Tuesday, October 21, 2008

A Little Help from my Friends

Thanks for all your advice on how to deal with the aches and pains of mixing and pouring the concrete slab. I'm surprised that I'm not in more pain than I am but perhaps my sessions laying porcelain tile paid off. Here's the slab:

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The finishing work is less than perfect which means I won't be getting any job offers from the local concrete laborer's union but the 400 lb. generator will hide all the imperfections.

Now I'm going to ask for your help. I know there are lots of designers and people with great taste out there. HELP.

We installed a new entry door about a year ago and I just haven't gotten around to painting the door. I'm sick to death of the white door and winter is closing in fast. I need to choose a color and get the door painted before the snow flies.

The previous door was painted a dark red and I was happy with that but it's time for a change. Just this week many of you featured porches decorated for fall. I enjoyed seeing all the different doors and came up with a few ideas. I really like the black doors but would that work with these dark greyish-green shutters?

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When we were in Arkansas I visited the home of a British couple whose front door was painted a medium dark shade of yellow. It was really unusual and nice. I went to the home improvement store and picked up these two paint chips.

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One is the color of a clay pot and the other is a dark yellow/gold.

What do you think? Do you like any of these suggestions or do you have something else in mind?

NOTE: If you like apple butter be sure to come back tomorrow. I'm going to be showing you how to make it the easy way!

32 comments:

J'Ollie Primitives said...

The clay pot color is good, a nice shade.
I'd go with a deep dark red too.

Vee said...

We both like the color of the clay. We don't like the other because it may look as if you couldn't quite match the color to the siding...too close in color.

As for a black door, it will absorb heat depending upon which direction it faces. And, for whatever reason, black latex tends to fade out over time.

Janet said...

I have seen a couple of true Aubergine doors lately that look stunning. A trip to the market should make color matching easy!

Janet

chocolatechic said...

I would go with a brilliant red.

Anonymous said...

I love the clay pot color.

Anonymous said...

I will have to vote for the dark yellow. I have been thinking about painting my door that shade, or just a bit brighter than that. It looks very warm and happy on cold winter days.

StitchinByTheLake said...

I'm not good with colors Suzanne but I think the lighter color is too light - it wouldn't really show up. I think it needs a deep, rich color that makes a statement. blessings, marlene

Molly said...

I love black doors. But I think you'd have to paint all the door surround black as well and that may be more than you wish to take on. But a black door is very crisp. My doors and shutters will be black next go around. I like your gold color for something different. I don't think I've seen a gold door. In this neighborhood there are navy blue, black, red, dark green (mine), charcoal grey (all trim same color), and white.

Thirkellgirl said...

Not the orange or yellow! A glossy black door would look super. Very colonial east-coast design aesthetic, lol. Picture it with a Christmas wreath with red berries and ribbon!

Lena . . . said...

I love the terracotta color, but the suggestion of a black door at christmas with a wreath and red berries makes me rethink the situation.

Chris said...

I vote for the Aubergine color, too! It is not so dark as black, yet deep enough to be striking. It is also unexpected, which is fun.

lisa said...

I like the black too. I recently painted my house, and used the Sherwin Williams website to see what the colors would look like together. You pick a house style that's close and then put the differenct colors were you want. I know that it isn't as good as a paint chip, but I thought it was helpful for picking out ideas before you went and got the sample paint. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

My feeling is the brighter the door, the cheerier the house (red door here). Black is too serious. How about a shade of bright blue? Aubergine would be stunning. Then again when you mentioned apple butter..how about a door the color of apple butter/cinnamon? You are doing this as a gloss aren't you?

Heather said...

I'm going to vote for the clay pot color.

Anonymous said...

Of the two, the terra cotta is the one I'd go with. Aubergine is gorgeous. But, deep red is perfect with your colors.

Molly said...

And I forgot to say I'm totally envious of the Farmer's generator. In the winter, ice storms cut off power all over Atlanta, particularly the old established neighborhoods where there are trees and above ground power lines.

Anonymous said...

As Vee said, a dark door will absorb heat. The problem with this, which she didn't mention, is that it can warp the door. This includes a dark red. I'm not sure if a steel door will warp as a wooden door will, but it's an important consideration if your door faces south.

Make sure to post a new photo after you've painted!

Jill said...

I'm a fan of the deep red too... I'm sure it made your house "pop". However, I do understand the need for change... so I was going to say a dark navy/black. It would match the windows and the color of the house.

In any event - go darker and richer rather than lighter. That's my 1 1/2 cents worth!

Anonymous said...

Was just looking at a color wheel to see what the opposites of the colors on your house are. Opposites on the color wheel usually look smashing. The opposites of your color green are red-orange, red, and red-violet. Just something bright in any of those colors would work and create a welcome look to your house.

It's me said...

I have your house re-colored with six different doors. Since I can't post photos here (I'm html challenged) email me if you'd like the pictures.

Peace!

bj said...

I am thinking the clay pot color would look fabulous...one good thing. if you paint and just don't like it, doors aren't that hard to repaint.
You have a lovely house!!
bj

Ruta M. said...

What about toning more with the colours of your shutters, racing green is quite traditional though I'd be tempted to go for a sage/green or a blue/grey. So many choices, have fun choosing.

Lori said...

We just painted ours a terra cotta color and I love it. When I picked it out, I thought it would be more of a brick red, but when we put it on terra cotta. I'll be posting pictures of the before and after soon on my blog. I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Mogsie said...

I like the claypot colour best ~ it would "go" just fine with the green shutters ~ and offset any colour/season of wreath you might put on the front door.

:)

Rue said...

Oh! I so love your house Suzanne.

I would paint it the same color as the shutters, but I'm really partial to green on houses :)

Hugs,
your biggest fan rue

Cottage Rose said...

Hey Suzanne; I am not a professional but I would do a deep rich color, it would really give your house a whole new look. I like the deep red, myself. Black is to common, and would draw heat. I say go bold!!!

Hugs;
alaura

KatKit13 said...

Clay pot is my choice of the two.

But my first thought was a deep aubergine (eggplant) purple. It would be stunning.

Black is good for a crisp look but if you want some adventure, go with the purple.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful Front Door and entry way to your lovely home.

I PREFER a very bright Red for doors because they mean:

Welcome and Friendship

Country Chick said...

Either Country Barn Red or Black would be great and inviting for your home! I love a painted door and I have 3 to paint at our place but first we have to change out all of our siding so that I can paint my doors red! Right now our house is red so that wouldn't look too good!

LIBERTY POST EDITOR said...

Clay Pot.

Cherry Hill Cottage~ said...

black shutters, red door, paint your porch~ (concrete) with porch paint, paint it the color of the base color of the house. Add a beautiful wreath! LOVE YOUR HOME!!!!!!!

Tina~ Cherry Hill Cottage...

ps..I've got to make that apple butter!

Anonymous said...

Suzanne,

I asked Scott, my sweetie (who is a carpenter and general contractor as well as a farmer), whether steel doors will warp like wooden doors if they are situated on the sunny side of a house and painted a dark colour. He said they will. Now we know.

Kate