the front of the house a tan colour. The roof is dark brown shingles and the eaves and trim is white. However there is robing egg blue siding at the back upper half of the house. The garage door and front door are painted a robin egg blue as well. Not my taste!!! Do you have any suggestions for a garage door and front door colour. Can we paint the siding as well?
Thanks!!!!
Brigid 🙂
Hi Brigid,
Yes, you should be able to paint the siding. But consult a painting contractor to make sure and you might consider having it professionally done so it lasts. Then pick a shade that’s a couple of shades darker than your brick jfor the siding and garage door. For the front door, you can go with a rich teal blue — fabulous with the brown tones everywhere else. Look at Ben Moore’s Schooner!
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hello Jacqueline:
We have just put darkish grey stone on the bottom half of our house. The siding is a light blue grey color – more grey – with a white door – white window trim and a white garage door.
We have a front open entrance and I have painted the concrete a light grey.
I really need some help on what paint colors to use for my front door, garage and the floor on the entrance.
I have sent pictures to our email address.
I am looking forward to changing the look of our house.
Thanking you in advance.
Cathy
Hi Cathy,
Try painting the garage door (and porch floor) a warm tone that comes out of your stonework. Take a look at Ozark Shadows AC-26 and Brewster Gray HC-162 (both Ben Moore). The idea is to bring out the richness of the stonework by pulling out other tones — you’ve got enough of the gray-blue alread on the siding. Then how about using the big stone out front as inspiration and picking a really warm color for the front door. Take a look at Warm Earth 1274 and Onandaga Clay 1204 and if you decide on one of those, then paint the Adirondack Chairs the same striking color. That will really jazz up the front entry.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
What color do we paint the garage doors?
We have a house that is mostly brick in the front. The roof is black…white columns, some stucco which is being painted and stand color that is in the bricks. The eaves will be a charcoal grey and the front door dark chocolate brown. I tried to attach a photo…help…Please
Hi Marlena,
I will email you and we’ll set this up.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I need your help fast. My painter didn’t show up today because of the rain. He’s due tomorrow and I’m having cold feet about my colour choice. I have a small house, with salmon pink colour brick. I’m having the trim done in a grey taupe colour to match my new storm door. I found Sea Gull Grey (ICI paints) to be a good match. It also is very close to the windows, which are new and won’t be painted, with the exception of the small first floor window. The garage door, front door and shutters will be painted in another colour. I was originally going to go with a brown and at my daughter’s insistence, changed to a blue. The painter suggested I go darker with my choice of colour. I’ve chosen Black Sable (ICI Dulux). I’m now wondering if it is going to look too black and if I should re-consider. Brown would definitely be a safer choice. Any suggestions? I’m running out of time. I will send photo separately. Thank you! — Martha
Hi Martha,
Although brown is a safe choice, it will truly blend into the brick and be hardly noticeable. I had to Google Black Sable as I do not have an ICI Dulux fandeck but from what I can see, it’s a very dark black-green. Not totally black. I think that color for your garage door, shutters, and front door will be a dramatic and positive change from your existing pink. I also like the idea of staying neutral with that accent color as you already have a lot of colors in the brick.
An alternative to the Black Sable, if you’re feeling like it’s too much, is a dark charcoal. Gray will work very well with your house because the roof is gray. I would go several shades darker than the roof — a nice rich dark charcoal — and that will soften the house from the starkness and drama of the Black Sable. Two different effects. Both will work. If you’re worried about the Black Sable, then move to Charcoal.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thank you, Barbara, for your speedy reply. The Black Sable is a little bit like BM Newburg Green, only with a touch more blue. I wasn’t sure what you meant by the different colours in the brick. They’re all the same colour, but the rough surface gives the brick a many hued appearance. Is that what you meant? Was there any particular charcoal you had in mind in the BM line? The shingles can look tan or grey, depending on the light.
Hi Barbara,
I am in the final stages of an exterior remodel on a 1964 Dutch Colonial and would like your suggestions for garage door colors. The house is a combination of brick (browns, tans, oranges) and red cedar shingle siding (all new). The roof is GAF Camelot in Antique Slate. The 5th photo provided is a picture of a white mortar wash that I plan on putting on all the brick (the brick covers the first story except for the location of the side entrance (see the oval window in photos) which is shingles. I anticipate that about 1/3 to 1/4th of the brick to remain showing through after the mortar wash is applied. I have tentatively selected cabot’s semi-transparent stain in Fieldstone for the shingles. I also have strongly considered Beechwood Gray for staining the shingle siding. The first photo shows a sample of Fieldstone on the left (lighter color) and Beechwood Gray (darker color) on the right propped up on the upper railing against the house. Any thoughts you have on stain color are appreciated. The front door and side door are black and the two sets of shutters going on the garage wall will also be black (see 3rd photo). All the trim, including the dormers, will be painted Ben Moore White Dove which is a pretty good match to the new window color. I am considering two different approaches for the garage doors, 1) a natural wood stain (they do not face the street) to match the beaded board front porch ceiling (2nd photo) or 2) stain to match the shingle stain in a darker opacity, eg. Fieldstone in a semi-solid stain or Beechwood Gray in semi-solid. Also, I am very nervous about the mortar wash process and getting a good result from that. I would appreciate any thoughts or insight that you have on this process. I am trying to give the house a fresh and new look with the color palette but still keep it traditional to stay in tune with the architecture. I have emailed photos to bmeglis@yahoo.com Thank you so much.
Emily S.
Hi Emily,
I like the Fieldstone semi-transparent for your siding shingles because it offers more contrast with the roof, but I like the darker Beechwood for the garage door in a semi-solid to “ground” the doors. It might be nice to tie in the beadboard ceiling from the front portico, but since they’re not seen together, I think it would be better to tie in the roof color to the garage doors. You might add a garden bench or chairs in the beadboard stain to spread that color around the area a little more.
I like your trim color. As for the mortar wash, I think the sample wash was a little too heavy and a tad too white. I would love to see it a little more transparent and a little closer to your actual mortar color. But if you’re trying to whitewash the house, then stick with the whiter mortar wash.
I will email you a photo of a mortar wash that looks really good (to me anyway). I think this is the look you’re trying to achieve.
Nice house design!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I would love to get your advice on exterior color choices for my home this week, if possible. I have just paid on Paypal. I have 10 house current photos and one sample color scheme I’m leaning toward with a gray body, clean white trim and a midnight navy door. We don’t have the lovely columns but this is an idea. A second idea is a pale cream color body with white trim. I could also use an idea for the wood rails and fencing surrounding the house.
How do I create a link to my photos? Can I email because I know how to do that?
Thanks so much!
Melissa R.
Hi Melissa,
Since your roof is a taupe/gray, I think it’s a good idea to go with a gray for the house color. Doing that will blend the roof and house and make the whole house look a bit bigger. I like the sample gray you included (Summit Gray SW7669) but also have a look at the lighter, slightly warmer grays like Dorian Gray SW 7017 and Dovetail SW 7018. I know they have a brown undertone, but you might like them.
Then for trim, you can stick with white but try to match the gutter (ie, don’t go whiter). You might also look at the gray-whites like Incredible White SW 7028 and even Eider White SW 7014.
I like the blue door idea. Something like Needlepoint Navy SW 0032 would work.
For the fence/railing, I would recommend using a stain, probably in a natural wood tone. Or a lighter gray stain. I don’t think you want to make the railing/fence the star of the house. Applying a color to it will do that. So natural or gray should work. You have the brick driveway for warmth and you can use the brick as an accent color elsewhere as well.
See what you think of those ideas.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I am in the process of purchasing a new garage door but I need help with the garage door color. Prefer to buy a color without painting, if possible. Will be painting entry door, etc. based on garage door. I have considered three (3) new door choices. There are two colors of doors I thought would work so I had the paint store match the sample garage doors, and I painted our old door in order to actually see what it would look like. (See pictures being sent to your yahoo account.) I think brown is better but looks dark because our soffit has faded. A third choice is a door that looks like wood but it has a special paint finish and am not sure how good it would paint over in coming years. Again, I will be willing to paint a new door if the purchase colors are not the best. Your suggestions will be so appreciated. Thanks for your help.
Hi Pat,
Well, the door color I like the best is the wood-like color — it looks terrific with your brick. The dark brown is a little TOO dark for your house. And the light taupe-tan is fine but not a match with your current cream trim color. The issue is that with a wood-like garage door, you should at least have the same kind of wood-like front door. But since you’re planning to paint the front door, how about painting it the trim color? What that will do is lighten up the front door area (you have a light storm door anyway). The garage door will blend and the front door will “pop.” I don’t think a brown front door is the way to go. It will be totally lost under the overhang and behind the storm door. It will look like the front door is open most of the time…
And at first opportunity, I would paint the soffits the trim color as well to lighten the overhang and reflect more light down onto the dark brick. In terms of long-term wear and tear on the garage door and needing to paint it down the line, check with the manufacturer about that.
Hope that helps with the decision.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara,
Wish I’d discovered your site about two months ago!
In trying to update our late ’50s era two-story home, which had charcoal gray 3-tab shingles on the roof, we opted for the installation of GAF Timberline ‘mission brown’ shingles. We thought that the old gray shingle color was outdated. But now we’re thinking that the color scheme of our house skews too red/brown.
The second story vinyl siding is light beige and the windows and gutters are white. The first story bricks are a mottled rust-red.
Regarding possibly changing the front door/garage door and shutter colors, which are white and red-brown respectively, do you have any tips for making our house appear a little less warm? Or, given that the siding and roof colors are keepers, should we just leave the door and shutter colors alone and stick with what we have?
I’ve sent a picture of our house to your email address.
Thanks so much for your consideration.
Mary
Hi Mary,
I have no problem with the “warmth” of your house. But here are a couple of ideas:
Consider painting the garage door the grout color — something like Shaker Beige (Ben Moore HC-45). It will “ground” the door and make it look more finished.
Then consider painting the shutters a darker cooler color, something like Texas Leather (Ben Moore AC-3) to contrast with the brick and take away some of the warmth coming from the current shutter color. The dark neutral will also update the house a bit.
For the front door, wait until the other changes are made and reevaluate which of those accent colors you’d like on the door. Either would work.
See what you think. But don’t worry about the roof. It’s fine.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
We recently got new garage doors and I am trying to decide what color to paint them. Should we go brown and try to blend it into the house color or match the front door? I can’t figure out how to post a pic so will send to your email.
Hi Cindy,
You might want to paint the garage doors the trim color since your house is so dark. So the beige. And have you considered a cooler color for the front door? Something like Ben Moore’s Alfresco? http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/alfresco
You will be surprised at how striking that combination is. Just an idea.
Thanks for posting!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach