Curb Appeal: Painting the Details in Savin Hill

Photo by Danielle Ossher

It’s a perfect pairing for this Savin Hill home—intricate molding, dramatic rooflines, and a color combination that highlights it all. Set back from the street, it beckons visitors with a lively palette of blue, coral, and ivory, expertly paired together to bring out the best in this historic exterior.

Details define the facade without overwhelming it. The steep gables are lined with understated bargeboards and accentuated with a coral tone that covers the overhang, creating an undeniable focal point. The tall, narrow windows are dressed to the nines with uniquely shaped frames, mirrored in the subtle coral-on-ivory detailing, and formal corbels to support.
Decorative molding and inset panels adorn the bay windows and are painted to pop, as are the doorway details. The front door and porch are framed with strong lines, columns and a purely ivory coat. The charming blue clapboard siding provides a clean slate for the details, allowing them to shine. The natural wood double front door, along with smarty planted greenery and planters, ground the look.

Architecturally rich exteriors boast infinite curb appeal possibilities, but the many inspiration points can prove challenging. It’s a subtle balance expertly achieved by this Savin Hill home. The blue, coral, and ivory scheme is a brighter alternative to the traditional deep colors, and pair well together without being too harsh in contrast. But what makes the three tone exterior work so well is the restrained use of accent colors and understated placement. The home’s trim is mostly ivory, with coral being used sparingly: in the underhang of the gable (instead of the bargeboard), on the raised molding of the bay windows, and to ever-so-slightly frame the windows and doors. It’s a fresh take that plays up the details without overcomplicating.

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Sherwin-Williams: Blue Plate / A la Mode / Peppery