In the city of Coral Gables, you can't paint the exterior of your home unless the color is pre-approved by the city's Board of Architects, otherwise you'll need to:
- Fill out a permit application
- Fill out a Board Of Architects application
- Bring in a color picture of the house
- Bring in a sample of the proposed color
Joel Hitchman, a plans coordinator assistant for the Board Of Architects, said they receive about two to four applications a week and that about 90 percent of them get approved.
“It's been awhile since we've had to turn someone down," said Hitchman, "If someone comes in with a color that doesn't get approved, the board [of architects] will usually suggest a different color within the same color family."
The Hottest Colors
Arthur “Art” Kellogg, a paint specialist at Shell Lumber and Hardware, says the most popular colors among Coral Gables residents are the grays, yellows and pinks.
“Coral Gables wants to keep a harmonious color system throughout the residency, they don’t want a florescent lime green house, next to a purple house, next to a white house. And I think it adds to the beauty and character to the well established Coral Gables community,” said Kellogg.
I asked Kellogg for the most unusual color. He laughed.
"I think the most unusual request that I had was a couple who wanted a bright red color with a bright green trim. I asked them if their last name was Christmas." said Kellogg, "I told them to buy color samples and make a color paint-out and present the colors to the Coral Gables architectural review... they came back later on and said they were rejected on both occasions."
Overall, these zoning requirements have kept home values in Coral Gables above those in the City of Miami, said Jane Muir, president of the Coral Gables Bar Association.
Click here for a complete list of pre-approved colors in the City of Coral Gables.
