Tattered Folk Character: Before
“We bought a 1910 farmhouse that needs a complete remodel, including a paint job—help!” says Brandi Huff. She’s working to make the Folk Victorian in Milan, Michigan, that she’ll share with her husband and two sons move-in ready. We turned to architectural color consultant Bob Buckter for curb-appeal-boosting ideas.
Pro Tip: Architectural color consultant Bob Buckter advises against the default all-white look: “People choose white because it’s a no-brainer, but these architectural details deserve to be highlighted.” His approach: Use muted hues for the body and trim—such as gray-blues, khakis, and pale yellows—and use contrasting accent colors to call out the home’s ornamental features.
Architectural Details on Display: After
“People choose white because it’s a no-brainer, but these architectural details deserve to be highlighted,” Buckter says. One tack: Use muted hues for the body and trim—such as the gray-blues, khakis, and pale yellows in the three palettes in this story—and contrasting colors to emphasize eye-catching features, like the fancy spindlework and turned posts. It’s a modern way to apply historically inspired colors.
Brandi’s reaction? “Looks awesome! We were so lost on what to do. The blue house is our favorite—it’s so homey.”
All-American Gray Blue Palette
An all-American classic, steel blue makes for a welcoming facade, especially when paired with ice-blue trim, azure gable ends, and wine-red windows and accents. A charcoal-gray skirt anchors the scheme.
This palette was created for homeowner Brandi Huff, who bought the 1910 Folk Victorian in Milan, Michigan, and was working to make the house move-in ready for her husband and two sons. “We bought a 1910 farmhouse that needs a complete remodel, including a paint job—help!” Huff told This Old House Magazine.
All-American Gray Blue Palette: Steel Blue Facade
Olympic’s Silver Blueberry
All-American Gray Blue Palette: Ice-Blue Trim
Olympic’s Rendezvous
All-American Gray Blue Palette: Azure Gable Ends
Olympic’s Blue Cloud
All-American Gray Blue Palette: Wine-Red Windows
Olympic’s Bordeaux
All-American Gray Blue Palette: Charcoal-Gray Skirt
Olympic’s Granite
Earthy Warm Khaki Palette
Set against an earthy-brown body color, trim and porch floorboards in maroon and a door and windows in turquoise pop. Using a lighter taupe on the stickwork of the gable end sets it apart from the scalloped siding.
The specific Behr paint colors used for this palette are Mississippi Mud for the body, Gobi Desert for the gable stickwork, Chianti for the trim and porch floorboards, Agave Frond for the door and windows, and Butternut Wood for additional accents.
Earthy Warm Khaki Palette: Brown Body Color
Behr’s Mississippi Mud
Earthy Warm Khaki Palette: Non-Basic Beige
Behr’s Gobi Desert
Earthy Warm Khaki Palette: Maroon Trim and Floorboards
Behr’s Chianti
Earthy Warm Khaki Palette: Turquoise Door and Windows
Behr’s Agave Frond
Earthy Warm Khaki Palette: Deep Brown Skirt
Behr’s Butternut Wood
Pick a Palette: Creamy Yellow
The warmest palette of the bunch: a French-vanilla body shade, with cinnamon accents and contrasting cool-blue windows.
Color consultant Amy Wax explains why using multiple distinct shades—rather than a single hue—is essential for a home like this: “The real problem” with monochromatic schemes “is that all of the architectural elements are painted the same color, causing them to blur together.” By assigning different colors to the body, trim, floorboards, door, and skirt, this palette ensures every detail of the Folk Victorian’s ornamental woodwork stands out.
Creamy Yellow Palette: French-Vanilla Body Shade
Glidden’s Popcorn White
Creamy Yellow Palette: Hint of Gold
Glidden’s Golden Bamboo
Creamy Yellow Palette: Cinnamon Accents
Glidden’s Classic Brick Red
Creamy Yellow Palette: Cool-Blue Door and Windows
Glidden’s Rich Navy
Creamy Yellow Palette: Grounded Brown Skirt
Glidden’s Le Chateau Brown
