This Rundown Oceanside Cottage is Completely Transformed With Just Paint

With a plan to repaint the exterior of her rundown seaside cottage in a striking palette of black and white, HGTV.ca writer Emma Yardley talks to paint experts about what she needs to know before opening a single paint can.

Beige coloured exterior of a rundown cottage with a rough lawn, overgrown tree, and cloudy skies

Emma Yardley

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Feeling Its Age

It had been 15 years since the exterior walls of our ramshackle seaside cottage on Salt Spring Island, BC, felt a new coat of paint. After 15 months of homeownership, it was time to remedy that.

Entryway to a cottage with a white glass paneled door, a camellia tree, two grey pots of orange mums, a “hello” welcome mat, and exterior walls painted in BEHR Black Smoke PPH-34 and Ultra Pure White 1850

Emma Yardley

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A Bright Hello

Though I was worried I was going too far “out there” with a black-and-white combo, this colour experts put my mind at ease. They told me that while it does make a bold statement, variations of black and dark grey exterior paint are gaining in popularity.

A row of traditional Icelandic homes painted all black with black roofs and white window and doors.

Getty Images

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Scandi Style

I first came across this colour combo while honeymooning in Iceland and filed it away under “desired future home colour.” Many traditional Nordic homes are painted all black with black roofs and white trim.

A gravel parking spot and a tall cedar plank fence in front of the exterior of a black and white cottage painted with BEHR Black Smoke PPH-34 and Ultra Pure White 1850

Emma Yardley

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Not Always Black and White

Finding the perfect shades of black and white takes more thought than one would think, especially when considering the existing white colour of the vinyl windows. Using an online tool to visualize the exact colour on the cottage wall was hugely helpful.

Exterior of a cottage against a blue sky with walls painted black with BEHR Black Smoke PPH-34 and window trim painted with BEHR Ultra Pure White 1850

Emma Yardley

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Back to Black

Using the colour black is a vast improvement to a bland beige or other neutral colour, giving the home a more modern feel.

Exterior of a rundown cottage courtyard painted in a beige colour and filled with overgrown plants in pots.

Emma Yardley

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Photo Finish

The cottage has stucco siding that’s long been ignored, so I needed to clean and fill cracks before painting.

Exterior of a cottage courtyard with a large rosemary bush, greenery growing in behind it, and walls painted black with BEHR Black Smoke PPH-34 and window and door trim painted with BEHR Ultra Pure White 1850

Emma Yardley

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(Court) Yard Work

According the colour experts, black or dark grey exteriors act as canvas, allowing interesting architectural details and surrounding elements to stand out.

Emma Yardley

8 / 10

Stand out in the Crowd

This is certainly true of the cottage – the differing angles of the roof, the rough-wood of the eaves overhang, the green of the central herb garden and the distant view of the ocean, all now stand out.

Exterior of a cottage with a bench with two cushions, a chair, a glass-topped table, and walls painted black with BEHR Black Smoke PPH-34 and window painted with BEHR Ultra Pure White 1850

Emma Yardley

9 / 10

Black Hole Sun

Trotter says that darker paint colours will absorb more heat from the sun. “This may be advantageous in retaining more heat in your home depending on how well it’s insulated and the climate region you live in.”

Emma Yardley

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Mixed and Now Matched

Thanks to the new black paint on the exterior walls, the existing rough-wood planks that surround the back-porch door tie in stylistically with the cottage, giving it the desired rustic Nordic vibe.