A Craftsman Paint Story: Before and After

Before, a  tin-roofed cottage painted a non-traditional minty green by the previous owner.

Which stuck out like a sore thumb in a transitional neighborhood of sidewalks lined with

classic Craftsman bungalows as well as some brick houses.

Image ©Color Calling

Image ©Color Calling

After, classic Craftsman paint colors selected for the new homeowners, newlyweds.

Minty green does not belong in a classic Craftsman palette.

Greeny-grays are perfect. Great with a tin roof as well.

Grays in the mortared stone columns are reflected in the choice of color for the house body

and the darker grays accenting the trim.

Think of the earth colors of nature and there you have a pretty complete Craftsman palette.

“Georgian Brick” (Benjamin Moore) front door, which echoes the exact color of the next door

neighbor’s brick (very close by)  as well as the brick High School across the street.

The young wife liked my color palette, explained to her by her husband after my initial consultation.

She was busy performing surgery and could not attend the original color consultation.

There was just one thing.

She had her heart set on  a REALLY RED front door. 

But, once I explained “WHY” the more muted red I selected was picked out

(it is better for a Craftsman palette;

it reflects the adjoining neighbor’s red brick;

matches the brick of  the high school very visible across the street;

honors some similarly colored decorative brickwork set in their yard, etc.).

And, with this color selection system, there is ALWAYS a WHY.

She immediately understood.

She is one smart cookie. Beautiful, too.

The system works.

And, this is it: Evaluate the FIXED finishes and go from there. 

Doesn’t have to include the neighbors, but when you can reach out and almost touch their brick side wall from your front porch,  better to take into consideration. Think existing stone, brick, roof, etc., that will not be changed. That is what a fixed finish is.  

Felt a glow of satisfaction when a passerby walking down the sidewalk told me, “Wow, the  house looks great. What a difference!” as I was taking the ‘after’ photo shot.