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We have a victorian home and ready to be painted. But we are having a heck of a time choosing the color/colors. We would like to use 3 colors total. Any suggestions where a person can find some help choosing these colors? Or whatever? Not a lot of homes in our area to do drive bys to get ideas.
Major paint companies have web sites that allow you to color your house with different colors. I have used them but do not remeber the sites. Look at major paint companies web sites for help.
I would look at specific paint manufacturers palettes that they've prepared for historic structures and interiors.
Valspar (http://www.preservationnation.org/about-us/partners/corporate-partners/valspar/paint.html - broken link). This link has specific properties and the paints that have been used on them.
Benjamin Moore's Historic Colors and America's Colors collections are also worth a look, they were designed specifically for historic buildings.
You may want to peruse some books at the library or bookstore too. Victorian homes in particular tend to use more colors to accentuate the fine trim and fretwork. A four color scheme would be truer to the victorian style than three.
Victorian homes in particular tend to use more colors to accentuate the fine trim and fretwork. A four color scheme would be truer to the victorian style than three.
This is quite true. Sometimes even five.
This should give you some idea as to color schemes:
I would look at specific paint manufacturers palettes that they've prepared for historic structures and interiors.
Valspar (http://www.preservationnation.org/about-us/partners/corporate-partners/valspar/paint.html - broken link). This link has specific properties and the paints that have been used on them.
Benjamin Moore's Historic Colors and America's Colors collections are also worth a look, they were designed specifically for historic buildings.
You may want to peruse some books at the library or bookstore too. Victorian homes in particular tend to use more colors to accentuate the fine trim and fretwork. A four color scheme would be truer to the victorian style than three.
The term "Victorian" is generally used to describe a myriad of various architectural styles that were prevelant for a period of several decades. Just as there are many different styles encompassed in the concept of "victorian" there are many different appropriate paint schemes. Two three four or more colors may be apprpriate depending ont eh stayle and time periord that the house was built. I have seen some "Victorian" Colonial Revival homes patined up like a San Francisco Painted Lady and they look awful. On the other hand, a Queen Anne home painted all white looks equallt bad.
You will need oto do quite a bit of resaarch. First find out when your house was built and what architectural style(s) it exhibits. "Victorian" is not really a style, it is an era. Within "Victorian" you can have colonial revival, stick style, queen anne, shingle style, craftsman, greek revival, and probably another dozen or so styles. Many homes exhibit elements of multiple different styles, especially homes built during transition periods, or homes that were modified in different decades.
Appropriate colors vary with style and time periods. Colors also varied from place to place. The east coast used different paint schemed than the west. Craftsman houses were generally painted in muted earth tones. THe idea was to blend in with nature. Vibrant purple would not be an appropriate color for a craftsman home, but it might be a good accent color on a Queen Anne.
Also you need to consider where your house is located. An old farmhouse, was probably always white with black trim and possibly red doors. A house in the city may have more colors.
Often you can investigate parts of your house and ifnd remains of original or early paint.
Most important, pick colors that you like. If you hate the color of your house, it is more detrimental than it woudl be to paint it an inappropriate color. Someone can always repaint it appropraitely later.
THe good news is that this type of research if really fun and it is not too difficult. There are loads of good books and magazines to help you and many libarires have a local history room that may give you some ideas too. You may even find an old picture, drawing or painting of your house that shows the original paint scheme. If you want ot be historically accurate, then you will need to find out what was used in your house's style, time period and specifically in your area, not just look in a book of old houses in San Francisco and pick a neat looking color scheme to copy.
The term "Victorian" is generally used to describe a myriad of various architectural styles that were prevelant for a period of several decades. . . .
Cold J hit it on the nose. Some art terms refer to "Early Victorian", "mid-Victorian, and "Late Victorian". And styles that followed the Victorian era typically mixed in Victorian features such as the corbels, moldings, and rails. I live in a 1930s Arts & Crafts/Italianate Villa and the rooftop deck (over the front porch) has Colonial balustrades. I was watching "Pride & Prejudice" the other day and saw the same balustrades on a house in that movie. I thought they were out of place but I like them and I am the only one on my street with them. I have also seen houses the same as mine with alot of molding, corbels, and carved keystones. The ones I have seen though were done very well so they "worked" IMO.
Also agree that whatever colors you choose, make sure you love them!
Sounds like fun doing the research and deciding! Enjoy!
Golds are always good for the classic, traditional home.browns might also look good
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Or whatever? 
Not a lot of homes in our area to do drive bys to get ideas.
Painting a Victorian Home
