Need help picking a color to reside my Ranch.

8 years ago

I'm Looking to reside my ranch and am having an impossible time trying to figure out what color would work best. We were originally thinking to go with a grey color but have since gone to the idea of the Mastic Ovation Natural Slate which looks like this?

I find myself second guessing going with this color because i'm worried that it will not look good. The Greys we were thinking about look like this:

Any advice?

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Patricia Colwell Consulting

8 years ago

I think the lighter gray will look awesome get a new MCM front door in some great color and if you can take the grills out of the windows maybe even a deck across the front of the part that juts out.But for sure some landscaping under the windows if not a deck.

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Comments (48)

btydrvn
8 years ago
Since your house has such simple lines I would go with the more interesting color..slate..gray is pretty ho-hum...if you are interested in more curb appeal post that as well
Rich thanked btydrvn
Bev
8 years ago
Either of the grays you have posted would look great! I would not go as dark as the Mastic Ovation Natural Slate due to the size of your house and all of the greenery around your house.
Rich thanked Bev
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Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you, just what we needed to hear.
suezbell
8 years ago
Gray would work well. The last picture is the better gray mix.

Also consider adding a front porch to your home with a shed roof but with a gable over the door.
Rich thanked suezbell
emmarene9
8 years ago
If the front of the house faces North I would avoid a dark color. You might enlarge windows before adding the siding. A few of them are oddly tiny.
Rich thanked emmarene9
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
@Suezbell yes we would love to do a front porch and hopefully at the very least will add the little roof over the door.

@puremichigan60 I think we are going to go with a Pacific blue like this pic. Which does look similar to my house. Hope to add Stone veneer along the bottom of the house though not sure what color yet.

@Patricia Colwell Consulting Yes landscaping will be a must. Not sure what the cost would be for a front porch and to add the roof over hang. We just moved in so on a tight budget.

Thanks for all the advice.
btydrvn
8 years ago
It looks like there are a couple more small changes that could be done to add a little more detail...painting the window frame trim white for a little more impact and painting the door and steps an accent color that goes with your new house color...door and steps could be a mid-range brighter color ...not too dark...to add a touch of life and draw the eye to the entry
btydrvn
8 years ago
Love the latest blue choice..perhaps a brick red for door and steps
Rich thanked btydrvn
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
We are planning on painting the door a shade of red and adding some type of stone steps on top the concrete that is currently there. Though I would really like to add a porch to the front but that may be further down the line.
decoenthusiaste
8 years ago
Navy will be great! Be sure to pop it with lots of white trim! Here, they've added a nice lime green to the trim and they have a tangerine door. This is a good porch idea for you too, when budget allows.
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Rich thanked decoenthusiaste
btydrvn
8 years ago
With the red door perhaps brick veneer would be a good option..again matching the reds if possible would make a bigger presentation of the entry...plus painting the little rails with white spray paint ...if you really love the other stone options matching the door to them would have the same effect...
Rich thanked btydrvn
btydrvn
8 years ago
Can't really tell the material of the steps from the photo..
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
Yes we are looking for it to have bright white trim. This Navy may be too dark for our small house though. I like the pillars on the porch and the white railings.
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
I like that color blue but the siding is in bad shape and needs to be replaced. The siding in the back was never even redone so looks much worse.
johnj2
8 years ago
What a fun project. There are two ranches in my neighborhood that I love. One is olive with a bright orange door and golden brown trim. The second is a lovely clean tan with sienna brown shutters and trim.
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
@ritasj
I'm thinking a lighter stone would look good. Here are a few below. This second one may be too light. I'm not sure.
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
The siding color will be Certainteed Pacific Blue. Not sure what undertone that will have.
btydrvn
8 years ago
I like the last photo because of the more dominant pattern in the stone as well as the color...it is difficult to translate from pictures that have so much house and so much stone...but your small step area will stand out better with a more interesting stone...
btydrvn
8 years ago
I notice that last photo also has a little of the stone across the bottom ....your situation is ideal for this addition and I think would really give you so much bang for your buck... while adding a continuous flow and a more anchored feel to your home..even it it is only across the front of the house
btydrvn
8 years ago
Also your inspiration photo has stone like this on very very similar to your steps .with the gray stone you may want to do a light gray on your window trims instead of white..less pop to compete with your new steps
Rich thanked btydrvn
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
Yes I agree. The last one is probably my favorite stone. Not sure if I want i little more color to the stone but that one definitely seems to fit. Will be a couple weeks til its done but will post a picture once it is.
btydrvn
8 years ago
To just add another thought...when installing stone elements....color is always tempting ...but it also sort of dictates to future color changes
Rich thanked btydrvn
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
Yeah that makes sense. We aren't planning to do the siding and the stone veneer at the same time. We will see how the siding looks and try to find the best fit from there. Then after the stone veneer will probably do the stairs and the walk way.
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
So the work on the house is just about done. Here are the before and after photos.
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
Here are the after photos. Still thinking of adding the faux stone.
Karen Westerkamp
8 years ago
Wow! Big difference! Very pretty!
Rich thanked Karen Westerkamp
PRO
Morgan Exteriors
8 years ago
I have personally enjoyed the look of a sage/moss green color on ranch homes. And because I see a setback on your walls in the picture I would highly recommend white corners to really allow all the different end points to stand out. Maybe even the 6" fluted. I find on ranch homes like that it gives them an appearance Of being bigger and longer. Because you see multiple start and end points with the corner boards. Oh and I Also love the look of black shutters thrown in too!

Sorry to throw in another curve ball, but it seems like a nice in between option when you are looking at blues or grays?

-Justin
Rich thanked Morgan Exteriors
btydrvn
8 years ago
Rich ...you did good...Very striking...the darker color was the perfect choice...made all the white trim jump out and add so much detail to the finished look...so sharp it looks like a new build...
Rich thanked btydrvn
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
@Justin Yes we have been thinking about adding black shutters too. He did do the white corners though it is tough to see in these pictures. Very happy with the way it came out.
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
@ritasj Yes, was a little more expensive for this color but well worth it. In the back we removed some old sliding doors and install those french doors. Still having made a decision on the stone yet. Worried that adding the stone may be too much and could take away from the look of the house. Also plan on adding some pavers to the front steps and somehow making the walkway look better.
flopsycat1
8 years ago
No to stone. Walkway and landscaping will make a big impact.
Rich thanked flopsycat1
btydrvn
8 years ago
The stone will take it to the next level...the final grounding element that will make the home look much more substantial...enhancing the new siding...not detracting...and the French doors ...they add the same look of quality...very nice...
btydrvn
8 years ago
As to the walkway and steps...a pic from directly in front of the house from the street would help...but my first thought was to create a landing of the same pavers you use on steps....on the ground in front of the steps ....to make a little bigger statement at the front door...
Next ...the walk way...to me the curve sort of doesn't fit...I would try a walk way more parallel to the house and bigger landing...don't know what pavers you plan on using but if you can use the same pavers.....sort of geometric but lay them randomly it may be a little more interesting than the expected "curved walkway"...while at the same time creating an impressive entry...
One last thought...the section that is recessed on the left sort of has a "I used to be the garage" feel..maybe something can be added there to separate it from the driveway...a few shrubs?...planter box?...flower bed?
btydrvn
8 years ago
I always suggest that any added landscaping near the house is evergreen if possible ...that way the house looks presentable all year around
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
Thinking something like this for the steps. Will have to take a pic of the walkway but it is currently just a red brick walk. Don't feel like it works too well with the new color.
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
If we do the stone would likely be something like this. Also the space in front of the driveway we think use to be a garage. I like the idea of the planter box. Also we were originally thinking we would paint the door red but not so sure now that we see it.
btydrvn
8 years ago
Love the stone choices on the steps..more uniform in shape and color...more subtle and tasteful to me than the irregular projections and varied color on stone in house pic..seems busy and maybe competitive with crisp siding and color of house and trim...one step pic shows the extended platform feel at bottom of steps....like this ...could maybe even wrap around bottom step a little...
Rich thanked btydrvn
btydrvn
8 years ago
Notice ....two pots featured on both steps pics...just the right touch and scale to confirm the prominence of the entry....as to the door ,I too feel a little drawn to a new color there...but uncertain about what color would work there....I would leave it until you are closer to being done to assess the need for a color change there...
katinparadise
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Rich, I wanted to tell you how wonderful your house looks. So nice to see a nice rich color instead of the usual gray. Your trim is so pretty that I would avoid shutters. Most of the common vinyl shutters never look right since they aren't the correct size and just look stuck on to the house. The beautiful stone you're looking at, a pretty color for your front door, and the right landscaping are all you need to really finish off the look of your home.
Rich thanked katinparadise
Heather Macdonald
8 years ago
Good job, looks great! Don't break it up with fake stone. New steps and porch and real black shutters, wide enough to close and neat shrubs are all you need.
Rich thanked Heather Macdonald
Bette P
8 years ago
Front deck? The steps could be one more than one side, similar idea to photo 2.

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Rich thanked Bette P
Rhoni
8 years ago
paint the foundation white, just a little band, like at the far left of the house. once your plantings are in for the most part this will be hidden, until the seasons change, but I think the white on the left frames it, then just stops.
Rich thanked Rhoni
btydrvn
8 years ago
Not sure if your stone addition to the house is planned to be as tall as the example pic shows...think it may be enough to just cover the foundation ....projecting just enough to have a little stone cap on the top
PRO
Home Interiors with Ease
8 years ago
I wouldn't add any stone...love the blue gray siding idea...white trim....I would add new larger windows and a small front porch before spending anything on brick....I think it is a unnecessary addition. Super cute ranch!
Rich thanked Home Interiors with Ease
btydrvn
8 years ago
The photo above with "also selling" heading shows just the small amount of stone where the concrete is visible...most obvious by the garage
btydrvn
8 years ago
Think this looks much better than sort of added veneer type stone look going higher...(over siding )with out the little siding flips,of course...
Rich
Original Author
8 years ago
@ritasj Yes have to compare the cost of doing the steps vs. doing the stone veneer. I feel pretty confident that the steps need to be done but still unsure about the stone veneer.

@ katinparadise Thanks we are very happy with the way it came out. Being that we like the way it looks we are now more worried about doing that wrong thing that would mess up the look so we are treading carefully. Have seen a lot of great ideas from people here so we are taking them into consideration.

@Heather Macdonald Thanks, we have been debating back and forth about adding the shutters. (Which would be black) The good thing is if we did add them and felt it didn't look right we could easily remove them. We also have a whole lot of landscaping that we will be doing bit by bit.

@Bette P I think we would love to have a front porch, but seems like a big undertaking with having to add the extension to the roof and all. Also I've seen a few houses like mine that had a porch but still a little unsure how it would look because our house is not very tall. Definitely something we have thought about and would like to do if it wasn't too expensive to pull off.

@Rhoni That is a great idea and something we haven't thought about it. The white on the left side is actually just a white strip that was left there because we were thinking of adding the stone. We could have just had the siding go all the way down. Painting it a great idea. We will definitely put that up there as a good option.

@ritasj If we did the stone it wouldn't go up very high. Just covering where the foundation is showing.

@Home Interiors with Ease I would like to do a front porch but unsure if it would look good due to the height of the house and then there is the cost of adding a front porch.

Will share more pictures as we go forward. Thanks for help and advice