Exterior Colour Scheme, now in progress

original colour scheme as when we bought the house

Our old stone house is made of what is called blue stone, with some dark steely blue stones in the mix.  It also has stones in rust, beige and other hues.  The exterior trims on the house are very bright, a deep/bright gold ochre and a dark indian red.  We have intended to change this to a more neutral scheme, but the work pushed out as we did the complete interior renovations.

However, we await planning permissions for our studio space in back, so other jobs we left for later are getting pulled forward to do now while we wait.  One of the jobs to do was to restore a door in the front, a door we don't use for entering/exiting the house, but that is of a very poor condition.  It was very drafty, having holes you could look through from inside out.  So poor in condition that when the rain blows towards the front of the house, water flowed through every edge and every timber panel of that door.  Ian decided to take the door off, restore it, and then seal it up.  It would still look door-like, but would be weather proofed.

the restored door in front,
in new colour scheme
windows to left also painted

The job was not as simple as it seemed.  Some of the timber door framing and also timber panels to sides of the door were rotted, because a gutter near by had a leak and let water splash onto it.  The timber rotted probably over a number of years.  Ian had to cut it all away and replace it.  When the job was all done, he did not want to paint the door the same previous colour, because we intend to change the exterior trims to a more neutral scheme.  The door needed priming, then painting.  Once only please.

I was dispatched to get exterior paints (I am the Procurement Director here !).  Masonry would be painted over from gold to grey.  Timber work on door and window frames from gold or red into charcoal, in a  Colourbond colour called Monument that matches guttering on the shed and back patio/pergola.  Eventually we will replace the guttering here too, and it will be replaced in Monument colour.  The door is painted a dark steely blue.  

left side of house has new trims colours
guttering and roof not done.
Front gable and right side not yet done.
(house will look mix-match for a while)

(eventually the roof will be cleaned, primed, and painted over in a Micaceous Iron Oxide paint, we are considering Murobond Bridge Paint for that.  Probably a mid grey colour.  This will be a big job and will require good weather conditions too, thinking late winter or early Spring might be the right timing).

 south side windows look MUCH better
in new trims colours

You can see some of the work in progress.  Ian started on the door he restored and is working around to the left of the house.  It is more easily accessed with ladders we already have.  Painting window framing is a very slow and tedious job.  Also, windows need to be removed, so he can scrape years of old paint off them, or off the glazing, and fill, sand and paint anew.  But gosh does it ever look good when done !

back entrance,
now painted in new trims colours

This week he made it to one of our back entrances.  The door here will get done over in the dark steely blue too.  That will "quiet" its look down, to more of an elegant whisper (the red is very brash).  The door's paint job is delayed until next week because that door needs restoring too, on closer inspection it was not as solid and sound as we had thought to hoped.  

the kitchen window and door frame are
painted in new trims colours.
Door will get its new colour soon, steely blue.
Reglazed window above door looks very good,
other two old coloured glass windows
to be reglazed next week

Another delay was the window above the door.  It was a "legacy" window in pink textured glass, next to another window like it in same colour, and one to side of door in green textured glass.  The textured glass panels were cracked, and on the Replace Someday list.  But that list is always long, and some things sit on it a while, waiting for other work to be done, or for funds for their turn to come up.

window above the door shattered,
needs new glazing

Anyways, Ian touched the top window and it shattered to bits.  He had to stop other painting work, go find some glass to reglaze the window.  By the end of the day it was done.  Looking lovely in a cathedral pattern clear glass.    Now the other two windows look all wrong, so their Replace Someday turn may come next week.  When all of them are done, the door  and window frame painting can be completed.

The whole job will take some time to complete.  So our house exterior will look a bit disjointed until it is done.  But it is great to see where it is going and it feels like the changes will enhance the house's curb appeal.

I am loving the look of the old red brick paving in back entry with the more neutral trims colours.  All very complementary to the stonework, letting it be more noticeable as a feature.  Which is part of the point !