Farmhouse Gem Gets a Brilliant Makeover

July 12, 2020 2 min read

Farmhouse Gem Gets a Brilliant Makeover

We s1945 Valley Pioneer newspaper from Danville California features a red farmhouse farm house built in 1941tumbled across this gem through a friend of a friend and immediately fell in love with this amazing farmhouse and the makeover story. I mean, who doesn't love a good before/after moment?

Built in 1941, this newspaper clipping from March 1945 celebrates the front garden and the Cordelia family who built it. And thanks to modern technology, we have several images of the house when it went on the market a few years ago showing a perfectly preserved snapshot of how families lived then.

We'll share the interior transformation in Part 2 of this story. Here we're showing an exterior makeover where every decision made honors the past without sacrificing charm or curb appeal.

 

1941 Farm style house in Danville California with red siding and classic exterior charm

The new family understood what a special building they had discovered and decided to keep as many charming details as possible while looking for ways to make it functional for their family. To start, they freshened up the exterior with a gorgeous coat of 23 Swiss Coffee (our most popular white color!) for the entire exterior with just a few special details called out in 407 Carbon.

Board and baton details on a farm house painted 23 Swiss Coffee white with 407 Carbon black shutters and front door Board and baton details on a farm house painted 23 Swiss Coffee white with 407 Carbon black shutters and front door

Bringing a clean bright look to the house visually expands the width of the building and pulls it forward towards the street while setting off the lush lawn and natural surrounding landscaping. 

Kelly-Moore Paints most popular color is 23 Swiss Coffee off white    Kelly-Moore Paints most popular black color is 407 Carbon classic black

It's tempting to paint every unique architectural detail with a trim or accent color, but often these details actually show better with less color allowing the lines and materials to speak for themselves.

Classic red ranch style farmhouse built in 1941 in Danville California

To expand the kitchen and living space inside, the owners enclosed the long canopy roof adding a restful stone porch and wide french doors to accommodate easy flow between indoor cooking and outdoor entertaining.

Ranch style farmhouse with barn details painted Kelly-Moore Swiss Coffee white with Carbon black shutters and black front door

Ranch style farmhouse with stone porch and pea gravel yard for entertaining painted Kelly-Moore Swiss Coffee white with Carbon black shutters and front door

Painting all of the exterior elements white gives the house an expansive look for sure, but it also provides beautiful curb appeal where the landscaped yard and natural surroundings truly capture a moment in time that makes life feel simple again.

Vintage stick fence and arched trellis painted Kelly-Moore Swiss Coffee white Ranch house with board and baton siding and arch trellis painted Kelly-Moore Swiss Coffee white

 Create impactful moments with simple exterior color palettes and simple objects that complement the landscaping and feature natural materials.

Ranch style farmhouse with stone pavers and natural landscape with Kelly-Moore Paints Swiss Coffee and Carbon  Open fence painted Kelly-Moore Paints Swiss Coffee

And let detached buildings share a bit of their own character to create a sense of purpose and time. This barn is painted in Swiss Coffee and Carbon like the house, but features natural stone that's echoed in the walkway to the main house.

Modern farm house barn painted Kelly Moore Swiss Coffee white with Carbon black shutters and garage door

Farm style house painted Kelly Moore Paints Swiss coffee white with shutters and front door in Carbon black

 



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