3 Color Combinations for Exterior House Paint

contemporary home tiered steps

Credit: John Granen

Getting ready to paint your home's exterior? As you select colors, consider how your siding, trim, front door, and other exterior elements all work together. Find the perfect exterior color combination with these tips on choosing house paint colors.

Black + White + Aqua

black farmhouse exterior with teal door and white trim windows

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

Black brings drama and depth to exterior color combinations. Pair black siding with white trim to highlight your home's architectural features and prevent the dark neutral from appearing too gloomy. Here, an aqua front door adds another element of brightness that contrasts with the inky painted siding and black metal roof.

Suggested paint color: Tricorn Black SW 6258, Sherwin-Williams

Hunter Green + Muted Sage + White

gray farmhouse exterior with white sash windows and a picket fence

Credit: Brian McWeeney

Without the lighter green gable and door, this home would look dark and uninviting. A small splash of color goes a long way, especially when framed in white trim. The chalky matte finish on the green exterior paint colors is a great way to make non-neutrals pair well together. The choice to paint the picket fence hunter green, instead of traditional white, keeps the attention on the home's sage green door.

Suggested paint color:Secluded Woods S420-7, Behr

Soft Lime + Powder Blue + White

green house front exterior front lawn landscaping

Credit: Kim Cornelison Photography

Set a whimsical tone from the street with exterior paint colors in pretty pastel hues. This bungalow features a muted lime-green color that blends gently into the surrounding landscaping. Powder blue paint on the front steps and door playfully sets off the siding and beckons guests inside. To avoid a candy-coated effect, choose less saturated shades of bright colors, and balance them with plenty of white trim.

Suggested paint color:Clean N Crisp PPG1220-5, PPG Paints

Pearl Gray + Slate Blue + White

contemporary home tiered steps

Credit: John Granen

Taking its cue from nearby stone and concrete hardscapes, this home steps quietly into view. Its peaceable palette highlights the home's best features, establishes a sense of symmetry, and fashions a fresh take on midcentury modern style. By placing the slate blue house paint at the front entry and using bright white extensively, the homeowners created a home with a pleasingly streamlined silhouette.

Suggested paint color: Distance SW 6243, Sherwin-Williams

Red + White + Blue + Beige

muted blue house with bright red door

Credit: KIM CORNELISON

A bright red front door is a warm welcome into this Tudor-style cottage. White window trim gives dimension to the home's beige trim, which is repeated on the fence as well. Light blue, as opposed to a navy blue, keeps the home from looking too much like Fourth of July decor.

Suggested paint color:Yacht Blue S490-4, Behr

Warm Gray + Red + Black

gray home exterior with red door

Credit: Jon Jensen

Especially on smaller or more traditional-style homes, simple works best for exterior color combinations. Neutral siding colors like warm gray create a solid foundation. Then introduce color in small doses, such as a glossy red front door, to create a focal point that doesn't overwhelm the exterior color scheme. Here, a touch of black, supplied by the shutters and mailbox, against white trim keeps the look crisp and modern.

Suggested paint color:Silent Night 1613, Benjamin Moore

Lavender + White + Purple

lavender gray siding on cottage exterior

Credit: Dana Gallagher

Lavender is an unexpected addition to an exterior color scheme, especially when paired with an equally colorful door. To tone down the hue, choose a pastel paint color with cool gray undertones. The neutralized color palette will modernize your home's exterior.

Suggested paint color:Super Nova 4004-9A, Valspar

Forest Green + White + Lime

Forest Green White Home Exterior

Credit: Peter Margonelli

The brick facade on this home was the starting point of inspiration for its color palette. The forest green color on the siding was drawn from the brick itself, and the white trim was chosen to brighten the exterior. A bright lime-green door puts a modern twist on the traditional home.

Suggested paint color:Avon Green HC-126, Benjamin Moore

Cocoa + Olive + Off White + Russet

contemporary home tan siding

Credit: Brie Williams

Dark olive-color brick steps and foundation firmly anchor the cocoa brown siding to nearby perennial borders. Olive green lightens to moss green window sashes, which are highlighted by off-white trim. The russet-hue door sports orange undertones that allow it to stand out from the brown siding. Choosing light and dark shades of nature-inspired neutrals as exterior paint colors helps fashion an entrance that steps lightly on the landscape.

Suggested paint color:Still Searching PPG13-31, PPG Paints

Seafoam Green + White

pale blue white house exterior

Credit: James Yochum

Seafoam green is an expected exterior paint color for a beach house surrounded by sand, but this stunning blue-green home is tucked away in the trees. Its standout exterior color combination is a refreshing contrast to the forest foliage. White is a no-fail complementary color to any pastel hue and, when used on trim, delicately frames the house in its lush environment.

Suggested paint color:Icy Blue 5004-9A, Valspar

Iron Gray + Arctic White

modern a-frame home exterior

Credit: Edmund Barr

Planning an exterior remodel? Consider siding in a new hue for a colorful makeover with staying power. With advances in technology, many of today's siding options are chip- and fade-resistant. That can mean less upkeep for you and vibrant color for years to come!

Suggested paint color:Sharksin PPU25-04, Behr

Light Gray + Copper + Beige

neutral exterior home colors

Credit: Michael Garland

These neutral exterior paint colors pack a surprising punch at first glance. Passersby are first drawn to the stone accent wall that features varying shades of tan and brown. Its textured look continues onto the porch floor and surround. Meanwhile, two wood beams stained in a copper shade mark the boundaries of the entryway. Cool gray paint on the remaining exterior walls provides a neutral backdrop that lets the other colors do the talking.

Suggested paint color:Wish AF-680, Benjamin Moore

Red Brick + Navy Blue + White

Colonial style brick house exterior

Credit: David A Land

Red and blue is a classic exterior color combination that looks good all year. This home's rich red brick exterior is traditional in all facets. Shutters painted deep navy blue match the front door and frame the windows without stealing the show. Bright white trim makes a grand appearance around the entry and on the picket fence. This all-American house exterior will never go out of style.

Suggested paint color:Victory Blue PPG1165-7, PPG Paints

Sage Green + Cream + Yellow

white brick house green roofing

Credit: David Tsay

Incorporate sage green into your home's exterior paint colors for a pretty, muted color scheme. Green roofing is this home's statement feature and pairs well with the surrounding tree canopy. A soft yellow door and matching curtains on the front porch add a pinch of bright color to the mix. A coat of cream paint on the walls ties the look together.

Suggested paint color:Alabaster SW 7008, Sherwin-Williams

Apricot + White + Smoky Gray

peach siding home wraparound porch

Credit: Helen Norman

A classic farmhouse takes a contemporary turn thanks to a refreshingly cheerful color palette. A soft apricot exterior paint sets the siding aglow, glossy white paint highlights the home's vintage details, and smoky gray paint adds visual weight to the front door and window sashes. Appreciate this home's welcoming outlook? Coat your home's siding with warm paint colors boasting yellow or red undertones.

Suggested paint color:Popcorn Kernel 310, Benjamin Moore

Stormy Gray + Paprika Red + Bright White

modern blue exterior red trim

Credit: John Curtis

Cool gray siding fashions an easy-on-the-eye exterior that benefits from warming touches of paprika red. The spicy red highlights the roof peak, outlines windows, accents the front door, and defines the porch trim. White pops up as window sashes to bring dimension and brightness to the facade. Use rich exterior house paint colors with a touch of sheen to give your home old-fashioned character.

Suggested paint color:Grey Brook 5001-1B, Valspar

Salmon + Jade + Rusty Brown

europe-inspired stucco exterior

Credit: Michael Partenio

This exterior's rough surface causes the salmon exterior house paint color to appear as varying dark and light shades, which creates a time-weathered look that suits the home's old-world architecture. Saturated jade green shutters punctuate the elegant facade with jewel-tone richness. The brown window trim and front door pair nicely with the salmon because the outdoor paint colors share the same orange undertones.

Suggested paint color:Prairie Rose M170-2, Behr

Chocolate + Chartreuse + Sand

contemporary exterior bright green trim

Credit: Nancy Nolan

Green and brown naturally associate, but when green takes a turn toward yellow, the pairing pleasantly surprises. Chartreuse trim stands out as a high-energy counterpoint to rustic stone walls and earthen siding and firmly links the home to like-colored garden plantings. When looking for exterior paint ideas, take your cue from exterior features that can't easily be changed. Consider your home's roofing, stonework, and landscape to help narrow your color choices.

Suggested paint color:Slap Happy PPG1217-7, PPG Paints

White + Black + Gray

white farmhouse wrap-around porch

Credit: Werner Straube

You don't need multiple exterior house paint colors to have your home stand out. White trim, white siding, and white railings give this farmhouse crisp, clean appeal. A black-painted gable vent and charcoal gray steps take their color cue from the home's metal roof. The dark paint finishes and white surfaces enhance the home's historic country profile and complement its river rock foundation.

Suggested paint color:Bit Of Sugar PR-W14, Behr

Buttercream Yellow + White + Black

pale yellow home exterior

Credit: Dana Gallagher

Want your house to be appreciated from the street? Do as these homeowners did: Paint your home's body a creamy yellow and complement the hue with bright-white accents. Set off by a black shingled and metal roof, the calming home paint colors advance from the surrounding greenery. Paint window trim and sashes white to make windows appear larger.

Suggested paint color:Daybreak SW 6700, Sherwin-Williams

Pine Green + Red-Brown + White

craftsman style home exterior

Credit: Edmund Barr

Field and forest colors perfectly suit a Craftsman-style home. Shutters painted forest green are dark enough to be seen against the rusty brown exterior. White paint brings the porch walls and columns out of the roof's shadow and also handily highlights green shutters and a front door stained to match the home's siding. Before choosing your outdoor paint palette, research exterior paint schemes associated with your home's architectural style.

Suggested paint color:True Green 2042-10, Benjamin Moore

Brick Red + Gingerbread Orange + Brown

red brown home front exterior

Credit: Laurie Black

Though this home's main exterior paint colors are shades of red and orange, they play nicely together because they share brown undertones that give them a muted appearance. Brown shingled roofs and window trim enhance without disrupting the view. Since ever-shifting natural light affects how paint colors are viewed, look at fan decks and paint chips outside on bright and cloudy days. Better yet, experts suggest trying three colors (for the shutters, trim, and siding, for example) on the front of your home and stepping across the street to see how the combination works.

Suggested paint color:Rojo Colonial PPG13-15, PPG Paints

Olive + Celery + Ivy + Terra-Cotta + Cream

green victorian red accent exterior

Credit: Jay Wilde

This historic Victorian does color right! Three shades of green—with olive on the main-level siding, celery on the upper-level siding, and ivy accents on trim, windows, and gables—produce an easy-going yet multifaceted backdrop for bolder terra-cotta accents and cream architectural details. Prefer a mostly monochromatic look? Choose the darkest, the lightest, and a midtone color showcased on one paint-chip strip as your palette's primary players.

Suggested paint color:Mild Evergreen 6003-5C, Valspar

Taupe + Camel + Periwinkle Blue + Eggplant

pale blue home bright trim

Credit: Matthew Benson

Camel-painted trim emphasizes this home's shape to make it appear wider and taller; the rich camel tone shows up again to bring out the windows and entry door. Eggplant-hue window frames sound a playful note and work with periwinkle blue details to add architectural interest to the plainly profiled abode. Take a close look at the roof shingles, and you'll see where the homeowners found inspiration for this exterior color scheme's blue and purple accent tones.

Suggested paint color:Honest P530-3, Behr

Gray + White + Cobalt Blue

gray home white trim exterior

Credit: David Tsay

You can't miss when combining gray and white on a home's exterior. No matter the shade, gray beautifully sets off white trim, as well as a wide variety of other colors. At this house, cobalt blue appears as an enchanting entry door and repeats as simply applied lines accenting the home's rooflines and soffits.

Suggested paint color:Blueberry 2063-30, Benjamin Moore

White + Aquamarine + Tangerine

contemporary cottage orange door

Credit: John Bessler

White exteriors remain popular for their pristine appearance and go-with-anything properties. This farmhouse takes a flashy turn, thanks to calypso-style accent hues. Aquamarine shutters beautifully frame the windows, while a tangerine-color door moves to center stage. For a balanced exterior color combination, choose three tones for your home's exterior: a neutral hue for the body, a notable accent color for trim and shutters, and a punchy color for the door to draw attention.

Suggested paint color:Navel SW 6887, Sherwin-Williams

Country Blue + White + Black

modern blue home front exterior

Credit: Anthony Masterson

Blue is one of the best exterior paint colors. The calming and notable hue works especially well on homes situated in established neighborhoods or set on tree-lined streets. On this true-blue exterior, white-painted trim outlines roof peaks and windows; black paint highlights window sashes and dentil moldings running across window and door trim. White columns frame the front steps to direct traffic to the entry door.

Suggested paint color:Canyon Blue PPG1155-6, PPG Paints

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3 Color Combinations for Exterior House Paint

Source: https://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/exteriors/curb-appeal/exterior-color-combinations/