The fresh, saturated green and white colors on this charming Craftsman are seen through trees that separate the house from the street. It's a refreshing change from colors that are typically seen on this style of shingle house. There is plenty of curb appeal, but what makes the house stand out most is the attention to detail paid to the home's entry. The steps lead to a periwinkle blue door that works beautifully with the row of potted hydrangeas lined up on the ledge of this charming home.

The stark, clean lines and use of bold color, space, and light on this house reflect the style of Mexican architect Luis Barragan. The warm, subtle house color acts as a backdrop for the vibrant blocks of color visible in the open courtyard area complete with an azure blue wall and an orange painted ceiling in the breezeway. These colors bring this property its vitality and help to create it's special take on this stunning "south-of-the-border" modernist home.

This is an unusual but very attractive color combination for a stone house. The turquoise adds a brightness that is at once bold yet also fitting, especially when seen alongside the pool color through the turquoise gated entrance. The color has a sense of elegance against the stone walls of the old house; it almost seems to pick up the color out of the stone. It's an exciting color choice because it's used in fairly small doses, takes a chance, and wins big on this delightful Cotswold cottage.

The dark color of this classic traditional is complex. The color is a dramatic backdrop for the soft pink flowers that run the entire length of the house. The arched portico is painted in a warm white that highlights the architecture and brings attention to the entry. The rich gold-stained oak door, softened by topiary plants on each side and adorned by a rusted steel ribbon wreath, adds the finishing touch for this strong central focal point and adds regal elegance to this beautiful home.

This is. an example of how a little creativity can go a long way to create great curb appeal to an otherwise plain house. Bungalow and modern styles are mixed together, creating an interesting, eclectic result. Attention to detail at the front door, including the door style and color, doorbell, door hardware and house numbers, makes a strong focal point that demands attention for this chic urban property.

The refreshing blue house color of this grand Second Empire Victorian is visually broken up with lush green landscaping, large old-growth trees, and an ample amount of white trim that helps to highlight and emphasize the architectural detailing. The original slate shingles on the mansard roof are a darker shade of blue that matches the window shutter. They help to create balanced color by deepening the color scheme for this airy, expansive, resplendent property.

Climbing peach roses flank the outside walls, framing and softening the entry gate and coordinate perfectly with the house color. Stained trellises and garage doors match the deep color of the home's doors and windows and work agreeably with the peach house color. This combination is reminiscent of Tibetan colors and contribute to the magic of this enchanting property.

The dynamic focal point of this idyllic Tuscan-style country house divides the property with wide diamond-grid paving that leads to the French door entry. The curved glass and wrought iron awning on the potted plants on the each side reinforce this focus while giving dimension to the flat façade of the house. The private courtyard is placed between the gated entry and the house, using all of the available outdoor space to develop an Italian country-style atmosphere (see next photo for more).

A house with a sunny disposition is probably the best way to describe this brightly colored property. This house is set below street level and is completely enclosed and protected from street view. The bright and happy color selection of yellow and holly berry are not only unusual, they're inspired and are personal to the homeowners. Matching Adirondack chairs with ottomans beg you to sit, relax, and enjoy the lushly landscaped, private setting in utter peace and quiet.

This pretty cottage has taken a leap of faith with its bold, lively blue color. It is worth the jump. Because the scale of the house is small, it can take this intense bold color. White shutters and trim, along with trees and foliage in the front yard, help to break up the amount of blue paint color seen from the street. Heavy shades protects the house from the sun, which will minimize fading. Color, used on the right scale and in correct proportions is the key to this home's success.

The homeowners discovered and matched the colors that they wanted to use for their house in a village in southern Germany. The selections are bold but work well because they follow the criteria for using daring color: the house is small and can tolerate the intense color; it's shielded from the street and it's covered in the shade of a wooded setting that subdues the color intensity. The splendid colors make a powerful statement, but have produced a splendid outcome for this enchanting cottage.

This home exudes charisma and curb appeal. Amazingly, it has never been painted. The homeowner has purposefully and carefully preserved the original 1928 exterior stucco finish by applying a waterproof, breathable silicone coating as needed. This has allowed the house to "breathe" and has created a natural patina with a complex depth of color that would be difficult to achieve otherwise. A soft blue shutter color adds a welcome fresh color to the neutral palette of this exceptional property.

This outstanding property uses a variety of earthtone colors that all work together in color harmony. The almost white, natural concrete walls, paving and steps on the lower portion of the house lighten the scheme with the addition of their fresh color. Every feature has been purposefully and thoughtfully considered on this property and connect to each other to produce a cohesive color plan and design that's subtle, elegant, and flattering from every direction.

This is a noteworthy design idea that has provided a delightful surprise element of a sunlit gold, multidimensional glaze on the set of doors and walls in the interior vestibule. This color adds a tremendous burst of unexpected color and warmth and is a perfect compliment to the blue scheme of this delightful Eastlake Stick Victorian (see book for more photos).

The choice of warm neutrals for this elegant Edwardian Victorian is outstanding as inspired neutral color combinations are few and far between. Good whites are difficult to achieve successfully, but this one has hit it out of the park. It's warm and fresh color blends without losing its identity, and it isn't so bright that the colors lose their equilibrium with each other. This is truly a gorgeous, stately home, proving that sometimes less (color) is more. Bravo!

The faux finish used for the verdigris front door adds depth and gives the look of a older door. Flagstone pavers lead up to painted steps (see previous photo) that pull out the slightly purple hue from the stone pavers. It's an interesting shift of color that's inspired. Spiral topiaries on either side of the elaborate, broke-pediment portal entry and colorful flowers and landscape lighting, that line the path, reinforce the home's strong central focal point.

The traditional Christmas colors of red and green have never looked so good! This enchanted property in the woods has a view to the world that's both rustic and sophisticated at the same time - so difficult to pull off. But not here. This small, delightful artist's studio on the property is reached by traversing the stairs that are shrouded by a lush array of blooming flowers. The charming ambience and character of this property is gained over the years with patience and tender loving care.

This enchanting craftsman features a vine-covered wall surrounding the property, complete with a unique antique gate recovered from a Korean temple. Through the gate, is a delightful private courtyard space and seating area. The dark house color acts as a dramatic backdrop for the pink and white flowers in the courtyard, which add vibrant color and contrast to this striking property (seen in the next image).

This enchanting Mediterranean home looks like it was plucked out of the hills of Tuscany. The faux finish used for the field color give the look of a much older home. It's as close as you can get to a genuine patina that can only be gained, otherwise, by years of exposure to the elements. Wildflowers, that line the flower bed, and a graceful wooden bench contribute to the pastoral ambiance that's been created here (see next photo for a close up of the door).

The open courtyard of the Craftsman Bungalow (previous photo) creates a delightful private space with soft-colored Mexican Saltillo pavers and a seating area. The dark house color acts as a dramatic backdrop for the pink and white flowers, which add vibrant color and contrast to this striking property.

The colors of this Colonial house present a bright, lighthearted, even somewhat eccentric view to the world. Light green paint color in the shutters' reveal lines adds a welcome detail and brightens the scheme. Red, the perfect complement to green, makes the screen door pop out. The window color is an unexpected pink that connects to the flowers in the window boxes. All of the elements used here have come together to create a friendly, welcoming ambiance.

This house didn't make it into the main section of the book, but I think that it's very noteworthy, mostly because of the abundant landscape of wild flowers planted to the left of the entry. This is such a good example of how great landscaping can take even the most elegant of homes to the next level by elevating it with well placed color and softening devices in plantings that compliment a home. It's quite a lovely and memorable entry for this beautiful house.

A blue house color is sometimes difficult to select because it can end up looking too light or too bright. This is a commendable choice because both the blue and white add warmth while still retaining a refreshing quality. Rather than the more dominating earth tones, it was the saturated blue that was pulled out of the African slate tile on the entry ramp. The resulting color combinations offer a delicate balance are at the same time crisp, clean, warm and inviting.

Loaded with charisma, this 1843 Colonial row house has taken a leap away from the traditional colors of its time. The soft pastel house colors are unusual enough, but it's the delightful pink door color that take the scheme to a whole new level. The potted pink flowers add an especially charming touch by matching the front door color. Because pink is used in a small dose, it allows the house to retain a special personality without going too far from the neighboring townhouses.

Design has been thoughtfully considered from top to bottom on this charming home. The house color is a modern interpretation of what is generally seen on this style of house by being a brighter, more luminous version. A row of glass block adds a modern twist and the gated entry, covered with yellow flowering vines takes you through to a rustic courtyard with lush foliage that's tucked away from the street and brings even more charm to the property.

This handsome craftsman house has a sophisticated and complex paint color that reads both "warm" or "cool" depending on the light. Warm white trim complements the house color with just the right amount of contrast. The dark earth color sets a dramatic backdrop for brightly colored landscaping. This house is a great example of using color in the right proportions successfully, resulting in a captivating and very appealing home.

The dynamic color of this classic home has a great backdrop for the bougainvillea vines that grow up onto the side of the house. The red and green colors complement and enhance one another. Luscious, warm white trim enhances the overall appearance of the house. It's a very good white, something that's not easy to achieve with this level of elegance.

This home's historical colors come from an old local paint company used in the colonial period in Philadelphia. The warm golden field contrasts against the gray-blue shutters while a punch of red on the front door is an exciting unexpected selection. It's a delightful combination of colors that has created powerful curb appeal.

This refined ranch style home uses warm beige and white color that blends beautifully with the naturally weathered cedar shingle roof tiles. Interior shutters add sophistication to the exterior view, something that often isn't considered as an outside design feature. What really has elevated the property most though is the show of white tulips in bloom. The effect creates dazzling, seasonal curb appeal that's worth the wait for their grand appearance at spring time - every single year!

This house provides an excellent example of how creative expression can make a dynamic personal statement. The traditional style of this home has been made eclectic in its design with the use of contemporary materials and colors - a deep green house color with brown trim and orange accents. Orange paint used sparingly - under the eaves - is a great way to successfully add a bright color without going overboard. Bravo!

This once-plain 1950's cottage has been renovated with eclectic details that have taken it from ordinary to extraordinary. The 5-lite etched glass door, door hardware. and copper and redwood railing add a modern twist, while the trellis, light fixture, and beefed-up window frames lend themselves to more of a Craftsman feeling. Landscaping lends an Asian flair with bamboo grasses, and a Japanese maple. Boulders and river rocks set organically into the steps add q final sculptural touch.

The red brick Victorian with its turned posts, scroll brackets, and intricate architectural details has a lot of character and enticing appeal. The four paints colors are placed so that the best of the details are highlighted, all complementing the brick façade and garden landscape. The porch is separated from the street by a small garden filled with blooming flowers that add an ethereal quality and color to this little dollhouse.

As beautiful as this painted white brick Tudor may be, it's the roses that give the house its exquisite, eye-catching curb appeal. The white roses, in all their glory, accentuate the house color and create a monochromatic scheme when viewed from the street. The dark green accent trim color is enhanced by the greenery of the landscaping, including the low hedge that grows along the sidewalk of this classic Tudor beauty.

The colors and design details have taken this fairly ordinary mid-century modern apartment building to extraordinary heights. A punchy spring green color on the lower part helps to keep the focus at ground level. The recessed entry wall has sparingly used a fine, velvety smooth, color-embedded stucco finish that blends with the aluminum frames on the modern doors, frosted glass lite garage doors and sconce lights. The zippy orange door adds a great punch of color. The design here is dazzling!

A sophisticated combination of colors and texture come together effortlessly on this new Colonial Revival house. The rough-cut cobbled limestone façade and warm gray asphalt roof tile lend contrast to the soft yellow house color and add texture to the façade. The blue shutters and door give a refreshing crispness to the scheme. Every detail has been attended to on this pristine property, and it shows with its winning presence in its neighborhood.

This house is of the art moderne style with art deco influences in the gate and etched side light windows of the entry door to the house. The identifying features of this style are its flat roof, smooth wall surface, small ledge coping at the roof line, horizontal lines in the walls and curved corners. The fresh peach house color works well with the contrasting deep red on the windows, gate and railings. What a pleasure to see this rare style renovated so beautifully!

The portico of this colorful Mediterranean, set deep into the property, helps guide visitors to the entry, which draws attention to itself with its richly saturated terracotta color. Other colors - gold, sage, forest green and redwood - punctuate the house with bold colors that are typically found on homes in the Mediterranean. Colorful succulents, climbing vines, and wild flowers add a vibrant, complex landscape that ties into this richly multi-hued home.

The patina of this French eclectic house appears to be old, but has been newly created by using an old-world lime wash process, which was applied to the stucco with powder pigments from Tuscany and Provence. The wash soaked in and gave an immediate aged look that purposely features drips and uneven color. The creative use of color and patina, style and landscaping have come together to create a picturesque appearance that evokes a southern French country ambiance.

If color can make you feel better, and my point of view will always say that it does - this house will do the trick. The home's peaceful Zen-like garden is protected from the street by a gate that shields the house from the neighborhood and makes these colors personal and private for the taste and enjoyment of the homeowner. What a delight!

Terracotta and sage dominate the colors of this adorable cottage that looks like a little dollhouse. Two tones on the door can sometimes be distracting, but in this case they are an interesting feature of the entry and give the door the appearance of being smaller, thus visually enhancing the small scale appearance of the house. Mimicking an old slate-tile roof, the asphalt shingle roof color cools off the warms colors and contributes to the home's allure.

A focal point becomes apparent when climbing the narrow steps between the two concrete garage structures of this sophisticated metropolitan home. Its a visually stimulating journey where architectural lines play against each other. They guide you to the offbeat, acidic yellow/green door - realty he only instance of color on the house. It's a wonderful surprise element as one climbs the steps to the front door!

Here's a fine example of how the use of one unusual, unexpected color can elevate the appeal of a house substantially while still retaining the classic look and style of a traditional Tudor. The gold stucco paint brings this house to life, adding a warm sunny glow to the more classic, subdued stone and classic brown trim color. This modern color selection provide the house with an updated look that makes it stand out from the rest and completes the story-book scene.