It’s been a spectacular fall for foliage in the western suburbs. Long after the leaves have fallen and the raking has begun, local homes represent the fall colors year-round in their brightly colored paint jobs.
Not surprisingly, orange houses are rare, but yellow paint jobs and red accents are readily available in houses that recently hit the market.
In a 2018 paint analysis, the online real estate firm Zillow found that painting the exterior of your home yellow could result in a net loss of over $3,400 on the sale of the home. That memo doesn’t seem to hold for historic homes. “This Old House” notes that yellow tones are quite popular in many older styles such as Victorian and craftsman.
A number of area homes painted this sunshine hue have recently been listed.
In Austin, 5035 W. Huron St. recently listed for $315,000. The five-bedroom, three-bathroom home was built in 1904 and has pops of yellow on its third-floor siding and the railings of the front porch.
In Oak Park at least eight homes currently on the market are painted yellow, including 804 N. Taylor Ave., a bungalow painted a tempered shade of the color. The 990-square-foot home offers three bedrooms and one bathroom and was built in 1912. The listing price was recently dropped to $294,900.
The home at 159 N. Ridgeland Ave. recently went under contract with an asking price of $475,000. The three-bedroom 1.5-bathroom home was built in 1883. The recently painted house has clapboard siding in a pale shade of yellow which complements the wooden door and Victorian accents.
A Gunderson-built home 738 S. Elmwood Ave. is also painted in yellow tones. Listed at $599,738, the four-bedroom, four-bathroom house has more than 3,100 square feet of living space and was built in 1903.
Also in Oak Park, the painted lady 344 N. Kenilworth Ave. is on the market for $998,000. In the heart of the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District, this 3,823-square-foot home has five bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. The mustard-colored home has red and green accents.
In River Forest, 931 Forest Ave. recently went under contract. The three-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home is a center-entrance colonial with window boxes dotting its yellow exterior. Built in 1925, the listing price was $646,400.
In Forest Park, 508 Thomas Ave. is also under contract and had an asking price of $607,500. Painted in shades of mustard, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house spans roughly 2,100 square feet and was built in 1906.
Warmer tones
According to online interior design service Modsy, orange is one of the least popular color choices when it comes to painting a home. While orange leaves may be beautiful on a tree, it turns out people associate the hue with construction cones and traffic signs, which may be too stimulating for a house. Not surprisingly, no local homes currently on the market feature a completely orange exterior.
But some come close. The home at 3613 East Ave. in Berwyn is a brick home that ran with a mid-century vibe with its rusty orange accent on the exterior. Currently listed for $290,000, the four-bedroom, two-bathroom home was built in 1961 and has over 1,600 square feet of living space, including an in-law apartment.
Red exteriors are more popular. According to online home décor source Houzz, the color red has roots as varied as Frank Lloyd Wright icons to old barns, and it’s a more popular choice for older homes.
In Oak Park, 424 Pleasant St. marries red brick with red stucco. Listed at $599,900 the six-bedroom 3.5-bathroom home spans 3,600 square feet. The house was built in 1902.
In Berwyn, 1516 Elmwood Ave. is under contract with an asking price of $299,900. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home features red siding and was built in 1906. It has over 1,800 square feet of living space.
Also in Berwyn, 1815 Harvey Ave. has pops of red in its upper siding and front-facing awning. The $288,999 asking price will get you a bungalow built in 1922 with 1,300 square feet, three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
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