Exterior House Colors You’ll Love

In this guide, you’ll find curated color combinations that will bring depth and beauty to your home’s exterior. From maximizing curb appeal to making it easier to choose color and finish, Benjamin Moore is here to help.

Product selection is equally important: You’ll want an exterior paint that both beautifies and protects your home. Benjamin Moore’s lineup of premium exterior paints, including Regal^® Select Exterior and Element Guard^® are all up to the challenge.

How to Choose Exterior House Colors

Natural surroundings, neighboring color schemes, exterior color trends, and your own personal preferences all play a role in choosing colors for your home exterior. From always-popular grays and neutrals to pretty pops of bolder colors, your home exterior palette is an expression of your style.

Homeowners typically use three to four colors when creating an exterior color scheme. When planning your exterior paint color palette, consider trim, windows, garage doors, shutters, and other exterior elements. Hues found from existing brick, stone, and roof colors also add to your exterior palette.

Follow these tips from our color experts to choose your exterior paint colors with confidence.

A pretty green-painted house with a front porch and stone walkway, surrounded by lush landscaping.

Align Exterior Paint Colors with Outdoor Hues

Start building your palette using color direction from unchanging exterior elements like roofing, stone, brick and landscaping. If your exterior accents tend to lean warmer, consider hues like Swiss Coffee OC-45, Yarmouth Blue HC-150, or Collector‘s Item AF-45. If your exterior accents are cooler hues, try colors like Gray Owl OC-52, November Skies 2128-50 and Silver Lake 1598.

Need help knowing where your colors fall? Check out our guide to warm and cool paint colors.

An off-white-painted house with a yellow door, and green bushes and grass in front and a blue sky overhead.

Consider Your Exterior Accents

If your home has an expansive front lawn or lots of greenery, cool gray-painted siding can really make your surroundings pop. Try this combination to get the look:

A pale gray painted house with siding and brick exterior, darker gray trim, and a corner porch, with shrubs, trees and green lawn.

Observe Lighting and Exterior Paint Colors

Colors cast differently under various lighting conditions. For example, a paint color under a shaded tree will appear a bit darker than an exterior hue in direct sunlight. The direction of your home also impacts how paint color appears.

Using paint color samples to see color options in different lighting can help you determine which color to use.

A pretty sky blue exterior painted wall with a white door and trim, and a tall window with a white metal grate and a climbing green vine.

Synch Paint Colors with Your Personality

Your home should be a reflection of who you are. If that means expressive hues—why not embrace them?

Warm colors we love include:

Prefer cool hues? Check out:

6 Color Families That Can Transform Your Home Exterior

A pretty white-painted house with a green door, a covered entryway with pillars, and a lush green front lawn with two green chairs.

Make a Statement with White Exterior Paint

White paint acts as a blank canvas. As seen in here, an off-white exterior lets this lush green front lawn and pillared entryway take center stage.

House & Trim: Harwood Putty CW-5
Doors: Nicolson Green CW-500

A black-painted house with black trim and front porch, stone steps and greenery.

Make a Design Impact with Deep, Dark Hues

We can’t get enough of endlessly chic exteriors in rich, dark hues. Consider these colors schemes:

Black HC-190, shown here, used on both siding and trim
Iron Mountain 2134-30 paired with White Dove OC-17 trim
Polo Blue 2062-10 paired with White Diamond OC-61 trim

A dark brown-painted house with a black front door, potted plants on the front steps and a front green hedge.

Brown Siding & Greenery: A Luxe Pairing

Dark-hued exteriors can be amazingly versatile. Dragon’s Breath 1547 is a deep, dark brown that breathes drama into any space, especially when paired with bright topiaries. Other browns we love for home exteriors include:

A black-painted ranch-style home with white window trim, surrounded by a lush green lawn and foliage.

Back to Black

Black paint gives this home a distinct appearance, especially when surrounded by lush landscaping. Get this eye-catching look with:

The side of a gray-painted, shingle-sided house with a white trimmed window partially covered by a white flowering tree and shrubbery.

Gray-Blue Home Exteriors You’ll Love

Create a welcoming exterior with soothing blue-gray hues. Grays and blues make a statement, while keeping it cool. We love:

The covered porch of a home with greige-painted siding, grayish green trim, balusters and railings, a white porch ceiling, and two sets of stairs, surrounded by greenery.

A Pop of Color for Your Front Porch

On this front porch, Meditation AF-395—a mix of gray, brown and green tones — brings an intriguing depth to this home exterior. Check out these deep neutral paint colors we love to highlight architectural detail:

14 Exterior Paint Colors We Love

The secret to painting your home’s exterior is more than just finding one single exterior paint color. It’s finding the right paint color combination for exterior, trim and home accents like garage doors, window shutters and the front door.

Our color and design experts have curated mini palettes around 14 of our most popular exterior paint colors—use them to boost curb appeal and give your home a fresh new look.

1. Louisburg Green HC-113

This cool muted hue crossed with a deep mossy green brings the colors of nature to your home exterior.

2. Revere Pewter HC-172

An iconic neutral, this hue provides a versatile bridge between warm and cool tones.

3. Carrington Beige HC-93

A light neutral with a whisper of green undertone, this color pairs effortlessly with deep blue.

4. Morrel AF-125

Part of the Affinity^® Color Collection, this rosy undertone extends a warm welcome.

5. Monroe Bisque HC-26

From the iconic Historical Collection, this color combination forms a timeless trio rooted in the hues of American history.

6. Horizon OC-53

With its subtle blue undertones, this color creates a friendly façade, especially when paired with eye-catching hues.

7. Hampshire Gray HC-101

An almost-neutral green, this earthy hue is a great alternative to charcoal gray.

8. Sweet Rosy Brown 1302

A decadent burgundy, this color delivers pronounced purple tones and welcoming vibes.

9. Caldwell Green HC-124

This hunter green with regal blue undertones brings the forest forward.

10. Silver Gray 2131-60

A pale gray, this hue’s blue-green undertones is fresh and sleek.

11. Van Courtland Blue HC-145

Combine Old World and contemporary style with this winning combination.

12. Charcoal Slate HC-178

This striking dark gray is even more pronounced when contrasted with whites and neutrals.

13. Chambourd AF-645

For the adventurous, an exterior in a bold rich mahogany makes a statement.

14. Black HC-190

Black hues paired with fresh white and charismatic red always wins.

Every home is distinct. Read on for insights on some of the most popular homeowner questions when it comes to painting home exteriors.

A home exterior with greige-painted siding, brown-green trim and front door, two chimneys, front shrubbery and lawn.

Don’t Forget to Pick Exterior Sheen

Every exterior paint product comes in an array of different sheens. Ask your locally owned Benjamin Moore store to help you decide which sheen to go for based on your home exterior’s style and substrate.

Common sheen uses for exteriors include:

Low Lustre (most popular): Siding, Trim
Pearl/Satin: Siding, Trim, Shutters, Doors
Semi-Gloss/Soft Gloss: Trim, Shutters, Doors, Architectural Details
Gloss/High-Gloss: Doors, Architectural Details

A house with light gray-painted exterior vinyl siding and white trimmed windows, surrounded by shrubs and trees.

You Can Paint Vinyl Siding

Many homeowners with vinyl siding think that they need new siding to achieve a fresh new color for their exterior. Not true!

A fresh coat of color using a high-quality exterior paint like Element Guard^®, or Regal^® Select Exterior High Build (shown here) offers an easier, less expensive way to give vinyl siding a gorgeous makeover.

Check out the 75 colors at your disposal in the Colors for Vinyl palette. Homeowner favorites include:

A creamy white-painted stucco home with tall center glass doors and dark green door shutters and trim, and steps to patio furniture surrounded by a green hedge and trees.

You Can Paint Stucco

Painted in creamy White Chocolate OC-127, this stucco home façade contrasts beautifully with dark green door shutters and trim. Other paint colors we love for stucco home exteriors include:

Pretty pale gray-painted home siding with a hint of blue-green, off-white trim, eaves and a blue bike leaning against one of two off-white garage doors.

Paint Your Garage Door: Low Effort, Big Impact

Painting exterior accents like your garage door can freshen up your home’s exterior with less effort and expense.

Here, Seashell OC-120 stands out on garage doors, trim, and window mullions. To find the perfect color for your garage door, take advantage of the free Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio^® app. Use the photo and video visualizers to "virtually" apply paint colors for a preview.

Which Are the Best Paints for Home Exteriors?

Benjamin Moore offers a wide range of high-quality exterior paints including:

Aura^® Exterior paint with exclusive Color Lock^® technology, provides the ultimate performance for rich, full color and unprecedented durability.
Regal^® Select Exterior paint resists fading, cracking, and peeling, and provides a mildew-resistant coating for humid conditions.
Regal^® Select High Build is a thick, high build, 100% acrylic formula that bridges small cracks and voids in fewer coats.
Element Guard^® offers exceptional permeability to withstand wind-driven rain, excessive humidity and other harsh weather conditions on many surfaces, including vinyl siding.
Woodluxe^® Exterior Stains enhance the natural beauty of exterior wood surfaces like fences, decks and outdoor furniture. Woodluxe offers a wide variety of opacities and colors, while providing a mildew-resistant coating and superior protection against UV damage and other harsh weather conditions.

Questions? Visit our Benjamin Moore Store to discuss the best exterior product for your project.

A beautiful Cape Cod house exterior painted in navy blue with a striking red door, surrounded by shrubberies, a green lawn, and a gravel driveway.

“Element Guard® was developed to ensure that every residential exterior not only boasts beautiful color that lasts, but also protects against various weather conditions.”

- Brad Henderson, Senior Product Manager at Benjamin Moore

The Best Way to Choose an Exterior Paint Color

To summarize:

Create a palette based on the design elements of your home and surroundings.
Look at colors that will synch with your home’s architectural style, natural environment and neighborhood.
Consider the way natural light hits your home and how it will impact the paint color you choose.
Determine which paint finish makes the most sense for your project.

Try On Exterior Colors with Samples

Sampling paint colors before you buy is important to build confidence in your final color selection. Use our brush-on 8 oz. paint color samples as follows:

Paint your color selections onto a white foam board.
Bring the board outside.
Observe the color throughout the day, taking into consideration the effects of shadows and sun on the color.

Please note: Our brush-on samples are formulated for interior use only; we don’t recommend brushing paint samples directly onto your exterior.

If you want to take your exterior painting project one step further, check out how to paint a garage door, how to paint your front door, and more DIY exterior projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How do you choose exterior paint colors for your house?

A. When it comes to choosing exterior paint colors, the best inspiration often comes from simply stepping outside. Consider hues that are compatible with your neighborhood, as well as your home's architectural style and natural surroundings.

Homeowners typically use about three to four different paint colors on their exterior, including trim and railings, shutters, front doors, porches and patios, decks and more.

For exterior colors inspired by classic American design and architecture, check out Benjamin Moore's Historical Collection for tried and true favorites including Stonington Gray HC-170, Edgecomb Gray HC-173, and Narragansett Green HC-157.

Q. What are the most popular home exterior color ideas?

A. Start your exterior paint color journey by considering the region where you live. In the northeast, for example, popular home exterior paint colors tend towards black, gray, neutral and white. Check out Regional Color Palettes for exterior color ideas based on your locality. You can also lean into style-based color palettes, like coastal and tropicalfor inspiration.

Dark, dramatic exterior paint colors are an ongoing trend that Benjamin Moore color experts now see as a mainstay. For dark exteriors, homeowners love colors like Black Satin 2131-10, Black HC-190, Kendall Charcoal HC-166 and Dragon's Breath 1547, to name just a few. For a lighter palette, White Dove OC-17 remains one of the most popular white hues for exteriors.

Using a durable exterior paint that resists the punishing effects of weather, like Element Guard^®, is also essential. Learn more about Benjamin Moore exterior paints available online, or ask your locally owned Benjamin Moore paint store for advice.

Q. What is the best exterior color for a small house?

A. Light, airy colors can make a house's exterior appear larger from the outside. White Dove OC-17, one of Benjamin Moore's most popular hues, is a favorite white paint color for exteriors. Others we love include Cloud Cover OC-25, Swiss Coffee OC-45 and Distant Gray OC-68. Explore more white paint colors in the Benjamin Moore Off White Collection.

If you are selecting a vinyl siding paint color, check out the Colors for Vinyl palette. From tried and true Revere Pewter HC-172, to rich New Hope Gray 2130-50, to classic Simply White OC-117, we've got a range of designer-essential paint colors you'll love.

Q. Should the shutter color match the front door color?

A. Many homeowners use the same color on their window shutters as the paint color on their front door. Others choose shutters that are a shade lighter or darker than the front door, which adds subtle contrast and individual style.

When looking for front door color ideas and inspiration, consider the color cues that are inside your home, like your entryway color schemes. While black tends to be the most popular paint color for a front door, green, gray and bluedoors are popular alternatives, especially when contrasted with undertones on a home's exterior.

Exterior House Colors & Inspiration