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Being a brownstone owner myself, I like these kind of buildings to blend nicely, not "pop out" as so many of you readers suggest for non-brownstone buildings. There's a reason why landmark-designated buildings are limited in building color and trim. I suggest a dark brown or black. Anything else looks garish. You might try your question on brownstoner.com, if no answers here are satisfactory.

I think the new windows will make a big impact over the current aluminum ones! I agree with you on the black trim idea. I think it will add a little contrast but remain consistent with the building style. Good luck with your work!

I would go with a really dark green or black, and I second asking the folks over at brownstoner.com.

I second the black and the DARKEST green you can find....but black is number one.

Also, I can't really tell what kind of front door you have right now, but if its something you'll also update, I'd go with a big dark green or black door that matches the window trim--high gloss finish.

high gloss black always looks super sleek. take a walk and look at similar homes and their finishes, you will quickly establish what suits you.

sash is always nice in a darker color than the trim. I think this is the more historical coloration...

It is my personal opinion, as a homeowner, that black looks funereal. My impression is that a lot of these houses originally had wood-colored doors and trim. Many, if not most houses in my neighborhood of brick and lime-face rowhouses had painted faux wood finishes on the trim until very recently. If "black", it could well be because the original wood was stained to mimic mahogany, the premier wood of that era. That is my impression, correct me if I'm wrong.

At any rate, I like the idea of darkish brown, terracotta, dark green or olive, myself, since I don't care for too much contrast between housecolor and trim. Subtle tone-on-tone variation is always nice (as in the trim on the restored Carnegie Hall).

I suggest Narrangasset Green from Benjamin Moore historical colors, which is on my brownstone in Brooklyn. It's got a bluish cast that makes it more interesting that your typical forest green.

My apartment development (northern Virginia, DC suburb) is currently being painted with black trim. The siding is gray. The doors were already black. The buildings are starting to look like they were in a fire.

Obviously this is not a brownstone situation, and the people painting my trim are amateurs, and a lot of the trim (including the windows) is vinyl, so really I'm doomed from the get-go, but I could not hate the black trim more. Monarda's word "funereal" is exactly right.

My preference is for a dark gleaming green, nearly black but not quite. High-gloss.

A second option I don't see mentioned is a very VERY dark red or oxblood. Which would give just a little warmth and contrast without fighting the brown.

as someone else suggested the best idea is to look at other restored brownstones to get ideas. i didn't notice what neighborhood you are in, but the upper west side and the village have lots of restored homes. dark brown,the future color of this house, and black are very sophisticated many brownstones here in new york have black cast iron railings, cornices, and window trim.

I'm seeing Really Dark Eggplant or Eiffel Tower Chestnut-Red.

Well, I'm going out on a limb here, and suggest a very pale Robin's Egg blue, or a very pale Teal. I love contrast.

Use Photoshop or download the 30-day free trial on their website (click my name) and try out the trim in all of these color suggestions. It will make the decision much easier.

I think Josie's dark green sounds great to me. Nearly black but not, because the reddish color will bring out the green even if it's really dark, and it will be classy but with some life to it.

But the "go look at some" is really the best suggestion. There are numerous brownstones in Brooklyn, too. Clinton Hill (near Pratt) is full of them.

Actually, except from up close you won;t be able to tell the difference between wood and the existing aluminium windows. The metal windows are more efficient and half the price of wood. Of course if you are hell bent on the "look", you'll go with the wood. And what makes you think you can strip off the "monkey do do" color? You can re-surface it with something darker. Thats about it. Personally, I spend money on getting a better lookig door before I'd replace the windows. And only do black or dark brown. Anything else will look like a brothel.

Scraping paint on a brick mold behind the aluminum panning I found, under the brown, an black pigment. It's not clear that this black is original (the tax lot photo doesn't seem like a house with black trim), but many of the other houses on the block also have black trim, so black (or something just about black) seems a good starting point.

And yes I agree, Erin T, the new windows really will help, as they follow the existing masonry eyebrow openings on the parlor, and we're going with new half-rounds for the crappy top floor openings (the square ones, as well as the entire top cornice, are not original). To the fellow who thinks metal windows are more efficient I say you're welcome to come pick up mine -- I'll even give you a great deal.

The wood front door is behind a metal and glass outer door, which is original and besides its color in great shape. I've always thought would look sharp in any color other than dirt brown.

I want to thank the multiple posters who suggested a high gloss -- having spec'd interior paints for years I've been allergic to anything shinier than eggshell. But it makes a lot of sense -- the contrast with the facade will look good. High gloss often looks bad when the jambs are in rough shape, but I'm putting on new, smooth brick molds as well. I'll be testing out a quart soon.

I also investigated Narragansett Green, and it is a beauty. And enid, you color ideas are great, but I think too radical for this landmark block. Too bad, really. But they did dovetail with my idea for the trim in the back -- I'm testing out some of California paints historic colors (there are a lot of blue / teals!) as well. Thanks.

I recall a NYTimes article a while back addressing this issue. If I remember correctly, it said that originally these elements were painted a matching color. Apparently when times got tough, black and dark green were used because they were cheaper paint s.

Too bad they are coming primed.The most authentic inour neighborhood is definitely unpainted oak - doors and windows.

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