Wednesday, 12 March 2014

The Best Front Door Paint Colours: Dusky Purples

Let's talk house fronts again. Finding the perfect exterior paint colours is sometimes tricky but your home's exterior speaks volumes about you so it's worth taking the time getting your house and garden to say the right thing!

Who hasn't been seduced by images like this, full of promise and loveliness? Gorgeous, dusky shades, complemented by chalky grey paint and Modern Country planting: 

mcalpine tankersley large scale service door

It can be easy to leave this kind of picture feeling down-hearted at the widening gulf between what you love and your reality, but if you'd like this look for yourself then, fear, not! With a little time and a little love, this look can be yours!

Barn doors

From gently-greyed lavender through to rich damson and darkest, moodiest plum, there's a perfect purple paint for everyone.

Purple front door paint

Before we start, one of the most important things to consider is the material your home is made from. Is it brick? Stone? Weather-boarding? Painted render? This should be your first port of call as it will affect how you carry this look out.

Secondly, ask yourself honestly about the visual impact that your home has. You see, carrying out this look on a modern new-build requires a very different procedure than on a converted warehouse, for example.

Keeping in mind these two pertinent pieces of information, let's get on to the exciting bit....how to Make It Yours!

Farrow and Ball Dusky front door colour

Clockwise from top: this aged brick house is set off beautifully by dusky grey paint on the doors and frames, allowing the drainpipe and rendered base to fade into the overall scheme...white hydrangeas and lavender, contrasted against smart clipped box, keep this home looking firmly Modern Country; pick out architectural details on your house front with matching materials, such as this zinc planter; if you don't like the part of your house's exterior, simply hide it with climbing plants that keep their leaves for most, if not all of the year; try a toning palette of Farrow and Ball Cabbage White, Farrow and Ball Calluna, Farrow and Ball Brassica, Little Greene Lead Colour; small touches in nickel, such as these beautiful French handles, keep this scheme from veering into drab in dingy winter months. 

Nickel Heart Door Knocker and door in Farrow and Ball French Gray.

See how adding details with silver metals, like chrome or nickel, lifts this door to another level?


Clockwise from top: If you live in a building like this incredible converted Country Church, then, frankly, you're in business! Although some paints might look more pleasing than others, the building itself carries such visual weight that the front door paint colour matters less; Feast your eyes on this Modern Country garden: soft lavender surrounds an old stone fountain, and is set off by peonies in soft pink and magenta; on a somewhat smaller scale, topiary box balls will bring a little bit of Modern to your Country House exterior; consider a country-inspired feminine palette of Farrow and Ball Pelt, Dulux Linnet, Farrow and Ball Purbeck Stone, Farrow and Ball Cinder Rose.

smart London entry front door paint

Painted render can carry pretty much any front door paint colour but these home owners have chosen a divinely muted grey-mauve. 


Clockwise from top: add character to a new build with Modern Country planting - soft layers of white and purple flowers, juxtaposed with evergreen topiary; a muted palette of Little Greene French Gray; Farrow and Ball Brassica; Ralph Lauren Nairobi Dusk; Sanderson Grey Squirrel; warm grey rattan baskets next to a boxwood topiary ball; this house could just as easily be a cleverly thought-out new-build as an old French stately home - don't be intimidated by the seeming inflexibility of a new-build...choose pretty, chalky mauves and greys, and add extra decorative touches such as lanterns and seating in high end finishes...you'll be surprised what you can achieve.

Small Front Garden with buxus boxwood box hedges lavender railings

A gorgeous Modern Country front garden. Behind smart cast iron railings, four bay trees stand either side of a black and white encaustic tiled path, leading to a red brick double-fronted Victorian house. Behind them are small squares of lavender, bordered by buxus hedging.


Clockwise from top: you can add colour into predominantly brick houses but the hue of the bricks should determine the strength of colour you choose for your front door paint. Here, with creamy-brown bricks, the owners have gone with lilac paint for the door surround, with palest grey front door paint; consider introducing colour via planting, lavender is heavenly to brush against on a warm summer's day; for this look, try Little Greene Juniper Ash, Zoffany Sung Mauve, Fired Earth Sea Lavender, Fired Earth Gentian Violet; a beautiful Modern Country planting scheme with four clipped box hedges enclosing swathes of lavender, and boxwood balls nestled within each quadrant; red brick can often be too strong a colour to start competing with loud front door paints so consider a warm grey, and pick up the purple theme with rows of lavender leading to two half standard privets standing sentinel-like either side of your front door.

Lanterns and white/green planting

If the material that your house is built from feels unbearably over-bearing, then consider painting it white and choosing the front door colour of your dreams, here a washed-out dusky grey.

The best front door paint colours are more intense than you might expect, in order to take the strong daylight that they'll receive. These are my perfect exterior paint colours for front doors.

Best front door paint color colour

Choose one of these four perfect front door paint colours and, combined with the front garden schemes I've picked out that combine topiary and lavender, you'll be well on your way to your dream Modern Country Home!  


Images via: flickr, Vaucelleshof, Farrow and Ball, MCS Moodboard 1 (Via Revedeco, Pinterest, sbdigs, My Design Chic), Farrow and Ball, MCS Moodboard 2 (A Breath OF Fresh Air, Nicola Stocken, unknown), residential search, MCS Moodboard 3 (unknown, johner, unknown), Belderbos, MCS Moodboard 4((5thandstate, Greensandberries, Houzz, Fleaing France)), Tierlantijn, MCS Moodboard 5

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Monday, 10 March 2014

Get The Look: Softly White Interiors

Aren't white interiors calm and serene? Just my cup of tea.
{Though having our five kiddiewinks might have something to do with craving soothing schemes!}

However, white on white on white on white can look sterile and soulless. Too much white and you feel that doctors' surgery vibe yet use too little and you'll lose the effect.


I vote we have a little sideways-step post on How To Get The Look of the White Home Tour I shared on Friday. Are you with me? 

Let's break down three slightly different ways of doing the Modern Country White Look into easy-peasy steps...

Firstly, White interiors with a touch of Country....


{Clockwise from top: The key to this look, as you can see from this gorgeous Border Oak white living room by adding lots and lots of gentle texture. Beams and exposed brick in the inglenook fireplace add new layers of natural colour. And don't you love that huge sofa from Bailey's Home and Garden?; I love this soft paint palette: Little Greene Mid Lead, Farrow and Ball Mouse's Back, Farrow and Ball Pavilion Gray and Dulux Linnet, against a sisal rug from Zebra Home; Leather chairs just get better and better, and always pop against white walls (unknown source); Pile up knitted throws and blankets for instant snuggle factor (unknown source)... 

.

How's that image for showing how white can be snuggly? 
Cerrrr-yute!!

The second look is Light And White Interiors....


Clockwise from top: If your kitchen gets massive of natural light pouring in, then consider making the very most of the airy loveliness and going white. This kitchen was featured on Remodelista, using units from Ikea and adding new doors painted with Farrow and Ball Pigeon; bring depth to an all-white room with Annie Sloan Paris Grey, Benjamin Moore Black Knight, Farrow and Ball Blue Gray, Dulux White; the kitchen was also given marble worktops with grey-green veining; these divine oak bar stools from Cox & Cox will complete the look.


If you find all White living rooms a bit too much then this third look is for you...White with a Modern Country palette.


Clockwise from top: white walls come alive with little touches of near-black, found via Elisabeth Heier's beautiful blog; these throws from Ottamania introduce soft colour, while still keeping on the white theme; look how much colour this seemingly white living room has.....the rattan basket, the oak flooring, the accent walls and the seating shade; Start with a base of Farrow and Ball All White, and then introduce chalky putty shades on the accent walls, try Farrow and Ball Bone, or Zoffany Half Pebble, introduce a couple of pops of Annie Sloan Graphite, against this beautiful Limed Oak floor by The Solid Wood Flooring Company.

Retro Steel Mini Jug in Gooseberry at Garden Trading

See how easy it is to put together Modern Country Softly White Interiors? I hope that gives you lots of lovely ideas for your home.

And now? Back to our quest to find perfect front door colours!


Images via: Ivory Cashmere, Modern Country Style, huamao, Modern Country Style, fabritiusinterieurModern Country Style, Garden Trading

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Friday, 7 March 2014

Home Tour: The White House

Well, not the White House but, a white house...
Let's have a li'l break from all the paint deliciousness that's been going on to take a tour around this scrumptiously divine home...in WHITE! White walls a-gogo!

Dining room | All-white extended cottage | Real Home | Livingetc house tour | PHOTO GALLERY | Housetohome

Kitchen-diner | All-white extended cottage | Real Home | Livingetc house tour | PHOTO GALLERY | Housetohome

Living room | All-white extended cottage | Real Home | Livingetc house tour | PHOTO GALLERY | Housetohome

Second living room | All-white extended cottage | Real Home | Livingetc house tour | PHOTO GALLERY | Housetohome

Open fireplace | All-white extended cottage | Real Home | Livingetc house tour | PHOTO GALLERY | Housetohome

If your brain has been frazzled by all the coloured paint choice of the last few posts, then feast your weary peeps on the charms of this chalky paleness. Notice how the owners have stopped the house looking boring by including lots of natural texture. It makes all the difference. Leather, wood, metals, glass and wicker....perfect ways of bringing a bit of Modern Country magic to your home.

Hallway | All-white extended cottage | Real Home | Livingetc house tour | PHOTO GALLERY | Housetohome

Bedroom | All-white extended cottage | Real Home | Livingetc house tour | PHOTO GALLERY | Housetohome

Bathroom | All-white extended cottage | Real Home | Livingetc house tour | PHOTO GALLERY | Housetohome

The right paint choice can make such a difference....so if you're in the middle of a paint quandary then hang on in there!! It's totally worth taking the time to work out what's going to make your home look AWESOME!


Images via Living Etc

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Wednesday, 5 March 2014

Colour Study: Farrow and Ball French Gray (Exterior Paint Shades)




Last time, we set out on a mission to understand how Farrow and Ball French Gray would work in your home...now let's turn our attention to your house exterior and garden. 


Farrow and Ball French Gray conservatory
Farrow and Ball French Gray conservatory

How does French Gray cope with exteriors?

{For more delicious and tempting information, see this list of Colour Studies...

The answer is that, for exterior paint shades, particularly ones such as French Gray, which have such a potential range, you have to be even more careful (sorry to be the bearer of bad news). 

Farrow and Ball French Gray exterior paint
Farrow and Ball French Gray

The range of light possibilities varies even more on the average house exterior or garden.

Farrow and Ball French Gray exterior paint bench
Farrow and Ball French Gray

That's to say, the gap between the shadiest spots of your garden, and where it receives full, unadulterated sunlight is vast compared to inside your home.

Garden Table in Farrow and Ball French Gray paint
Farrow and Ball French Gray exterior paint

Put Farrow and Ball French Gray in a sunny part of the garden, and it can seem washed out and pallid.....

Farrow and Ball French Gray exterior paint
Farrow and Ball French Gray exterior

Farrow and Ball French Grey Chairs in garden
Farrow and Ball French Gray exterior paint

...though this effect can be lessened by painting large amounts of French Gray; for example, on a conservatory or orangery.

Look how the colour builds on these  conservatories painted with Farrow and Ball French Gray....

Farrow and Ball French Gray exterior paint
Farrow and Ball French Gray

Farrow and Ball French Gray exterior paint conservatory
Farrow and Ball French Gray
But in a shadier spot, you can suddenly imagine yourself cooling yourself off, under a parasol in France...

Door frame in Farrow & Ball's French Gray No.18 Belgian Style Exterior
Farrow and Ball French Gray front door

Just as with interiors, on exteriors Farrow and Ball French Gray slips silkily between cream,

New front doors painted french gray farrow and ball
Farrow and Ball French Gray front door

 ....grey, 

front door. Painted French gray farrow & ball.
Farrow and Ball French Gray front door

Extra Large Garden Planter finished in Farrow & Ball French Gray.
Farrow and Ball French Gray

...and green.

The house trim is Farrow and Ball’s French Grey front door
Farrow and Ball French Gray front door

A good rule of thumb for a Modern Country look,is to make sure that Farrow and Ball French Gray gets plenty of shade to look its best.

'French Grey' paint by Farrow and Ball has completely transformed this house.
Farrow and Ball French Gray

If you'd like to paint your front door in Farrow and Ball French Gray then take a look at these..but bare the same rule in mind...

French Gray does best in the shade....

A Dutch door painted in Farrow & Ball's French Gray leads to a sundial and the dog run. Christine Pittel, "Kitchen of the Month," House Beautiful (June 2007). This classic English look was designed by Michael S. Smith. It was his Los Angeles house until recently.
Farrow and Ball French Gray front door

Nickel Heart Door Knocker and door in French Gray.
Farrow and Ball French Gray front door 

Farrow and Ball French Gray exterior paint door
Farrow and Ball French Gray front door in sun

Farrow and Ball French grey front door, half glazed
Farrow and Ball French Gray front door in evening light

Farrow and Ball French Gray front door Cotswold stone
Farrow and Ball French Gray front door in shade

Farrow and Ball French Gray exterior paint front door
Farrow and Ball French Gray front door

Farrow and Ball French Grey exterior paint front door
Farrow and Ball French Gray

Am I any closer to deciding our front door colour? 
Wait and see.....!


Images via The Posh Shed Company, Abode Orangeries, gigbird, the paper mulberry, bibbity bob, oracle window solution, sitting spiritually, morton conservatories, morton conservatories, morton conservatories, morton conservatories, Farrow and Ball, Claire Aldus, west egg interiors, unknown, Young House Love, unknown, Susan Spindler Designs, Farrow and Ball, Modern Countrty Style, Stay In Wales, Farrow and Ball, Total Transformations, Border Oak

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