Yellow paint adds touch of warmth
Machele Hamilton
Monday, August 18th, 2008
Yellow seems to be the color of the season. In the past decade I don’t think I have painted one exterior yellow, yet in the past month I have done three different homes in this warm and wonderful color.
The decision to use this color can be more about nostalgia than style, our own little touch of Americana, the traditional yellow house with the white picket fence. But yellow is an exterior color that takes some consideration before moving forward, as it can easily miss the mark. The wrong style home, or the wrong shade of yellow, and you have a home that doesn’t live up to its Americana roots.
Bob and Karen Hultz of rural northwest Caldwell recently moved into the home where Bob spent his childhood. As with most of these original old farmhouses, it had been added on to here and there throughout the generations, but everyone had been careful to keep the original feel of the home. Karen has a great eye and is adventurous in her color choices and design (we were fast friends immediately!), and has spent much time on the inside of the home. But the outside still had the same look it had over the years (see picture).
The exterior dilemma they faced was common in this situation, the home was covered in metal often used thirty or forty years ago. Siding, soffit, fascia, even the shutters and awnings were metal. First, let me say I do not believe you should ever paint the metal siding of a home unless you absolutely can no longer live with the color. The same holds true to any part of your home that is metal: soffits, rain gutters, etc. This truly is designed to last forever and why begin a maintenance routine if you don’t have to. With that said, it is possible to paint these homes, you just have to do it right.
How do you change the look of a home that is meant to stay that way forever? Also, how do you update the look of an old farmhouse without compromising the original design, not leaving it feeling contrived or out of place? You start by picking a color that belongs on the home. If it doesn’t match the style, it won’t look right, no matter what. Then you must find someone willing to do the work it takes to make it happen. It is not an easy project and the labor intensive demand is a bit more than most homeowners are up for. But if you believe you are, pay attention to detail, don’t try shortcuts (which never are) and use the right materials.
The most important factor is your primer. Like most painting products, primers are designed to do specific jobs. On metal, you want a primer that is meant to bond to a surface, allowing the paint to stick. Without this bonding action, paint will not adhere properly and peel relatively easy.
Cleaning the exterior is also important, as the metal siding that has protected it for all these years has not required anyone to get out a ladder and pay attention to all those nooks and crannies. Cleaning dirt, leaves, bugs, spider webs, etc. is critical before anything is applied.
From today’s pictures you can see the before and after shots of the Hultz farmhouse. The colors Karen picked have turned a simple white farmhouse into a quaint and picturesque home. The shutters, painted foundation and steps have tied the whole look together, with the final touch of two simple green stripes on each window awning.
The home looks as if it was always meant to be a little yellow farmhouse, with style of course. It doesn’t look like it is trying too hard, and sits comfortably in the middle of a huge yard and lots of trees. It is a perfect example of maintaining the integrity of the home, while updating the look. Congratulations to Bob and Karen, living with their own little piece of Americana in rural Canyon County.
- Machele Hamilton is a local painting contractor. Her husband, Bill, is a builder. Together they own Hamilton & Hamilton Building & Painting with an office and shop in Nampa. You can contact them at 465-5900 or e-mail her at
The decision to use this color can be more about nostalgia than style, our own little touch of Americana, the traditional yellow house with the white picket fence. But yellow is an exterior color that takes some consideration before moving forward, as it can easily miss the mark. The wrong style home, or the wrong shade of yellow, and you have a home that doesn’t live up to its Americana roots.
Media
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White house
Bob and Karen Hultz of Caldwell recently repainted their house — from plain white to a warmer shade of yellow.
Submitted photo
Bob and Karen Hultz of rural northwest Caldwell recently moved into the home where Bob spent his childhood. As with most of these original old farmhouses, it had been added on to here and there throughout the generations, but everyone had been careful to keep the original feel of the home. Karen has a great eye and is adventurous in her color choices and design (we were fast friends immediately!), and has spent much time on the inside of the home. But the outside still had the same look it had over the years (see picture).
The exterior dilemma they faced was common in this situation, the home was covered in metal often used thirty or forty years ago. Siding, soffit, fascia, even the shutters and awnings were metal. First, let me say I do not believe you should ever paint the metal siding of a home unless you absolutely can no longer live with the color. The same holds true to any part of your home that is metal: soffits, rain gutters, etc. This truly is designed to last forever and why begin a maintenance routine if you don’t have to. With that said, it is possible to paint these homes, you just have to do it right.
How do you change the look of a home that is meant to stay that way forever? Also, how do you update the look of an old farmhouse without compromising the original design, not leaving it feeling contrived or out of place? You start by picking a color that belongs on the home. If it doesn’t match the style, it won’t look right, no matter what. Then you must find someone willing to do the work it takes to make it happen. It is not an easy project and the labor intensive demand is a bit more than most homeowners are up for. But if you believe you are, pay attention to detail, don’t try shortcuts (which never are) and use the right materials.
The most important factor is your primer. Like most painting products, primers are designed to do specific jobs. On metal, you want a primer that is meant to bond to a surface, allowing the paint to stick. Without this bonding action, paint will not adhere properly and peel relatively easy.
Cleaning the exterior is also important, as the metal siding that has protected it for all these years has not required anyone to get out a ladder and pay attention to all those nooks and crannies. Cleaning dirt, leaves, bugs, spider webs, etc. is critical before anything is applied.
From today’s pictures you can see the before and after shots of the Hultz farmhouse. The colors Karen picked have turned a simple white farmhouse into a quaint and picturesque home. The shutters, painted foundation and steps have tied the whole look together, with the final touch of two simple green stripes on each window awning.
The home looks as if it was always meant to be a little yellow farmhouse, with style of course. It doesn’t look like it is trying too hard, and sits comfortably in the middle of a huge yard and lots of trees. It is a perfect example of maintaining the integrity of the home, while updating the look. Congratulations to Bob and Karen, living with their own little piece of Americana in rural Canyon County.
- Machele Hamilton is a local painting contractor. Her husband, Bill, is a builder. Together they own Hamilton & Hamilton Building & Painting with an office and shop in Nampa. You can contact them at 465-5900 or e-mail her at