Another color selection post! - UPDATED!

[wletson]

considering painting all one color (ie trim and body)

Hmm, not sure I'd go that direction. I think you need more than one color to bring out the detail.

[jharkin]

I'd also vote against one color. That's how our house is... well, actually for the trim what they did is mix the siding color at 50% so its a little pale. But the result is that the trim and window detail doesn't stand out at all. We are thinking of redoing the trim in off white when we repaint.

If you want to go really authentic... A couple different books I have say that before the revolution 95% of houses we not painted at all. The bare wood was just left to weather. Only the wealthiest families (i.e. the town banker) could afford paint.

[gregV]

Now that we are learning that this house is as old as it is, this color choice should take that into consideration I think. This is a very interesting house and could be an incredible gem in the end, if you make the right choices.
I know money is tight for us all in these times, but is there any plan to restore this home to more of the early 18th century look as it was originally. Just a few changes and you are there. Now that the tree is gone would you consider moving the power line?
Just some things to think about before you paint.
By the way, monochrome, one color throughout, was the most common on such early houses. Rare that trim was painted a different color. So I think you are in line thinking about this scheme.

[letty]

I'd also vote against one color. That's how our house is... well, actually for the trim what they did is mix the siding color at 50% so its a little pale. But the result is that the trim and window detail doesn't stand out at all. We are thinking of redoing the trim in off white when we repaint.

If you want to go really authentic... A couple different books I have say that before the revolution 95% of houses we not painted at all. The bare wood was just left to weather. Only the wealthiest families (i.e. the town banker) could afford paint.

It's interesting that you don't like the one color - do you think you would have felt differently had you chosen a different color? Your feeling is exactly what I'm afraid of if we go in that direction.

Based on the amount of woodwork in our house, we suspect that the family may have been quite wealthy...I wonder if there's any way to confirm this?

Now that we are learning that this house is as old as it is, this color choice should take that into consideration I think. This is a very interesting house and could be an incredible gem in the end, if you make the right choices.
I know money is tight for us all in these times, but is there any plan to restore this home to more of the early 18th century look as it was originally. Just a few changes and you are there. Now that the tree is gone would you consider moving the power line?
Just some things to think about before you paint.
By the way, monochrome, one color throughout, was the most common on such early houses. Rare that trim was painted a different color. So I think you are in line thinking about this scheme.

Our plan is absolutely to be as authentic as possible while still making it comfortably livable, so we're keeping the indoor plumbing and running water

With that goal in mind - this is going to be a long and thoughtful renovation. We have already decided several times to do less work at a given time in order to spend the money on the CORRECT way to do something. There were no storm windows on the front of the house, and when we had them installed we had them put in the ones that would look right over the windows we SHOULD have (and will once we can afford to replace them).

I would LOVE to move the power line - does that just entail burying it from the pole to the house? Is there more involved?

The photo you posted is like what I was thinking for a monochrome theme - what about outbuildings? In our case, the outbuildings are connected to each other and one of the ells...would that require a different strategy for picking colors?

A quick google search tells me that photo is of the John Giddings house which is currently located at Greenfield Village - whose website says it was originally a few miles down the road from us in Exeter...did you pick it on purpose?

[gregV]

Color of ells and out buildings were generally left unpainted or paint the same as the main house. Either is perfect.

As far as power lines, this is what I did. I had power lines coming to one corner of my house and phone on the other end. Looked like the house was tied into the modern world by a lasso.
So I erected an old out house, as seen in the photo below in the background. I had the power company move the transformer down the road and the new power lines came into that outhouse. From a pole to underground to that outhouse where the meter is inside it. I also had the phone and cable lines do the same. Then from the outhouse underground to the main house. Then underground up to my barn/shop. The power company fought me on it but I was insistent and all was done with no issues. I love the look of my home with no outside lines coming in.
I will say that I have a backhoe and did all the installing myself, so it was affordable at the time.

[melissakd]

that outhouse where the meter is inside it

genius.

MKD

[letty]

I'm considering how we would do something like that...the front of our house is about 40' from the road, so there isn't space for another small building, perhaps just a tiny shed?

My next main concern is clearly cost - you mentioned that you had the backhoe. Who is responsible for moving the mast - us or the power company? Do you know/remember what the requirements were for the buried line (depth, conduit, etc)?

Assuming this isn't a huge cost, I'd really like to do it. ATM (literally!) we're worried one of the trees in front is going to come down during the Tropical Storm (formerly known as Hurricane) Irene and pull the mast down again.

[V-Man]

MelissaKD-love that paint website!

My favorite New England colors (using the website that MelissaKD linked):
1. Vermont Slate (dark grey). My neighbor just painted his circa 1785 colonial a similar color and it looks amazing.
2. Newport Indigo (dk blue)
3. Goldenrod/Curry (gold-yellow)

Personally, I like the trim to be a different color, however, I admit on certain colonials, it can look really good.

[melissakd]

V-Man, I like that Newport Indigo, yes indeed I do.

Did your neighbor go monochromatic, or white trim, or ??? Just curious (and also interested in pictures ).

MKD

[letty]

We painted the first two sides of the house this fall - we went with the same color the Colonel Paul Wentworth house was painted (http://www.paulwentworthhouse.org) because we felt it was a 'safe' color without being too boring.

Thanks to nature for providing the nice backdrop