Color behaves differently in Boston's light. North-facing rooms in rowhouses and triple-deckers read cool, and brick, slate roofs and close neighbors all affect an exterior color. We help you choose colors and sheens, test samples on your own walls and, in a historic district or condo building, pick from what the rules allow.
Color is harder to choose in Boston than a paint chip suggests. Rowhouse and triple-decker rooms often have windows on only one or two sides, so the middle of the home is dim and a color that looked warm in the store turns grey. Winter daylight here is low and cool, and summer light through street trees is green. We look at each room at the hours you use it and narrow the choice from there.
Old houses add their own fixed colors. Dark-stained fir trim, oak floors gone amber, a marble or tile fireplace surround and brick party walls will not change, so the wall color has to sit well beside them. We bring large samples, brush test patches on two walls of the room and view them next to the trim and floor. Sheen is chosen at the same time, since eggshell on old plaster hides waves that satin would show.
Outside, the house is seen with its neighbors. Three-color schemes of body, trim and sash suit Victorian houses and triple-deckers, and we help pick which details to bring out and which to let recede. Brick, a slate or dark asphalt roof and the house next door all bear on the choice. In Beacon Hill and other historic districts, and in many condo associations, exterior colors need approval, so we work within the allowed range.
Color consulting in Boston: common questions
Why does the same grey look blue in my north-facing room?
North light is cool, and it pulls cool tones out of grey. In a north room pick a grey with a warm base, and always judge a brushed sample on your own wall in the morning and the evening.
How many colors should a triple-decker exterior have?
Three is the common answer: one for the siding, one for trim and porches, and a darker or contrasting one for window sashes and doors. Two also works on a plain house. More than four gets busy.
What should I have ready before a color visit?
Photos or samples of what stays: flooring, counters, tile, large furniture and rugs. For an exterior, know whether your address is in a historic district or under condo rules, as that limits the choices.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We walk the job and measure.
- Written quote: Prep, paint and price in writing.
- Prep & protect: We cover floors and furniture, repair and prime surfaces.
- Paint & walk-through: Two coats, clean lines, full clean-up and a final walk-through.