Mamie Eisenhower Pink?
Turquoise?
Lemon Yellow?
Lime Green?
Caribbean Blue?

For lots of great 1950's paint ideas - go to www.Retrorenovation.com

where is this house located? what do your neighbors have?

My first response is paint everything except the brick and door a deep dark brick red and I see a aluminum door.

chartreuse or bepsf's caribbean blue!

Yes, I agree with the blue... like the bench in the yard. It would like nice against the green.

I say go with some mid century colors like a bright orange and possible a pea green. The door looks very traditional..I suggest finding a vintage entry door to complete the look .Keep the white as the main color of the house though..dont want it too look too busy and loud.

Check this out.

http://www.sherwin-williams.com/do_it_yourself/paint_colors/paint_color_palette/color_themes/exterior/ext_suburban/index.jsp

bepsf is right...go to retrorenovation. This is right up Pam's alley. She will tell you what colors are historically accurate for the house and maybe even the area you live in.

oooh gray with white trim, it's not very mid century but it would be amazing.

Equestrian Grey for the body. Benjamin Moore color, I've done a few homes with it and it always looks great.

I would paint everything (that is, the wood) the same color--something neutral that goes w/ the brick and paint the door a mid century color like mustard or turquoise, etc.

Very cool house, congratulations. Since you're in the SF area, even in this economy I'm guessing this is a pricey house. It's really beautiful and interesting.

I'd go a more subtle, updated route, rather than kitch. Do you want to live in kitch? If so, go for turq.

The brick is great. It looks like there are many earthtones in it. I might go with one of the deeper tones in the brick. Pop the brick, it's the best feature, gives you those long horizontal lines.

Then I'd save up for a horizontal paned, frosted glass door and paint it something that will coordinate calmly with your house color choice.

Good Luck!

I love the idea of turquois/teal for the door, but I'm not sure I can see it on the columns. I'd leave the columns as they are and paint the back wall of your carport the same color as your door instead.

Nice house! I'm with stt64 thinking that you should go in a more classic direction. There are probably many colors in that brick. Look at it closely and choose a couple of colors, one fairly neutral and the other a bit brighter (but not cartoon-bright). I'd go with a dark neutral on the fascia to give the roof a little more presence. Since you can see the different "levels" of the house as it recedes, make subtle shifts in color on each wall. It will emphasize the depth.

Here's an example I just saw of a (newer) home that successfully uses colors from its brick to create different masses within the architecture. Those color might not have looked very exciting on the swatches, but they create interest without looking cutesy or "pasted on" to the brick.

Turquoise on the door and black on the columns?

P.S. This may sound a bit over the top, but I'd also take into account the color of your car(s). They will be a strong part of your curb appeal when you are home.

I know, I know, but these are the things that keep me up at night. ; )

Actually, the current color scheme looks fine to me. It even goes well with the yellowish lawn.

What a great house, congrats and another vote to be checking out RR.

Olive green with an orange (terra cotta) door.

I would consult an architect. This looks like it runs the risk of looking like a gas station or fast food drive-in if the colours aren't spot on. You should also consider what the surrounding houses look like, too. You could affect the value of them if you go too wild with the colour pallet.

Because the facade is broken up, you should go with a saturated or dark color, and you must consider the color of the driveway, which has a huge impact on a home like this. I'd go with a medium dark charcoal for the field color, white accents, and a bright yellow or mustard door.

If you are only interested in painting the door and trim right now, I'd paint the door a strong brick red and leave everything else alone.

Do not highlight the carport with paint. It should not compete with the entry. Paint only the entry door a strong shade such as turquoise, red, or mustard. The door in the carport should be painted the same as the main color (the field color or body color) and should not stand out. If you wish to zip up the carport entry, put a cool fifties lighting sconce by the carport door, like the Aloha from Rejuvenation.

i personally think it would look great if you painted the brick, columns, door, and front edge of the roof bright white and then the rest of the house a earthy gray/green color.....just a thought..not 1950s at all....i just really think that would make it stand out!!

Try looking at www.retrorenovations.com i know there are always a lot of paint samples and photos from the 50's there!

I'm liking the blue recommendations, but my immediate thought was orange. There is a similar house in our neighborhood with some bright white paint on parts of the house, brick similar to yours and then orange. I really like it.

Not sure if the blue chair on the grass is a favorite piece but I like it for inspiration...a nice crisp blue color and keep the rest of the house in a creamy color. I think painting out the brick would be cool, maybe something dramatic like black or chocolate brown.

hmm.. love the olive/orange sugg. by edgardo... these rich warm colors are classic, bold, gorgeous and you really can't go wrong.
if you want the blues/turq colors, I'd suggest you consult a professional -- very tricky colors.
have fun ;)

Oh my God, can I move in? I love this house!

Congratulations on your fab home; I
just love mid century modern homes!

The palette would depend on whether you paint the brick or leave it natural. For a more timeless, classic look, using muted grey/ olive or umber with punch of persimmon and white would give you a sophisticated look. For a more kitsch/whimsical tone, a muted teal, grey and cream w/ pop orange could also be fun. You have a lot of textures, with the brick, siding and trim, and it would be great to utilize and unify those architectural elements.
I am a local designer, and I would love to help you with color selections, "50's home owner to 50's home owner" - ;)

main body: gunmetal
door: fun color: yellow, torquoise

I'd get the lattice work out of the garage, or at least paint it the same color as the house. I'm guessing it hides trash cans. Since it contrasts with the house color, it shouts its presence, "Hey trash cans here!"

dark unifying color like slate, or a lighter grey, then definitely lime green wall. It will make it look like sculpture. Or all white and then the lime.

If you use more than that, it will lose that.

And the front door to match the lime. Judging by the picture, either would make the house seem much more architectural, larger and oh so chic.

Oh, and look up Eichlers or Rummers.

Eichler is iconic, Rummer was built by the same builder who adapted the Eichler design. Rummers are primarily in Portland, Oregon, and have some really great monochromatic/single accent color schemes to give you an overload on the cool to consider.

Another great source is ModernPhoenix, but my preference is the first looks.

Looks like aqua would be a good fit in your neighborhood. I'd go aqua on the carport and columns too. The brick already breaks up that part of your facade. I think another color might be too much. If you decide to go this way, I'd love to see an orange door. It would complement the aqua beautifully and add a little contemporary touch.

Thanks to everybody for the advice to check out retrorenovation.com and the Sherwin Williams Suburban Modern pages. I run a late 1950's office building that is a bit Googlie and finding paint combos for its interiors and exterior can be a real headache. Now so many of my problems are solved, and that's what good design is all about, right? Solving problems.

Thanks, AT and AT community!

Hi Everyone - thanks for all the great suggestions. We've decided to go with orange for the door (and maybe columns) and martini olive green for the carport/walkway concrete.

FYI - the garden bench/lattice were the previous owners & have been since removed.

In the future we hope to paint the home a dark grey...down the road...

I'll send photos in once we've completed the job.

Thanks again!
JR