My coop is too friggen blue!

[Fenika]

Thanks folks

I really like the color of that linked coop. It's much friendlier on the eye, imo.

I have some lovely mahogany 'trim' that I got for free, so I'll be doing the sides, the door, the cut-out window (on the far side), and maybe some other areas with that. ...Mahogany will go with that blue, right? Or should I paint the trim white first?? I can always post another pick, with the trim leaning against the coop if anyone wants to see...

I was going to put the trim on today, but I do want to fix the color first. I like the idea of 'sponging' it with white, since I should be able to find free white paint in the next few months. It will tone down the blue for certain. If you look closely, the support bars for the window-ledge are speckled blue cross-hatch over the primer.

I don't have much more blue paint left, so mixing it with a bunch of white is another option. Even if I get a color I don't like, I can just toss it.

I'll keep an eye out for those other options too. Luckily I have a few months to decide and prepare

 

[zzGypsy]

mmmmm.... yeaaaah. going with too blue.

I like brights but that's pretty darn blue to have that much of it. might like it better if it were summer and things were green around it.
what blue did you have in mind, if it wasn't painter's tape blue?

one way to turn down a color is to whitewash it with white paint cut with glaze or water. if it's latex you can thin the white paint with water, to a point. too much water and it runs and doesn't stick. too little water and you get a cover coat that the blue won't show through much. you'll have to try with your paint, but mix up a little bit of white maybe 1/2 cup to 1/8 cup water and see how it does... you'll want to try this on a test board (paint it your blue, let it dry, then overpaint with the thinned white). I think I usually thin 4 to 1 or 3 to 1 paint to water, but it varies with quality and coverage of your paint. if you thin with glaze, it'll give the white some transparency to let the blue show through, but keeps a better consistancy.

if you whitewash, you'll lighten the color, might be able to get it to a medium or pale blue. also, whitewash may give an antiqued or somewhat uneven color coverage, depending on your technique. I like the effect, but not on every surface.

BTW, whitewashing can be done with any color, if you want to change the shade, but do test as you might not predict the results you'll get.

 

[Fenika]

I took too long to type that last post

Stencils aren't a bad idea. My back wall is totally white (single thick coat of primer) so I would love it if my grandmother painted something on it, even if it is the back wall. Stenciling a few things on is do-able.

And I love the look of distressed paint. I would love to do that. Would I just put a clear seal over it to protect the plywood after??


Heh, now I have too many choices

But I knew you folks would help me save this project...

 

[Fenika]

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Ah, someone agrees with me!

 

[spacecowgirl]

I agree with you that it's very blue, but I also agree with most of the other posters who suggested white trim. The trim will accent the blue and make it look "finished".

I think it will look very cute that way.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

I think it'll look cute with white trim. I wouldn't do the mahogany. Just use primer to start with. You can leave the primer on for a year, go back and paint it white whenever you have the money and time. Still, find some cute colorful things to hang on it.

Here's another blue one to look at: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=63239-blue-cube-chicken-coop

 

[claudicles]

Quote:
Ah, someone agrees with me!

Taste is very individual. If you like something that is all that matters and if you don't like something then change it. I wouldn't want a coop that colour but i am sure there are plenty of people who would look at my coop and think it looks dull. If you think it is too birght now every time you look at it you will probably think it so I would be repainting it now, while it is fairly easy.

 

[crankster76]

look at the bright side, ya got a theme. add some white trim and a few smurf dolls and walla!

 

[luvs2ride1979]

I would cut some more windows on the sides and add white trim pieces around them and your door. I'd paint that top piece under the roof white too. I agree, find some flea market garden things to hang on the sides, like old wagon type wheels, metal garden art, etc. You could fix it up cute, it just needs to be broken up a bit, so it's not a solid wall of blue.

Adding windows would be good for ventilation and light too, as one little window isn't going to be enough, especially if it gets above 80 degrees.

 

[cottagechick]

You could always add a little blue to the white until you got to the shade you wanted...instead of adding the white to the blue...

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