Omigoodness it seemed like forever before hubby and I would ever finish painting our clapboard farmhouse!
We started the project toward the end of July and finally brushed the last bit of paint on her the weekend before Halloween … just before it got cold.
Hubby predicted it would take 3 months and he was right.
We had to cut down the bushes in the front of the house to paint it.
Which really didn’t bother me because they were overgrown anyway.
If they don’t grow back then I’ll simply replace them.
The hardest part of the house to paint is the peaks with the gingerbread trim.
To reach this front peak, hubby had to dangerously perch a ladder on the scaffold!
Our rule is … if you paint the peak you get to pick the colors for the gingerbread trim.
Hubby painted this one too. I love that aqua against the dark blue.
I painted this piece of gingerbread. I’ve seen some houses with gingerbread painted all one color.
I like to use several colors to bring out all the details of the trim work.
I also like giving windows a two-tone paint application.
I think it adds depth and character to our clapboard farmhouse.
It’s such a relief to have this big paint job finished.
We grabbed hours here and there on the weekends … just the two of us.
And of course there were always interruptions …
… like family gatherings, harvesting and canning veggies from the garden, etc.
But now our clapboard farmhouse is finally painted and standing proud.
We used Sherwin William’s Resilience paint in the following colors …
Clapboard Siding in Butter Up
Main Trim in Snowbound
Window Trim in Downpour
Front and Back Doors in Rivulet
Great job on the painting! I love the different colors:the aqua and the blue go perfectly. I lived in a farmhouse as a child it was yellow and white.
Thanks, Sandra! I’m just glad it’s done and now we can spend our weekend doing other things. 🙂
Painting a house is such a daunting project. However, once its completed, you can stand back and beam with pride.
You and your hubby should be beaming, you both did a beautiful job. The colors are perfect for your sweet farm house. Kudos
Vanessa
BTW could you come to Kansas City and paint our home ?
Hi Vanessa! Before I come to Kansas City to paint I need a loooooong nap! It does feel good to have it all done before the holiday season.
It looks beautiful. I love the colors you chose.
Thanks, Kathryn! The yellow is more vivid than the previous yellow we used and I’m really liking it.
It looks amazing. Love the colors. Always a big relief to get those big jobs done. We did ours a year ago and finished right about this time a year too. Your home is beautiful.
Thanks! We should’ve painted our house a year ago … or two or three. Life gets in the way of projects sometimes but this year I felt like we just had to get it done to protect the wood. I think it’s more pleasant painting in the Fall, don’t you?
Jennifer you and the hubby did an amazing job…I love the colors you chose…it looks beautiful!!
Thanks, Martina. I’m just so glad that it’s all done now and we can enjoy our weekends again. 🙂
This is gorgeous! It looks wondrrful!
Thanks, Jan. I always agonize over choosing the colors. I think it takes me longer to pick the colors than it takes to do the actual painting!
It’s beautiful, I would love to live in a house like yours, love the colors you both chose!
Thanks, Rondell! Older houses are a lot of work but I do love them.
Having done this to our clapboard farmhouse, know how much work is involved. My hubby used a torch (very carefully) to get rid of much of the old peeling paint. He mixed linseed oil with the paint and the job lasted about 10 years. We finally sided the house and glad we did. Your home is very beautiful and you did a neat job…stunning!
Thanks, Logan. I heard about using heat to strip the paint. We considered power washing it but in the end simply used super tough carbide scrapers and a lot of elbow grease. I think my biceps grew at least an inch! We did purchase a high-end paint that’s supposed to last 15 years. Lucky for me, the weekend I bought the paint it was on sale at 40% off!
I have to agree with everyone..the house looks beautiful and love the colors you chose. Awesome job!!!
Thanks so much, Melissa! Everyone’s positive feedback is really making my day!!
Absolutely love the finish, I would love to do two color windows. Husband not into that though and luckily house down not need repainting. I looked at the photos three times for the full effect. You both did a great job.
Aw, thanks Mary! I can’t remember when I first saw two-toned windows on a house but I immediately fell in love with the look!
Phew, what a job, but it turned out gorgeous. Love the gingerbread. I too like the various colors on the trim work, it does emphasize all the detail, and you can see it further away. Oh the power of paint….
Thanks Pamela! It’s amazing what paint can do! Our house was looking more shabby than chic and I was almost embarrassed by the way it looked to passers by! LOL.
I LOVE it!
Thank you, Ann! I do too. 🙂
Wow, looks really spiffy!! Good job!!
Thanks!! I’m just glad it’s done now. 🙂
Its so cheery and welcoming, and I am in love with your front door!
Thanks, Jennifer! I kept second-guessing the front door color but I’m really liking it now.
TOTALLY charming…I love your choice and placement of colors. 🙂
Thanks, Revi! That means a lot to me. I always take forever to choose the colors!
Wow! Your house looks gorgeous in it’s new coat of paint. I’m sure you can’t wait to put your Christmas decorations on it now!
Thanks, Cindy! And funny you say that because just this morning I was looking at the house and thinking about how to decorate the exterior for Christmas!
Very pretty!! I know that must have been a huge project! Our lakehouse is yellow, too.
Jane xx
Thanks Jane. It WAS a huge project but I’m so glad we finally did it!
WOW!! Very impressive!! Be very proud of yourselves!! Cookie
Thanks, Cookie! Once I’m rested I’ll start to feel proud. 😉
Looks amazing!! I painted a 100 year old house many years ago – oy!! It’s work. But the satisfaction you must feel right now!!! So pretty and in time to decorate for Christmas!
Oh Marcie, you know my pain then. LOL. Yes, I’m ready to start on the Christmas decorations now.
Looks amazing! I love the colors you and hubby chose! I’ve always been a fan of the yellow and blue combination.
Thanks, Debbie. Yellow and Blue are the colors of Sweden and ironically, the town I group up in is Swedish (although it’s in Illinois). They even have a Swedish Days festival every year.
I love the colors you chose. So very pretty. I love Victorian houses that are painted in multiple colors. It just makes all of that
gorgeous trim work stand out so nicely. Great job!! 🙂
Beth.
Thanks, Beth. Today I just drove past a Victorian home that used to be all white for many many years … but now she’s a beautiful rose color. It was nice to see the change.
Wow…what a huge job!!! Your farmhouse looks beautiful…LOVE the colors you chose! You all should be very proud of such a great accomplishment.
Mary Alice
Thanks, Mary Alice. I’m just glad it’s all done and now I can move onto other things. 🙂
Looking very pretty, and so can relate to painting clapboard. Our home is stained which I love since you never have to scrap! But it certainly did turn out beautiful! Loving the colors!
Thanks, Cathy! While we were painting I kept thinking, “too bad this house isn’t stained.” The scraping is a lot of work!
Congratulations! The house is beautiful. Love the colors.
Thanks so much, Janet!!
Oh Jennifer the house looks so pretty. Great job and I know that had to be the biggest paint job ever. So worth it just beautiful. I love the colors picked for the gingerbread trim. It all looks so fresh and pretty.
Kris
Thanks, Kris! Now I can finally focus on the inside of the house again! 🙂
So pretty, Jennifer. The colors are happy and make me smile, just like you.
Thanks, Alison! It finally looks more chic than shabby!
Your house looks brand spanking shiny and new. It’s gorgeous! The blue frames your windows so perfectly, and the gingerbread trim just pops. Beautiful job, you guys. I so impressed you did it yourselves.
Thanks, Laurel! My favorite part is painting the straight lines when doing the trim work. It feels more like “art” than “work.”
Beautiful! I love the gingerbread colors but I especially love the blue ceiling on the porch – just beautiful!
WOWZA! Absolutely stunning. You can feel the love that went into it. Great colors.
Jennifer, it looks amazing! I bet you’re happy it is finally done! x
Your house turned out beautifully, Jennifer. I love your (and hubby’s) choice of colors ~ all of your gingerbread trim is just down right adorable. All of your hard work has really paid off!
I feel your pain and your satisfaction! I painted my own 1910 home with the original siding by myself. I took four months. It’s so beautiful now though!! Yall did an awesome job!
Wow Jennifer….it looks amazing! Love the color combination! It’s truly a labor of love <3
It is just gorgeous! So much work and so worth it!
Love the brighter yellow! The two shades of blue look nice and I’m with you on the white trim – makes the windows pop! You all have done a major preservation on the clapboard. What is the prognosis for the longevity on the paint job?
I love, love, love, your house colors! You have done a lot of work and should be proud! If the paint job lasts 15 years you may be at a stage in your life that climbing on ladders on scaffolding is not in the picture–but paying someone to paint your house is!!!
I absolutely love it! When can I move in?
It looks like you have a metal roof? What color is it? My husband and I are are hopefully going to remodel a lake house soon and I love the idea of yellow house with blue trim. He’s leaning toward a metal roof and I can’t decide on color. He mentioned blue mental roof but that scared me a little lol
Yes, we have a metal roof, which I love. It’s gray. It actually used to be a lighter shade of gray but has darkened over the years. I have a feeling that might be from our walnut tree though. If I were to choose one today for our yellow house, I would pick dark gray. I do love a dark green metal roof with a white house, though. It’s so classic looking. I can see where the blue roof might scare you, but if it’s the right shade I think it would look really pretty. I guess it just depends on how bold you want to go! Good luck … how fun to have a lake house
Love your house and love the color of yellow you chose. Any chance you could tell me the color as my husband and I are having our house painted (built in 1895) and are changing it from gray to yellow. We are going crazy trying to figure out the right shade.
Thanks!
Jennifer