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Choosing an exterior paint color can seem like a daunting task. There are so many options out there and it’s difficult to know what will look best on the exterior of your home.
BRICK, SIDING, & TRIM: Romabio Masonry flat paint in “White Dove” by Benjamin Moore
DOOR: Black Magic by Sherwin Williams
Fortunately, I’ve compiled a list of my absolute favorite exterior paint shades to help you with your color choices. No matter what look you are aiming to achieve – you will find a color here to make your home look amazing!
How to Choose an Exterior House Color
Picking the right exterior paint color for your house doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start by considering the architectural style and era of your home, as some colors may complement it better than others.
Next, look around your neighborhood for inspiration; you might find an exterior color scheme that blends well with the surroundings.
Take into account the fixed elements around your home, like the color of your roof, driveway, and any stonework, since these elements will remain unchanged.
It’s also wise to think about the climate in your area; lighter colors can help keep your home cooler in hot climates by reflecting sunlight, while darker colors might be more suitable for cooler climates.
For best results, test your chosen color by painting a small section of your house or a board with the color and observing it at different times of the day, as lighting can significantly impact how a color looks. This step ensures the color meets your expectations in various lighting conditions.
What is the Most Popular Exterior House Color?
Of course this depends on what area you are in, but overall the most popular exterior house colors are neutral whites, earthy tones, and beiges. Overarching has to be white, specifically white paired with dark (sometimes even black accents) or natural wood colored shutters or a contrasting trim color for added curb appeal.
After all, a white house is a classic! This modern look is transforming the way builders are designing new construction homes for clients.
What Colors Will Last the Longest on the Exterior?
When picking a color for the outside of your house, if you want it to stay looking good for as long as possible, some colors are better choices than others. Lighter color palettes, like off-white, beige, or light gray, tend to last longer because they don’t fade as much as darker colors under the sun’s harsh rays.
Dark colors like deep blue, black, or dark brown can fade faster and might show wear and tear more quickly because they absorb more heat. This extra heat can cause the paint to break down sooner.
Also, high-quality paint with UV protection added can help any color last longer. So, if you’re looking for longevity and want to go with a dark color, investing in good quality paint can make a big difference in how long your paint job lasts.
15 Exterior Paint Colors to Choose From
Now that we’ve covered how to select the color scheme to pull from and the popular trends in exterior paint colors, let’s jump into some of the best exterior paint colors out there.
1. Sherwin Williams Pure White
Sherwin Williams Pure White is a stunning choice if you are looking for a paint color for your exterior home which is a soft bright white without any strong undertones. It’s also one of the best whole house colors for interiors!
I simply love how pure white pairs so well with SW Tricorn Black on doors – it provides such a beautiful contrast.
2. Benjamin Moore Simply White
Put simply – Benjamin Moore’s Simply White is a stunning white exterior choice with a little cheer. After all, isn’t a white paint color a fool-proof plan?
This is all thanks to Simply White’s slight yellow undertone, which stops this shade of white from being too glaring or stark.
Of course, Simply White is an equally popular paint color for interior trim and doors. It’s one of those interior paint colors you can take outdoors, too. This exterior paint shade looks beautiful paired with wood tones.
3. Sherwin Williams Alabaster
Sherwin Williams Alabaster is a breathtaking choice if you’re looking for an exterior paint color that’s white, but verging on a creamy off-white.
This is a wonderful warm shade that looks stunning alongside exposed wood.
4. Benjamin Moore Lancaster Whitewash
I’m not going to lie – I’m low key obsessed with how beautiful this creamy green gray tan paint color looks on a home exterior. This beautiful shade spells timeless elegance and looks so perfect with that just off white trim.
5. Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you’ll know of my love for Repose Gray. I’ve used it throughout my house, at both full strength and (my preferred) lightened by 50%.
I always thought it would look washed out on a house exterior until I came across the photo below.
Repose Gray, is in fact, the perfect color for a beach house. Even though the pictured house is in Florida, I feel like this soft warm gray is the quintessential Cape Cod vacation home shingle color. It’s just perfection!
6. Sherwin Williams Warm Stone
Sherwin Williams Warm Stone is an excellent choice is you are looking for a neutral-warm mid-tone grey-beige for your exterior home.
This may appeal to anyone who see’s repose gray as being too light for their home. This gray-beige which will look great with white trim and either a darker grey or beige roof as seen in the photo.
If you’re determined to stay with a completely neutral color, this might be for you. I kind of want those garage doors to be white in that photo, right? It would make this color pop even more!
7. Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray
Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray is a wonderful exterior paint color for those looking for a gray with a little more depth.
It typically looks slightly darker in real life than how it translates in photo however it is a stunning midtone gray which looks even more stunning with a crisp white trim.
8. Benjamin Moore Gray Huskie
Benjamin Moore Gray Huskie may be a moodier choice for indoors however always bear in mind that any color will wash out more when painted on an exterior.
Gray Huskie is a wonderful warm toned smooth gray with some very mild blue undertones.
This is a really pretty choice for your home and pairs lovely with a darker gray roof.
9. Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray
I’m kind of obsessed with how Chelsea Gray looks with unfinished stone work on an exterior home.
Chelsea Gray has a slight green undertone to it so it’s definitely leaning towards the warmer side.
This color would look wonderful on most types of homes and I especially love how this warmer shade of gray gives a timeless, modern look to a home.
10. Sherwin Williams Cityscape
Sherwin Williams Cityscape is a breathtaking neutral toned gray with a deep green undertone.
This gray is such a wonderful choice if you are looking to make a statement but you’re not entirely sure whether you need to go warm or cool toned.
It is a wonderful versatile shade which looks amazing against white or dark trim and exposed brick work.
11. Benjamin Moore Hale Navy
Benjamin Moore Hale Navy is a wonderful choice if you are looking for a deeper, darker toned paint for your exterior home but you don’t want to commit to something too dark either. This dark blue is a good choice for tons of different locations.
Hale Navy has a beautiful gray undertone and works nicely with gray or white doors and roofing.
I especially love how these home owners have chosen beautiful pink foliage to really show off that navy color.
12. Benjamin Moore Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore’s Saybrook Sage is a gorgeous sage green – and as we know for this year, sage green is on trend!
This green is definitely a warmer, creamy and almost pastel green so it pairs really nicely with a warm or off-white trim.
I think you’ll agree just how quaint and pretty this color is!
It’s exceptionally stylish on historic homes for a lasting impression!
13. Benjamin Moore Caldwell Green
Benjamin Moore’s Caldwell Green is a stunning and moody choice of color if you are looking for something unique with earth tones inspired by nature.
This is a beautiful mid green shade with some blue undertones – it would be a wonderful color on the exterior of a home surrounded by greenery – almost allowing the home itself to sit and camouflage in with nature.
14. Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black
Tricorn Black is known to be popular and a stunning choice for a front door, but it’s equally awe-inspiring for a whole-house exterior color.
Black exteriors this dark and bold may not be perfect for everyone, but if you want to be daring and different, this is certainly an elegant and modern paint color for a house.
15. Benjamin Moore Authentic Pink
Can we all take a minute and appreciate how beautiful this shade of pink is on a home exterior?
Okay, it’s certainly not a color for the shy, but done well, this can look absolutely stunning!
I absolutely love this pink with the crisp white trim and the beautiful purple pink of the flowers that really accentuate its quirky color.
This would be an excellent choice for a quaint cottage or even a beach-side home.
If you are the playful type, I dare you.
Don’t Forget…
Don’t forget – no matter what you’ve read or photos you’ve seen online, it’s really important to sample paint colors in your home before committing!
Samplize provides real paint samples that are easy to move around your home, and cheaper than buying a gazillion paint pots! It’s the only way I buy paint samples.
Final Thoughts
These are some of the best exterior house paint colors to enhance your home’s architectural details and create a stunning, enjoyable home to come back to each day.
Have any of these inspiration images swayed you in a different direction for your choice of exterior paint color? Are you going to stick with the classic look of white or delve into the world of color? I’m excited to hear what you choose!
I love this blog and especially loved the colors of the first house at the very beginning of your post but no colors were listed. Could you please let me know what colors and from where they are? I am meeting with our builders and need to pick out our exterior colors and would like to use this as an example.
Thank you!
Hi Vanessa, the colors are listed directly under the image in the caption.
When we built our American Classic Style home in 2013 all of the homes were to be a different color in our subdivision. When I looked at the choices which had been made all I saw was a sea of grey, blue, white, greige, another shade of blue or another shade of gray, one green and one brown. So I went outside of the box and I had our house painted – YELLOW, white trim and a big brick front porch with railings. It is known as the Sunshine House, I have been told that it makes you feel like you are coming home. We love our outside the box.
Good for you!! I think it’s so important for your house to have your personality stamped on it and not just do what everyone else is doing!
The example of a black house exterior you gave was definitely something I really liked reading about. Going for a look like this with our farmhouse can really help us modernize it in a very unique way, something I was trying to do with a lot of my house makeover ideas. If I can find a painting service in the area that can help me get something like this, I’m sure I’ll be satisfied with the way it will look.
https://faganpainting.com/painting-contractors/