What colour to paint the front of victorian terrace? Help!

[PINKSHARK78]

Wise people of East Dulwich,

As per title, we are planning to re-paint the front of our victorian terrace/ currently yellow.

What are the best colours to go for and what brand to use?

I know colour is down to personal taste, but i was thinking that someone can advise on latest colour trends and if you could add colour brand and number would be fab..

I have spent hours of the internet trying to find inspirations, but could find very little info.. maybe was not looking at the right websites? Any suggestions on that?

Many thanks in advance! :)

[KidKruger]

Not much help but I?d say just sit down and think about your preferences, then look for shades off the colour charts in a paint shop or. Dulwich DIY (assuming you can get masonry paint mixed-up, else you may be constrained)

[diable rouge]

What are you painting exactly? front door? windows? rendered walls?...

[Sue]

What colour are the neighbouring houses?

[Bob Buzzard]

My understanding is that Victorian houses were originally painted in dark colours.

[goldilocks]

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=victorian+terrace+painted+masonary&FORM=HDRSC2

As a started you could try googling for images?

Assumed you meant painting the brickwork. Other options could be to see about getting the paint removed?

[Abe_froeman]

Have you thought about the colour pink?

[Townleygreen]

pastel shades are best

[hpsaucey]

What colour?s going to make your heart sing when you come home? That?s the one to go for unless it?s going to piss off the neighbours perhaps.

HP

[NewWave]

Green, a colour with really good vibes

[TheArtfulDogger]

hpsaucey Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> What colour?s going to make your heart sing when

> you come home? That?s the one to go for unless

> it?s going to piss off the neighbours perhaps.

>

> HP

Or depending how well you get on with your neighbours, the one that will piss them off could be the right one for you

[TheCat]

This looks nice.....

[Seabag]

I find it best to go on a bit of a drive or cycle in somewhere like Chelsea or Kensington. Or head to Elgin Crescent in Notting Hill, where there?s a whole street of painted houses. People there often employ the skills of designers and decorating experts, so you?ll get to see some variety. Specially the front door and window colours. I?ve seen one house painted a dark dark, almost black, bottle green, with a non-gloss flat red front door. It looked beautiful, but it?s on a 3 story large terrace house, so scale is also relevant.

Paint colour chart wise, I?d look at Little Green, DULUX heritage and maybe Paint Library. But I?d not be restricted to those, because ultimately the good mix machines have got a Minolta Spectrometer (something like 10 x more sensitive than the human eye) to scan with. I was in this business for years, and we?d often reference colour from elsewhere, then scan it. I?ve also worked on colour ranges with one of the above companies. Often there?s a close colour by a rival company, which is then tinted or shaded out to make it a bit different, so don?t be afraid of mixing your samples together, painting 3 coats on a card, then getting the custom colour scanned.

If you want a paint shop that has the patience of a saint, then head either to Paper & Paints 4 Park Walk, Chelsea, London, SW10 0AD

Or closer by is Whites on Brockley Rise. (very good trade store, with very good ranges)along with the equally good LONDON Decorators Merchants. 547-549 Norwood Rd, West Norwood, London, SE27 9DL. (Car park at the back)

Paint type wise, I?d look at DULUX trade Diamond glaze. Akzo Coatings. Permaglaze. Little Green. But there?s a paint from Iceland (the country) we used a lot, and it?s awesome called ELICO. All waterbased and used in Scandinavia a lot. Available from Ray Munn in Fulham, where they?re incredibly patient too. Check out that brands colour ranges, but they scan and mix too. As I said, take a little tour of the surrounding area, it?s one big colour chart essentially. Take some pictures as you go.

And a lot changed in 2012 when the VO rules came in. Paint composition has come on leaps and bounds. But don?t scrimp on quality, and don?t let anyone tell you ?B&Q own brand, all the way?. Invest and enjoy. Very lastly, the people behind the counter of a local DIY store might tell you stuff, but remember most to none of them can?t actually paint to save their lives. The old adage ?if you can p*ss you can paint? well some people pi*s on the seat and the floor, missing the loo all together.

Though one guy at Whites on Brockley Rise is just the best to deal with. John, the little Irish guy, is a good man.

As the old advert used to say ?It?s all preparation pet!?

Feel free to PM me, I?ll point you in the direction of anything I can. Have fun, it?s a nice thing to consider what you?re doing.

👍🏽

[PINKSHARK78]

Thank you all for your time and input on the subject!

What a brilliant and insightful idea from Seabag!

Thanks All! Happy Easter! :)

[hpsaucey]

TheArtfulDogger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> hpsaucey Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > What colour?s going to make your heart sing

> when

> > you come home? That?s the one to go for unless

> > it?s going to piss off the neighbours perhaps.

> >

> > HP

>

> Or depending how well you get on with your

> neighbours, the one that will piss them off could

> be the right one for you

Lol! Cunning.

[diable rouge]

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I?ve seen one house painted a dark dark, almost black,

> bottle green, with a non-gloss flat red front

> door. It looked beautiful, but it?s on a 3 story

> large terrace house, so scale is also relevant.

Great post Sb. There's a couple of small scale terrace maisonettes on Upland Road just after the cafe heading towards LL that have been painted a dark green up to what would've been the old shopfront signage height, that are worth a look. This is a pic of them, they are definitely dark green and not bluey green as shown https://www.purplebricks.co.uk/property-for-sale/2-bedroom-maisonette-dulwich-640332

Next door they've done the whole frontage in what looks like a much lighter sage green. Therefore also important to think about what colours would go if your neighbours already have a coloured frontage...

[hpsaucey]

diable rouge Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Seabag Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I?ve seen one house painted a dark dark, almost

> black,

> > bottle green, with a non-gloss flat red front

> > door. It looked beautiful, but it?s on a 3

> story

> > large terrace house, so scale is also relevant.

>

> Great post Sb. There's a couple of small scale

> terrace maisonettes on Upland Road just after the

> cafe heading towards LL that have been painted a

> dark green up to what would've been the old

> shopfront signage height, that are worth a look.

> This is a pic of them, they are definitely dark

> green and not bluey green as shown

> https://www.purplebricks.co.uk/property-for-sale/2

> -bedroom-maisonette-dulwich-640332

> Next door they've done the whole frontage in what

> looks like a much lighter sage green. Therefore

> also important to think about what colours would

> go if your neighbours already have a coloured

> frontage...

See - despite liking the colours here painting the whole bottom half is my idea of a nightmare - which just goes to show what a personal choice it is.

HP

[HelBel65]

We painted our Victorian house pale grey which I personally love. If you'd like to have a look, send me a PM for the address and if you like it, I can tell you the colour :)

In fact, if memory serves, when I was trying to decide, I saw another house in this colour locally, loved it and knocked on the door to ask!

[Pugwash]

Watch out if you are in a conservation area as they only allow certain colours.

[Seabag]

Farrow & Ball?s most popular selling colour is ?Downpipe Grey? and you?d wonder why!?

It?s essentially a dark warm tone grey, with a touch of blue to it, inspired by the old lead gutters and down pipes on houses once upon a time.

But it also acts a perfect foil or compliment for a bolder colour palette, where reds, burnt orange, yellows and vibrant greens can play off the neutrality of the grey. There?s not a lot that doesn?t work with it. So the main body colour of the house can be strong and dark.

I convinced a client in Westbourne Grove to paint their house (which was white at the time, in a row of white houses, their?s being the end of the terrace ) in lamp black, which is inspired by the soot colour inside an old oil lantern. The door of the house was then painted red, and it looked stunning.

I have driven by numerous times over the years, and only the door has changed colour to reflect the times. It been mid blue, purple and other shades. But 20 years later it?s been head to toe redone, same lamp gray , with the red door in all its glory again. I had a massive smile on my face when I saw it.

[Ontherun]

You've made me want to paint my house now Seabag!

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I convinced a client in Westbourne Grove to paint

> their house (which was white at the time, in a row

> of white houses, their?s being the end of the

> terrace ) in lamp black, which is inspired by the

> soot colour inside an old oil lantern. The door of

> the house was then painted red, and it looked

> stunning.

>

> I have driven by numerous times over the years,

> and only the door has changed colour to reflect

> the times. It been mid blue, purple and other

> shades. But 20 years later it?s been head to toe

> redone, same lamp gray , with the red door in all

> its glory again. I had a massive smile on my face

> when I saw it.

[malumbu]

Thought of this before I saw your name, all the rage I hear. Much better than simply painting your house - shark in your roof - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Headington_Shark

[PeckhamRose]

The word "trends" literally makes me shiver even in a hot day. What colour do you like? Can you see it being fabulous on the front of your house? Will it annoy the neighbours? Do you care that it will annoy the neighbours? Go for that, then!