sophia_nikolaides

Painting the house

S Niko
7 years ago
Can't decide what colour to paint our house. Thee front of the house is north facing. The photo was taken at 8.30pm so low light

Comments (35)

  • shelleyuk
    7 years ago
    What's the middle grey on the second row?
  • S Niko
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Dulux Portland
  • S Niko
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Might try this Portland stone by little green or old white by f&b
  • shelleyuk
    7 years ago

    Do not paint your house Old White unless you want a green house. Ive just made that expensive mistake and had to have it repainted. This photo doesn't show quite how green it is in real life. Believe me, its green.

    If your top left is cornforth white be aware that this has purple undertones (we switched from Old white to cornforth white and whilst it is a whole lot better than the Old White, it does look purplish as the sun sets on it).

  • shelleyuk
    7 years ago

    That Portland Stone will also read green.

    Fine if you like green though.

  • S Niko
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Thank you for the info.
  • Daisy England
    7 years ago
    I also like the same colour grey as your neighbours or possibly top left on your swatches.
  • S Niko
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Top left is f&b cornforth White . Our little terrace has our blue, next doors grey, a White House ( which looks out of place) and the end of terrace is possibly old white f&b.
  • Daisy England
    7 years ago
    It looks grey on the swatch.
  • S Niko
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Here's a pic of the terrace
  • shelleyuk
    7 years ago

    This is our house being repainted in F&B cornforth white. It doesn't really show the purple undertones because of the lighting but it definitely has purple undertones. My BF says I have a lilac house. If I had to make the choice again I would go for F&B ammonite which is paler without the purple base.

  • Juliet Docherty
    7 years ago

    I would consider a dirty pink or a warm stone as a nice contrast to the neighbours house. Portland Stone funnily enough is the colour I use most, but I wonder if it might not sit well with the grey next door.


  • S Niko
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Maybe I can persuade next door to paint their house!!!
  • minnie101
    7 years ago

    It might look nice in farrow and ball peignoir (the pinky grey on the left pic). Or maybe just something like dulux timeless that ties in with the rusticated quoins

  • shelleyuk
    7 years ago

    Oo I like the peignoir

  • Sophie Bridge
    7 years ago

    We recently had our victorian house painted in F&B Cornforth White. We wanted a grey that wasn't too harsh as our house is also north-facing.


    Going into the F&B shop helped a lot - they took us outside with a few of our favourite sample colours (the ones they have on wooden boards) to see what the colours looked like outdoors. Some had pinky undertones, some green, etc. We settled for Cornforth White and Ammonite, did two test patches, and decided on CW as Ammonite was too subtle. We paired it with a Railings door and think it looks great. It does have a creamy undertone, but we quite like the warmth it brings.

    Our next door neighbours decided to paint their house shortly after we did ours, and they chose a darker grey (no idea what the colour is - you can just about see it in one of the photos), but to me it really looks harsh and a bit dull - not great on a miserable rainy day!


    Your house is gorgeous and the features are lovely. I like how your neighbours have gone for a stand-out door colour - a nice nod to colourful Brighton.


    (above: day time - cloudy day)


    (above: morning)


    (above: evening)


    (above: left = ammonite, right = cornforth white)


    (above: left = neighbours' darker grey, right = cornforth white)

  • User
    7 years ago

    What beautiful houses, you are all so lucky with all those fabulous external details (no fun for the painter though). I love Farrow & Ball old white. I make a lot of painted crafty items, signs and stuff, and use Old White a lot. There is nothing white about it. Definitely green. But I think that would look great on that house and not clash with the grey next door. I think it would look very classy. Buy more tester pots & do big patches. They're only £3-£4 from F&B and arrive the next day. We painted our house Snow by Zoffany (as much as I love F&B, Zoffany are slightly better quality, most prof decorators I've spoken to prefer it) but before choosing we had loads of 2ft test patches. Don't worry about it being there a few weeks, you have to get it right! And it'll be clear what you're up to; you might even get lots of feedback from passers by!

  • S Niko
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Thank you for the comments I have already started a little tally next to some of my colour. Swatches. We have a street party on Saturday might try and get a few more. I did pick up some more samples yesterday: little green Portland stone and tracery II and mylands grosvner square. I don't mind the colours that are a bit green I'm more adverse to too much yellow in the undertone.
  • shelleyuk
    7 years ago

    This is a better picture of my house when it was Old White. This was taken in the evening with low sun coming in from the west as it set (and shining onto the left hand gable end)

  • S Niko
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    From top to bottom:
    Grosvner square
    Portland stone
    Tracery II
    Gooseberry fool 4
    Gooseberry fool 5
    Cornforth white
    Mizzle
    Portland
  • shelleyuk
    7 years ago

    I like the mizzle and the tracery II plus Gooseberry fool 4. The cornforth white is too similar to your neighbour. The others are a bit pale and won't give you that lovely contrast with the white trim.

  • S Niko
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    I think I'm swayed to the top 4, tracery or gooseberry fool 4 firstly. I think I need to keep looking at them for a week!
  • User
    7 years ago

    Love the tracery

  • S Niko
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Now trying to decide if we pick out the detail in pure brilliant white as has been done before or if we go for an off white like dulux jasmine white
  • clairemaguire1
    7 years ago
    I have to say I love Sophie Bridges idea of a stone colour with fresh white detailing classy, contemporary yet classic.
  • everydayisapicnic
    7 years ago

    My favourite Masonary paint is London Stone by F&B. However, does the existing colour look well on the street. Would the colour be missed? Do you need PP to change the colour?

  • souththomas
    7 years ago

    I am a total F & B superfan, but, I don't use their exterior paint any longer I have found Dulux Weathershield to be far more superior and longer lasting. I used Dark Acorn and its the exact same shade as the F & B that was on before.

    Have used Cornforth and Amnonite on the inside of my home - and both lovely. Also I have found that external colours fade quite quickly (although the Weathershield less so) ... and maybe less on a North aspect. Just a thought.

  • PRO
    Pat Oliver Interior Design
    7 years ago

    F&B's Stony Ground would look good next to your neighbour's grey colour, but have enough depth to contrast with the white architectural details. I do agree with souththomas that Dulux Weathershield or Santex masonry paint will wear much better. Your decorators' mechant will mix colours in either range.

  • gold895
    7 years ago

    I like it as it is or wait until next door paint theirs and do it the same colour!!

  • User
    7 years ago
    Gold 895, just gave you a like. I agree the pale blue is lovely.
  • PRO
    Atom Interior Styling
    7 years ago

    the third one on the top line is nice. I think you have to bear in mind the colour of the neighbours house. You could also go bold and do a slate grey with white.

  • iolosdad
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    come back and show us the finished job ? please

    We live in a terrace 2nd from the end, the end house was freshly painted white ours was a state when we bought it and we quickly chose white then neighbour on the other side that had a grim honey colour and was so impressed by our paint job they've gone white too! we're in the tidy end of the street now lol unless your at the seaside terraces look better all the same ?

  • S Niko
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    I will do when it stops raining! Hopefully can get painting this weekend
  • PRO