New and I have a question

[lenswyf]

I'm excited to join the forums here, and I'm hoping you can help me.

We have a 1927 American Foursquare in the chicagoland area, and we are ready to put new siding and a new roof on it. One question is whether you folks have any color suggestions. The house on one side is a light straw color, and the Cape Cod on the other side is white.

The second question focuses on the porch. It has wrought iron support columns that I have always assumed were added in the '50s. However, there are enough in the neighborhood that I wonder if they are original. Any thoughts? If I were able to change my front stoop, do you have any thoughts on what we might do?

Thanks in advance; photo attached.

http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/af254/lenswyf1/Commonwealth_outside.jpg

[shabbychick]

Welcome! I'm afraid I can't be of any help to you on the wrought iron question. On the color question, I have a marked preference for yellow anything, so that would be where I'd go with your house. But the sagey green color it appears to be in the picture is nice, too.

Are you thinking of remaking your stoop into a porch or something so you can sit out there, or are you happy enough to sit on your covered porch?

This is a great forum, and I'm sure someone will have an answer for you.

[Gigi]

Welcome here- I think a light sage green with black trim and red door- would be charming.

[yarborough house]

Here is a pic our our foursquare in North Carolina.
1652 1653 1654

[chyna]

I wouldn't base the wrought iron on the neighborhood since alot of times those traveling salesmen were very persistent. do you by chance have pics from when the house was built or within a few years?

I vote for yellow too but I would vote for red too. I do love red houses. ;)

[Seattle Cottage Lover]

Welcome!
I did some research through my library and the colors of homes in your area in 1926 were:
Canary, Colonial Yellow, Dove, Buff, French Gray, Pure Blue, Nile Green, Emerald Green, Leather Brown, & Chocolate Brown.

Rooves were done in slate surfaced asphalt shingles.

I hope that helps, and again, Welcome!

[Breezy]

Welcome to the forums! Your house is beautiful! I like the colors it is painted now but if you want to change I'd suggest researching the colors that were used when the house was built. Best wishes.:)

[RoseMary]

What a pretty house, Lenswyf~I'm partial to green, so I like the color, but I agree that it would be wise to check out the colors it might have been painted in 1926. Love your screened porch!

[lenswyf]

Thank you all! I love yellow houses as well, and that was hubby's first suggestion, but the house next door is a yellow-y beige, and I'm not sure how they would look side by side. Red resonates. There is a red foursquare a few blocks down that always catches my eye, and the houses around us are all gray, beige, tan, white. Red would definitely jazz up our block. I'll propose that to hubby this morning.

Very interesting about the house being kit house. I can easily see that. It's a simple house, with simple but beautiful oak woodwork inside. (The previous owner installed a humidifier on the furnace in the 60s, which is probably why the woodwork is in such great shape.) The library has the 1926 catalog available; I think I'll have to go check it out this morning.

I bless that woman. She remodeled the kitchen when she took ownership in 1953, and she put a new sink and vanity in the bathroom in the 1970s, but those are the only things she changed. The rest is all original, and I still marvel at having the privilege of living here. I want to take good care of it and preserve it as well as we can.

[vintage girl]

Your home is beautiful. I would go with red also. Would look lovely with all the other colors of the homes around you. You could go with black trim and black door, or stick with white to brighten it up. I would love to see pics of the inside. It sounds lovely. Welcome:)

[farmgal67357]

Well, you all know how I feel about red doors.... :) The redder, the better! The green house reminds me of Ireland too. I have become quite fond of my new blue door though.