Hi again- I have been looking at Benjamin Moores colors and have chosen a few you might look at. My technique for color choices is to buy several large sheets of MDF from the hardware and several paint samples that I think will work. Grab a plain white sample pot as well and just play with colors; if what you thought looked good in the shop and doesn't look good in reality, just add a bit of the white to lighten it and use the darker tones to deepen. Once you've found the color you like paint it on one of the large MDF sheets and live with it for a day or two and see how it looks morning,night, south side of building,northside of building. If the color that you like is one that you've mixed yourself, just go back to the paintshop as I'm sure B Moore would have the right shade so you can match it. Do you know the color name of the roofing? Is it IRONSTONE or MONUMENT? I'd be tempted to use that same color for the windows. My personal trick for contrast and trims is to take the main color and ask paint shop to make it up in 1/4 strength even lighter if need be. Good luck and post pictures when it's finished.

I think the roof might be a bit too dark for the brick colour. The bricks and the window joinery will blend in fine. What did you decide to do?

This is a similar home. Does the architect's response help you? "Yes the soffit is painted ( Resene Bokara ) to make it similar to the cladding. We did it this way in order to emphasis the sculptural form of the house - if it was white it would have broken up the form somewhat. I think it depends on what you want to achieve, if the line of the joinery is at ceiling level then it is good to have the ceiling and the soffit the same colour in terms of how you experience the interior space. If the exterior look is more important then the dark soffit would probably work better."

Hi, our 20 yr old home is being renovated to include a double garage off one end. Current colours are the old brown aluminium joinery (staying), the cedar (staying), and roof colour (karaka green?). it all looks rather drab and we would like a modernised twist on the home. I am thinking mid grey, dark grey, or black for aluminum garage doors and the board that runs under the spouting. Spouting will also be replaced, I like the look of copper but this may be cost prohibitive! We have a deck fence that we will also change from the current green, in keeping with the new scheme. Any ideas would be gratefully received please!