Catchlight Painting is delighted to have Sally Zimmerman as a guest author on the blog. Sally is a Historic Preservation Consultant; she has been active in historic preservation activities in Boston and surrounding communities since the 1980s.
In her career as an architectural historian and preservation planner, Sally has worked in the municipal and non-profit sectors and has years of experience as a citizen member of local preservation commissions. Sally has been a frequent speaker on energy conservation in historic buildings and the use of historic paint colors for old houses.
Catchlight is honored to have Sally provide her unique insights on historic homes, design, and paint schemes from eras past.
This is part III in the series produced by Sally – To see part I or part 2, click the links
Modern Options for Prince Paint Combinations
If you are curious about considering one of the Prince Paint color combinations on your house, suggested examples of similar paint schemes using Benjamin Moore colors are listed below. In these combinations, the dark maroon and moss green roof colors in the Prince Paint brochure have been included for use as an accent color.
Remember that these combinations are visual matches only; they have not been microscopically analyzed for a scientific match to the Prince Paints swatches. Finally, never assume a color combination is going to work on your house. Exterior colors should always be sampled and tested in situ before finalizing the color choices for your house!
Finally, to explore more original sources on period paint color, go to Historic New England’s extensive archive of historic paint brochures.
Scheme A: Style for a Frame House or Cottage
Prince Paints: Silver or Russian Gray body; Edelweiss or Outside White trim; Scotch Gray blinds; Maple Leaf or Cherry Red roof
Benjamin Moore: Sag Harbor Gray/HC-95 body; Sailcloth/OC-142 trim; Chelsea Gray/HC-168 shutters and doors; Country Redwood/HC-183 accent
This combination would work well on an Italianate, Colonial Revival, or any traditional “Colonial” style house; switch shutters and doors to Essex Green/HC-188 for Greek Revival houses and eliminate the Country Red accent color.
Scheme B: Style for a Frame House or Cottage
Prince Paints: Vienna Drab or Stone body; Couleur-au-Lait or Light Cream trim; Oak Leaf or Light Brown blinds; Moss Green roof
Benjamin Moore Paints: Tyler Taupe/HC-43 body; Lenox Tan/HC-44 trim; Valley Forge Brown/HC-74 shutters and accent; Black Forest Green/HC-187 doors
This combination would work well for an Italianate, Second Empire, or Queen Anne-style house.
Scheme C: Style for Frame House or Cottage
Prince Paints: Scotch Gray body; Ivory White or Light Fawn trim; Athole Green blinds; Maple Leaf or Cherry Red roof
Benjamin Moore Paints: Platinum Gray/HC-179 body; Navajo White/OC-95 trim; Essex Green/HC-188 shutters and door; Cottage Red/HC-184 accents
This combination would work well on a Greek Revival or Colonial Revival style house.
Scheme D: Style for Any Good Sized House (wood or brick)
Prince Paints: Oak Leaf or Light Brown body; Couleur-au-Lait or Light Cream trim; Ivy Green blinds; Maple Leaf or Cherry Red roof
Benjamin Moore Paints: Valley Forge Brown/HC-74 body; Tyler Taupe/HC-43 trim; Cottage Red/HC-184 shutters and doors; Peale Green/HC-121 accents
This combination would work well on an Italianate, Second Empire, or Queen Anne-style house.
Scheme E: Style for a Frame House or Cottage
Prince Paints: Hazel Brown or Dark Salmon body; Chamois Buff trim; Ivy Green blinds; Moss Green roof
Benjamin Moore Paints: Greenfield Pumpkin/HC-40 body; Roxbury Caramel/HC-42 trim; Essex Green/HC-188 shutters and doors; Peale Green/HC-121 accents
This combination would work well on an Italianate, Second Empire, or Queen Anne-style house.
Scheme F: Style for Elizabethan or Old English Residence:
Prince Paints: Old English or Seal Brown timbers and trim; Ivory or Fawn White sash; Ivy Green blinds; Maple Leaf or Cherry Red roof
Benjamin Moore Paint: Tudor/HC-185 timbers and trim; Navajo White/OC-95 sash; Cottage Red/HC-184 shutters and doors
This combination would work well with a Tudor Revival house.
Scheme G: Style for Wooden Trimmings of Brick House (Red or Buff Brick)
Prince Paints: Ivy Green trim; Black sash
Benjamin Moore Paints: Essex Green/HC-188 trim; Black sash
Scheme H: Style Suitable for Any House
Prince Paints: Copper Brown or Maroon body; Copper Verde trim
Benjamin Moore Paints: Cottage Red/HC-184 body; Essex Green/HC-188 trim
This combination would work well on utility buildings such as barns, garden sheds, or on carriage houses that are not in the same architectural style as the main house.
Style for Porch Floors
Prince Paints: Ardoise Gray/ Lead; Terra Brown/Dust
Benjamin Moore Paints: Charcoal Slate/HC-178; Charleston Brown/HC-186
Porch floors were generally painted in a neutral dark color that wouldn’t show footprints.
If you found this series interesting, click the links to learn more about historic home restoration and Victorian house painting.
Suggested color equivalents selected by Sally Zimmerman, Zimmerman Preservation Consulting
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