Has anyone actually found a good compromise color?
Honestly, I think compromise colors end up looking like you tried to please everyone and pleased no one. I say lean into the circus—one neighbor did a deep teal with mustard trim and it’s oddly awesome. Also, baby food jars are genius, but I once used old salsa jars and regretted it... the smell never left.
Honestly, I think compromise colors end up looking like you tried to please everyone and pleased no one.
- Totally agree with this. Every time I’ve tried to pick a “safe” color for a flip, it just ends up looking bland and forgettable.
- The bold choices—like that deep teal with mustard trim—actually stand out in a good way. It’s weird how something that sounds wild on paper can look cohesive in real life.
- Compromise colors also tend to fade into the background, which is fine if you want to play it safe, but in a neighborhood where everyone’s forced into rainbow gutters? Might as well go all in.
- On the jar thing: I’ve used salsa jars too. Even after three runs through the dishwasher, there’s still a faint smell. Baby food jars are way better for paint samples.
- If you’re stuck with HOA rules, sometimes leaning into the chaos is less stressful than fighting it. At least then you can say you had fun with it...
Rainbow gutters are a wild move, but honestly, I’ve seen it work better than you’d think. I had a property in a neighborhood where the HOA got obsessed with “community vibrancy”—their words, not mine—and suddenly everyone’s trim and gutters were some shade of neon. At first, I tried to play it safe with a muted blue, thinking it’d blend in. It just looked washed out next to the neighbor’s fire-engine red and lime green.
After that, I just leaned into it and went with a bold orange accent. The place actually got more attention at open houses, and I swear it sold faster because people remembered it. Sometimes you just have to accept the chaos and make it work for you.
On the jar thing—yeah, salsa jars never lose that smell. I started using those little plastic sample pots from the hardware store instead. Less mess, no weird odors, and you can toss them when you’re done. Not worth fighting with glass jars if you ask me.
Honestly, I think you made the right call by just going bold. Sometimes trying to play it safe just makes your place fade into the background, especially when everyone else is going wild with color. I used to be all about neutrals, but after seeing how much attention my neighbor’s bright yellow trim got (and how quickly their house sold), I started rethinking things. And yeah, those sample pots are a lifesaver—cheap, easy, and you don’t have to worry about weird smells lingering. No shame in keeping it simple and practical.
Rainbow gutters, huh? That’s a new one for me. I’ve seen some wild HOA requests, but that takes the cake. I get what you’re saying about going bold, though. There’s something to be said for standing out, especially if you’re looking to sell or just want your place to feel a little more “you.”
I remember this one job where the client wanted fire-engine red shutters and a teal front door. At first, I thought it was going to look like a circus tent, but once it all came together, it actually worked. The key was testing out those colors in small patches first—like you mentioned with the sample pots. Saves a ton of regret (and money) down the line.
One thing I always tell folks: don’t underestimate how much natural light and surroundings can mess with your color choices. What looks bold and fun in the store can turn into “what have I done?” in full sun or next to certain landscaping. I usually suggest painting a couple of big poster boards and moving them around the house at different times of day before committing.
That said, sometimes HOAs just go overboard. Rainbow gutters feels like they’re trying too hard to make a statement. I’d probably push back a bit—ask if there’s any flexibility or if you can do something a little more subtle, like colored downspouts instead of the whole gutter system. Or maybe just pick two or three colors that complement each other instead of the full spectrum.
At the end of the day, it’s your house and you’ve got to live with it. Bold is great, but there’s a fine line between eye-catching and eyesore... and sometimes HOAs don’t know where that line is.
