From the article: Colors for a Second Empire House
The high mansard roof on this Second Empire style house brand new, and now the house needs new colors for the trim and the siding. Should the trim color be a darker or lighter color than the body? What colors would you pick?
Use this page to suggest color ideas for our featured Mansard house. Are you wondering about your own house? To ask questions, please visit our House Helpline.
Depends on what you want to achieve
- A dark color trim will make it more subdued, while a lighter color will stand out more and be a more bold statement. Personally, I like the house the way it looks in the picture. You have a beautiful home!
- —Guest Amber
Choose Dark Trim
- I believe that I am acquainted with your beautiful home. If it the one that I am thinking of, you sit above Grove Street in a town in The Quiet Corner. I have passed your home several times while walking my dog. I am also working on a Second Empire Victorian in Central Village and have decided on a light body color (medium drab), a dark trim (Rookwood Green) and Indian Red and Old Gold accents. The shutters will be the traditional shutter green. Going with the dark trim rather than the light trim is a very dramatic combination, but is also correct for the period. I finally just went with my own scheme, keeping with the period colors and combinations.
- —Guest Brent
Gold, Maroon, and Green
- I think a gold base color, with a maroon trim color and a third color, maybe a dark green, on the screen frames would be just beautiful! Be sure and send us a picture when it's done!
- —Guest Cate
Gray and Maroon
- I think that a gray base color would look nice with maroon or dark red shutters and windows.
- —Guest Paige
Get Rid of the White
- Hi. No matter what color you choose, get rid of the white window sash. A cream color like the trim is good, a dark (essex green - Benj Moore) or dark red would be best. The white stops your eyes from looking further - you lose that sense of depth. Good luck, Ken. oldhouseguy.com
- —Guest Ken
