Laura B. sent some fun scans of color combo’s for mid century homes after the post on curb appeal for Sarah in Madison, Wisconsin. Thanks, Laura, these are great especially now that it’s painting weather across the USA.
Hi Pam – Since your blog touched upon curb appeal yesterday, I found this awesome link to Sherwin William’s exterior and interior color palettes inspired by the 50′s. Also, I’m attaching some photos from an old issue of Better Homes and Gardens showing some pretty neat color combos, as well as a photo I scanned in from my Atomic Ranch book that hopefully could inspire Sarah from Madison, WI to look past the flat roofline and see the potential with the right paint, landscaping and front door!
Thanks so much, Laura B.
Readers: Be sure to click the images a couple times to enlarge them – the scan is very high resolution…keep clicking and you can read it at 100% magazine size.
Mid century paint colors: Painting your 60s ranch home (and more) – a retro palette, courtesy Ronn 
Retro flooring: Some new choices, courtesy Portland Laura 
Spaceship house for sale – today’s ebay pick, courtesy Kristinski 
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Hi Pam,
I have an original color chip display panel from “our” era. Would you like me to photograph it and send it in?
Ronn at FUTURES
Thanks for these color ideas. We hope to do something different to our all-white trim this summer.
On a related note, we need to replace our battered old aluminum storm door. Its the kind that has not been painted; it is the aluminum color. There are a few other such storm doors still on the street, but most houses now have more modern styles in white.
Are there companies that make more retro looking storm doors, or does it matter that much what we go with in terms of how it affects the look of our ranch? Our only stipulation is we want one with both glass and screen in it, and not the solid glass type. Any suggestions?
Sumac Sue, the screen door that you are describing is “mill finish”. These are great doors, I love them! I have done research on this in the past and will dig it out. It’s not easy to find these – but doable.
Ronn, Yes, I’d love to get a photo or scan of your vintage color chip display! Send it along when you get a chance – thank you!
Thanks Pam. I would like to find one of these mill finish doors if possible. Ours needs some parts replaced, which we could do, but it looks pretty tuckered out.
On that same note, are you aware of companies who make replacement parts for mill finish aluminum storm windows? Most of ours are OK, but few are missing the sliding screen. I’d love to find those too. Thanks!
Pam
Okay, I’ll try and get shots of the exterior color sample board today while at my store. It depends upon how busy I get.
Ronn.
I want to thank Laura B. for sending in those sample color pages. I’m in the process of deciding on a color(s) for my garage door, front door, and trim for my pinky taupe ranch, and these color combos are really interesting.
There was a guy that made retro storm doors but I can’t find him or the site online. It is my quest to find it.
I have found this:
hiphaven.com
Door inserts,
http://hiphaven.com/Pages/P_Vintage_Screen.html
I can’t remember where I had posted it (and can’t find it either), but I need everyone’s expert help in exterior paint colors.
My ranch is sided with that orange colored brick and the roof is in the dark tan/light brown color. Right now, the trim/garage overhead/front door is painted white-that makes 4 orange brick ranch homes with white trim next door and across the street from each other, LOL!
I use my photos at http://www.behr.com to “paint” different colors, and am just not sure what to pick out. I have always adored the aqua or turquoise trim, but with the orange brick, would that look too gaudy? I’ve also considered avocado, but that’s more early Seventies.
Thanks, my fellow retro addicts!
sablemable aka Jan
AS I recall, the same colors were used on the outside as on the inside – just a little muted. The bold colors were used for accent & trim. Yellow was popular, as was olive. And yes, everyone had an aluminum storm door! Don’t forget redwood-slat fences, especially the interwoven ones, and chain-link with venetian-blind slats woven into them. Sometimes, people even made patterns & designs this way. Oh, we had so much fun inventing things in the ’50s, didn’t we?