Picture Perfect Exterior House Colors

House Paint Colors - Exterior House Colors You Will Love

For a terrific paint job on the outside of your home, you'll need a clean, even surface to paint over. The exciting part is choosing your colors, but you'll also need to clean the exterior, check it for damage and repair or replace rotting boards, scrape and sand any flaking paint, and prime any bare wood. To get the top coat to stick, the prep work is critical. After prepping, the painting process is fairly quick and can be a lot of fun!

Red front door on exterior of home

Check the Rules

Make sure you check your HOA rules about paint color before you choose, and especially before you buy. Don't despair if you're required to stick with beige; Toasted Almond is a lovely color and would pair wonderfully with a trim shade of Dark Green Velvet. Custom colors generally can't be returned, and house paint colors may be dictated by your neighborhood association. However, if your neighborhood is a hodgepodge of color or a bit older, there may be no limits to your color options. After that, make sure you get samples and give yourself time to choose. Paint a swath of wall on the back of your home with a foam roller so the edges are clean and you can easily cover the sample. Study the paint sample in early morning, under full sun, and at dusk. The color you love in the store may look very different on your home, so make sure you are completely in love with it before you calculate how much you need, get it mixed and buy it.

Bold gray trim on light gray exterior of home

Save Bold Tones for Trim

Exterior paint colors cover a lot of real estate. You may have always dreamed of a yellow house, but if you choose a cheery, intense shade like Citrus Punch the overall effect may be more intense than you intended. On the broad swath of you home, you may be happier with a milder tone, such as Capri Cream. You can add a strong, contrasting shade on shutters or other trim, such as Cavalry Blue. If you really want a strong color on your home, subdue the intensity by choosing something with a lot of grey in it. For example, you may not be comfortable with a purple house, but Alley Cat falls within the purple family and is an elegant, clean color that would look sharp with it's paler partner, Snowbank.

Red Gumball on exterior of house

Don't Forget Utility Bills

When deciding on exterior house colors, make sure you consider how much heat your choice will soak up. You may love the deep colors featured on older homes, such as the deep green Grape Leaves often associated with Queen Anne styling, but such house paint colors will absorb a tremendous amount of heat. If you love greens, consider exterior paint colors that will call the forest to mind without turning your home into a solar oven. Pale Vista would look terrific with a bright white trim, or an intense grey, such as Phoenix Fossil.

White exterior on home

White Doesn't Have to Be Boring

White paint is one of the most popular exterior house colors. It reflects sunlight, keeps the place cool, and goes with just about anything. However, if the idea of a white house feels a little mundane, consider your curb appeal. View your house from the street and against any large, established plants in the area. Do you have a hedge near your home? A deep green arborvitae hedge will be the same color all year long, so tie into that green with Mountain Mist, a very pale grey-green. If the view behind your house is mostly sky, consider a coating of Glacier Lake, which will look great against that blue sky and will serve as a wonderful foil for any foundation plantings you put near your home. Your home is a huge investment and your chance to create something you love. If you hate a color, you can change it, but that change may be expensive and time-consuming. Start with samples, keep the large areas subtle, and get creative on trim colors.