Dark Houses

  |  July 22, 2015
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Peter Pennoyer’s Adirondack House

Dark houses are so dramatic. The contrast between the dark color and the lighter sky makes for a great look. Of course dark houses blend in less with their environment than lighter or mid-tone houses do, but that’s a design choice. Dark blue, dark green, dark grey, brown and black are all attractive choices. A very modern approach is not to use any contrasting trim colors at all but the success of that is very much based on the architectural style of the house.

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Great Barrington slate colored house.

One down side of going this route is that fading is much more noticeable when you start with a dark house. Certain colors contain what’s called fugitive pigments and they are known to fade faster as they are less stable. Any reputable paint store should be able to tell you which colors in their line are not recommended for exterior use (although they will still be sold). The worst offenders are colors which contain a red pigment and some yellows as well. This can translate into a red, orange, brown, green or even purple color, as certain shades of those colors can contain the offending pigment. (Please don’t put purple on your house though!) If the area you’re painting is small, like a door, then go for it keeping mind you will need to repaint often.
Just like painting an interior, a higher sheen will wear better than a flatter one but a shiny house is not very attractive. Most people go for the finish just above matte. Usually this is an eggshell, satin or pearl. Some people opt for a dead matte house anyway as a matte finish will really make your paint color pop and certain architectural styles look very good in matte. Take a look at some great dark houses. All photos by Amy Krane, unless noted.

Debra-Kling

Debra Kling

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Black House, Columbia County.

 

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Columbia County Brown House

Look at the adventurous treatment of color on these buildings in Great Barrington. Truly bold, with its blue and red stripes placed carefully and artfully on the trim.

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Hunter green house trimmed in a yellow-green, Dutchess County, NY

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Tangelwood

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Navy house with turquoise door in Hudson, NY

Margaret-Roachs

Margaret Roach’s shed (before she repainted) in Copake Fall, NY.

About Amy Krane

Amy Krane is an Architectural Color Consultant and founder of Amy Krane Color where she creates customized color plans, advising residential and commercial property owners on paint colors. She is also a Realtor at Anderson Agency Real Estate in Kinderhook, NY. Transplanted from New York City to Columbia County, Amy is trained by the International Association of Color Consultant/Designers. Her expertise goes well beyond design aesthetics to integrate the science and art of applying color to space. Amy Krane Color services clients nationally with virtual consultations and locally in NYC, Dutchess, Ulster, Greene, Columbia, Litchfield, Berkshire, Rensselaer and Albany Counties.

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