Hey there Remodelaholic readers! Dawn here, from and I’m back this month with another reader question mockup to hopefully inspire some creative ideas for your space. If you’ve missed any of my previous reader question mockups, you can always .
If you follow Remodelaholic on , you’ve probably seen several of the reader questions that are submitted every month. Well each month here on Remodelaholic, I choose one reader submitted photo to offer my two cents on, and I create a Photoshop mock up of what I would do if I were in your shoes! (Pssssst— you can submit your reader questions by messaging Remodelaholic on Facebook!)
First though, my standard disclaimer: While I can recommend ideas that I think look nice, I have never seen this house in real life and don’t have accurate measurements. I am also not an architect or landscaper and do not know the planting recommendations for your area- I just like to make things look nice. I can’t guarantee that any of the items I put in my ‘virtual’ design will actually work in real life (or that they’ll fit your design style for that matter), and this is not intended to be a professional design consultation. So think of this as a just-for-fun rendering that hopefully gets your wheels turning and provides some inspiration!
On to the fun!
READER QUESTION from Judith — I would love some help with curb appeal for our house. I do not like all the different shades of brown, but am not sure what color to paint the house and how to add dimension. The deck must stay the current color. We are open to all suggestions, but will probably shy away from white (for the railings) because we live down a dirt/gravel road. Thank you.
Dark colored homes can be tricky, but really beautiful. With the knowledge that living on a dirt road means a white house or white trim would look dirty quickly, I started by scouting the web for some examples of darker color schemes for Judith’s home. Here’s what I found:
Ideas for Dark Home Exterior Color Schemes
Image Source: | Photo Credit: Donna Griffith
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| Coffee Table | Chairs |
Hanging Planter | |
Dark Home Exterior Curb Appeal Tips
Cool things down
To tackle the dilemma of too many shades of brown, I decided to take the main color of the home in a much cooler direction. A mid-toned inky blue is pretty with the wooden deck and dark enough not to show a little dirt.
Contrast is key
Next I updated the railings, trim, and windows to a black color that is dark enough to provide contrast to the blue. Contrast is key to adding depth and dimension, keeping the home from looking too flat. With cooler tones on the house and trim, it was time to add back in some warm elements.
Wood for warmth
Obviously a new coat of paint on the door is a great way to add visual interest and a pop of color, but I also added in some warmth with wood tones and natural textures around the deck. The deck chairs, wooden planter box, hanging planters, and door mat all provide a nice balance to the house color.
Dress it up
Finally, I added in a ton of personality with just a few accessories. Outdoor rugs are sometimes the last thing people think of, but they can add a much needed dose of color and depth to an outdoor space. Especially a deck as expansive as this one, where you really need an element to break it up. A few colorful throw pillows and potted plants, and the space looks brand new.
So what do you think? What would you do if this were your home?
As always, thank you to Cassity and the Remodelaholic team for having me back each month. If you like this post, and have a design dilemma you’d like me to mock up some ideas for, you can ask your questions by sending Remodelaholic , or checkout my mockup design services over on my site And be sure to follow me on , , or and say hello! Have a great day, friends!
-Dawn
More curb appeal ideas:
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