Before & After: House Painting Transformation

I bought my house three years ago because it had a lot of potential (and back then I had a lot more energy). Since it needed so much work on the inside, I concentrated on that and hoped the neighbors would bear with the peeling pink outside (one friend called it band-aid). Finally last fall, after understanding the house better, I was ready to paint it. Click after the jump to see the transformation — you won't recognize it!

Here's the result! I love how crisp it looks. The color used, Benjamin Moore "Linen White", was sort of a happy accident. The painters had some left over from their last job and used it up for the primer — I instantly loved how much creamier it was than the color I had originally chosen. To emphasize the simpleness of the house, and its farmstyle porch, I removed the shutters. Then our wonderful painters made the insides of the windows a dark brown to match the bronzite storm windows that were already framing them. They convinced me (and they were right) that it would look warmer than black.

One of my favorite accents is the blue porch ceiling (see our post on blue porch ceilings here). It softens the monochromatic palette and makes it look so happy!

Every evening when I come home from work I love how it came out. Since I'm getting ready to move (again!) in a few weeks, I hope that the new owners do too.

(Images: Jeanine Brennan)

Comments (21)

Paint is awesome. It looks fantastic.

posted by Vanessa in New York on August 4th 2009 at 8:03pm
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How pretty - What a happy looking house!

posted by bepsf on August 4th 2009 at 8:04pm
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Why on earth are you moving?! It looks beautiful!

posted by cassielynn on August 4th 2009 at 8:16pm
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Wow, I think you just doubled your property value with a paint job! :) Looks gorgeous. I especially love the blue porch ceiling.

posted by HeyNowTex on August 4th 2009 at 8:18pm
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So pretty!!! I love it!!!

posted by NasilelePhoto on August 4th 2009 at 8:27pm
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It is sad that you did all that work and after only 3 years are moving. :( It's such a pretty house, I wouldn't want to leave it.

Laura
http://www.justalittlebit.net

posted by grafxnerd on August 4th 2009 at 8:32pm
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It's a beautiful transformation!

posted by boston_kyle on August 4th 2009 at 8:42pm
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Lovely! I saved it in my "inspiration" file!

posted by Kit_Kat on August 4th 2009 at 10:27pm
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Lovely! Job well done -- especially with the Vernacular/ Foursquare appropriate dark window sashes.

posted by JaxByDefault on August 4th 2009 at 10:28pm
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Beautiful!

Well-done sensitive job.

posted by mschatelaine on August 5th 2009 at 1:55am
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yes, a happy house

posted by timmy jr. on August 5th 2009 at 10:06am
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it looks fantastic

posted by duckumu on August 5th 2009 at 10:28am
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Many many thanks for painting the windows a dark color. It has such a dramatic impact. I also love the blue porch ceiling, always a favorite of mine. The new owners are lucky!

posted by michpc on August 5th 2009 at 11:06am
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It's very... white.

posted by JeffC on August 5th 2009 at 12:51pm
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gorgeous, who are your painters?

posted by kelleygreeny on August 5th 2009 at 2:42pm
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You did an incredible job, and the blue ceiling is such a great touch.

posted by caitlinmarie on August 5th 2009 at 4:37pm
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Thanks everyone! Paint is really amazing, isn't it? Its hard to leave a happy home but we needed a particular school situation that didn't exist in this town. Our new home is really great too. And the buyers for this one seem really nice.

JeffC, Its hard to tell in a photo without something white next to it, but its a very warm cream looks totally different than the white house across the street. Whites (as I discovered) are incredibly hard to pick. Especially for outside. My original choice had pink undertones which would have looked horrible.

kelleygreeny, we used Santos painting- I got them because I stopped at a nearby house that they had painted which looked amazing afterward. They took TONS of time on prep- almost a whole month, and were very careful to clean up every day. I couldn't recommend them higher. Joao's cell (I think!) is 508-561-7450.

posted by j9brennan on August 5th 2009 at 9:41pm
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Love the blue porch ceiling and flowers. I just undertook mine this morning. BM Bird's Egg. It does make a sad porch look happy, this I know.

posted by Cuddlesoft on August 8th 2009 at 9:47pm
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reminds me of the house my parents were fixing up when i was a child. what a great place to call home....

posted by austin Charles Benton on August 8th 2009 at 11:49pm
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Simple and lovely. Looks like a great family home. Foursquares are great houses. I have lived in two and loved both of them.

posted by sally305 on August 9th 2009 at 9:38am
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j9brennan - Gorgeous home! You mention what the body color of the house is, but I was wondering what that lovely blue paint on the porch ceiling is. Also Ben Moore? I'm investigating for my own home down in CT.

Hope your move goes well!

posted by sojudesigns on September 1st 2009 at 6:41pm
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