Painting Our Victorian Farmhouse
Sometime in the middle of the summer we started painting our house.
It’s a big job because our 140-year old Victorian Farmhouse is all clapboard siding and lots of trim.
The temperatures really dipped this week and now we’re scrambling to finish the paint job.
Luckily I bought paint that’s good in temps as low as 35 degrees.
Normally you’d paint the house starting from the top down.
But we just bought the new ladder that hubby is standing on so we painted some of the low stuff first.
Hubby’s talking to one of the stray cats that hangs around the back door while he scrapes the siding.
You can see the top window wears the old color while the bottom one has the new color.
I love two-toned windows! The blue is Downpour by Shermin Williams.
The siding is a buttery yellow called Butter Up.
The white is Snowbound and it’s a true white that makes everything look crisp.
Neighbors have been telling us they like the new colors.
Here’s what’s on the other side of those two-toned double windows.
If you look out the front door, you can see part of the gingerbread on the porch.
Here’s a close-up of the curlicues shortly after I painted them. It’s very time-consuming.
I plan to change out the light fixture for something more farmhouse-y.
Several of the windows on the house have flower boxes. The flowers were fuller.
But when you start painting around them they get a little beat up so I had to cut them back.
I love this trio of windows located by the back door.
We need to replace the back door and will do that soon, I hope.
And here’s the view of the trio of windows from inside the house.
For an older Victorian Farmhouse, we sure get a lot of natural light in all the rooms.
Here’s a door on the front porch that’s not really a door.
I hung a mirror on it so you can check your look as you leave the house.
And visitors can make sure they look presentable before knocking.
Here’s the real front door, painted Rivulet by Shermin Williams.
I recently painted the glass inset in Downpour as opposed to keeping it all one color.
I think it defines the window area better.
If you want to compare, here’s what our house looked like about 10 years ago …
The yellow we’re now painting it is a bit deeper and brighter.
This photo was taken in October many years ago, about a week before Halloween.
Once it’s all painted in the new colors, I’ll take a full view photo.
Our Victorian Farmhouse has served us well over the years, even though she’s a bit high-maintenance.
People try to talk me into getting vinyl siding, but I just can’t do it!
You Might Also Like …
New Paint Colors
Late Summer Flower Arrangement
I love the new yellow Jennifer and the blue around your windows looks so pretty!!
What fun new colors. I’m glad to see that we aren’t the only ones that don’t hire painters even though I wish we did.
I am so inlove with you home! I love the new colors. Come visit me when you have a chance. I live in a 1939 cape cod style home. We have been in it for 30 yrs!
Jennifer, I love your new farmhouse colours. The pop of blue and the turquoise door really stand out and compliment the butter yellow. It’s quite a job and I admire you for keeping the old clapboards. Have a wonderful week.
Its looking great Jennifer!
Your new colour choices are beautiful!
We had friends who had a beautiful old house like yours, but they had to paint it every three years, because the wood would not absorb the paint (or so they said). They finally got worn out with the cycle, and sold the house. It was so beautiful.. I have not been by there in many years to see if it’s still in the same shape. Yours is VERY nice!!!
Gorgeous! I can’t wait to see the whole house.
It looks amazing!
We too spent the summer painting our victorian. {I wish I could post a picture}
What a rewarding job {yes its a J*O*B}
I went with 7 colors {what was I thinking}
We are in the mad scramble to finish up the carriage barn before the weather gets colder.
Thanks for sharing,
Smiles,
Dolly
It’s beautiful!!!!
omg, love it !!!!!!!!!! LOVE the yellow, so pretty and the blue and white just a great combination !!!!
It’s gorgeous! I love the two toned windows – it just adds so much character!
Your yellow, white and blue colors are so charming! What a lot of hard, dangerous work, too. Kudos!
Love your beautiful farmhouse. The soft yellow looks so pretty with the blue, love the contrast!
Your home is my dream house. I bet you just love it. My mind would go wild with ideas in how to decorate it. Have fun!
((HUGS)) Jo from Anne’s Attic – design http://fulcolbaxia.wordpress.com
Jennifer,
I love the pops of blue with the yellow. I have always loved a yellow cottage farmhouse like yours. It is so beautiful. Great job and a big job to take on yourselves. Looks great.
Kris
I love yellow houses, it is such a happy color. Your farmhouse is sooo charming.
xx,
Sherry
Love yellow houses to begin with and all your new colors. Can’t wait to see the completed job.
I love the new color choices!! Very pretty!
And please, never, never put vinyl siding on your house. Don’t listen to those who try to convince you that it’s a good idea. Never is it a good idea to put plastic siding on top of old wood siding. Plastic siding is not maintenance free; if your house ever catches on fire, the vinyl acts an accelerant; it will rot out the old siding underneath, and people looking for old houses look for old wood siding to still be intact.. We certainly did. There’s nothing more sad to me than to see people abandoning their antique wood siding for vinyl or Hardi-plank.
I love your old house. Thank you for keeping all of those wonderful things that make it an old house.
Beth.
How pretty and appropriate for your home. Love it. Can only imagine how much work an older home might be in an inclement climate. Love the colors you chose, the yellow is much brighter than previous. I’ve always loved a yellow house. I’d love to paint our trim etc. to make it yellow. When we bought this place it was dark green on trim and porch, etc. The porch is all faded and pretty much bare of paint. We should have done some scraping and painting ourselves.
Now that I don’t have to pay Dish anymore maybe I can scrape up enough to buy some exterior paint. Not that our house/porch need it. Would love for hubs to make some simple shutters to put around windows also. Our house is a mfg. home. Time to take care of it, we’ve been in this house for 8 yrs .now.
Your home is wonderful, love porch and all. Colorsreally brighten up your home. Makes you feel good when you look at it doesn’t it? Hope you’re able to get it all done before bad weather hits, is that a possibility where you live? Happy week
Hi! I think the new paint job is looking good and will be so rewarding when done. The two tone blues with the white, like you say, crisps things up. Looking forward to seeing the finished pictures. Take care.