Best Exterior Paint Color Combinations

When it comes to painting your home, you likely put a lot of thought into the colors you choose for your bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and other interior spaces. But exterior paint colors are just as (if not more) important. If you choose the right shades for your house's façade, you can highlight features that might otherwise go unnoticed. That's why you need to think beyond your exterior's central color, the one you use to paint your foundation or siding—you should also select coordinating shades that accentuate your trim, shutters, doors, and windows to create a visually stunning color palette. Whether you prefer soft neutrals or bold brights, we have the color combinations you need to make your home the best-looking one on the block.

turquoise home with black shutters and white trim — Getty Images

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Indigo, White-Beige, and Blue-Gray

Blue, stone home exterior — Courtesy of Amy Wax

Consider your home's natural features, like brick or stone, when selecting paint colors for the exterior. "The rich stain color applied to the shingles accentuates the remarkable stone on the foundation of this home," says Amy Wax, architectural color consultant and creator of the Color911 App, which gives homeowners the opportunity to see what colors pair well together. "Using a softer trim color kept the focus on the exterior shingles which makes this home the statement it's meant to be."

Body Color: Sherwin Williams Indigo Batik SW 7602 (mixed with black)
Trim Color: Benjamin Moore Wood Ash 1065
Molding and Ceiling Color: Benjamin Moore November Skies 2128-50

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Green, White, and Burgundy

Grey-green home exterior — Courtesy of Amy Wax

Creating a color palette with softer shades is a great way to accentuate details, while still respecting your home's original design. "Understated and elegant, the muted green-gray body colors are the perfect way of accentuating the clapboard, shingles, and stucco on this elegant Victorian," says Wax. "I added a quieter trim color to maintain the softer look on this home, giving a nod to historic color palette with a more updated and inviting appearance." The dark red accent color gives the home a subtle splash of color.

First Floor Body Color: Benjamin Moore Cheyenne Green 1502
Second Floor Body Color: Benjamin Moore Trailing Vines 1505
Trim Color: Benjamin Moore Navajo White OC-95
Accent Color: Benjamin Moore Country Redwood

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Peach, Tan, White, and Slate

Pink and peach home exterior — Courtesy of Amy Wax

Stucco homes typically don't have textured shingles or clapboard, so they require the perfect color palette to enhance their simple design. "Standing tall, the colors of this stucco home were balanced perfectly to bring out the charm, while paying tribute to the bolder roof color," says Wax. "The light terra-cotta exterior color is a great way of applying a color that feels natural to the stucco surface, but has the confidence of a bolder [shade]."

Body Color: Benjamin Moore Winthrop Peach HC-55
Darker Trim Color: Benjamin Moore Yellow Squash 2161-50
Lighter Trim Color: Benjamin Moore Navajo White OC-95
Front Door and Shutter Color: Benjamin Moore Stonecutter 2135-20

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Black-Gray, Sand, and Brown

Black and white home exterior — Courtesy of Amy Wax

Tudor homes on this scale make a statement on their own, but they also require colors that complement their commanding stature. The neutral body color used here appears lighter and creamier when paired with a saturated color, like the black-gray hue featured on the beams. "For period homes like this one, it is more about the colors standing out against one another without competing, to grab the attention of everyone who walks on by," says Wax.

Body Color: Benjamin Moore White Sand OC-10
Beam Color: Benjamin Moore Nightfall 1596
Window Color: Benjamin Moore Classic Brown 2109-10

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Brown and White

brown home exterior and wooden front door — Courtesy of Dunn-Edwards

Add charm to craftsman-style and rustic homes with earth tones, like brown and white. "This duo feels fresh while enhancing the natural features of your home's exterior, and the saturated cinnamon-brown naturally enhances stonework and statement architectural elements," says Sara McLean, color expert and stylist at Dunn-Edwards.

Body Color: Dunn-Edwards Art and Craft DET682
Accent and Window Color: Dunn-Edwards Milk Glass DEW358

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Dark Blue, Light Brown, Tan, and Clay

Deep blue and cream home exterior — Courtesy of Amy Wax

Want to paint your home a bold color? Make sure there is also an understated shade to balance it out and give your eyes a place to rest. "The intense body color here is enhanced by the accented window color, adding a playful twist to the strong color statement on this home," says Wax. "The neutral first floor siding color imparts a warm-heartedness that's shared by the jewel-toned siding on the floor above."

First Floor Body Color: Sherwin Williams Antler Velvet SW 9111
Second Floor Body Color: Sherwin Williams Seaworthy SW 7620
Trim Color: Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan SW 7531
Window Color: Sherwin Williams Cavern Clay SW 7701

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Red, White, and Brown

Light red home exterior — Courtesy of Amy Wax

If your home has a prominent roof color, you can minimize it by choosing complementary colors for other exterior details, like the body and trim. "Many colonial homes come with a unique challenge, as the roof is a very prominent element in the color palette of the home," says Wax. "Complementing the browns of the roof with a soothing salmon color, I drew attention to the front porch by giving it clean white columns and a historical blue front door, creating an entrance that is the focal point of the exterior design."

Body Color: Benjamin Moore Cottage Red
Trim Color: Benjamin Moore White Heron OC-57
Shutter Color: Benjamin Moore Clinton Brown HC-67
Door Color: Benjamin Moore Covington Blue HC-138

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Beige, Green-Gray, and Dark Brown

Cream and blue-accented home exterior — Courtesy of Amy Wax

Letting your home's architecture and unique qualities guide your paint color choices will create a final look you're happy with. "I updated the exterior [of this elegant Tudor] by adding layers of colors in the contrasting blue-green family," says Wax. "The hues I chose for the wood accents bring out the rich stone colors, making them both look their best. I added the fresher colors for the siding, beams, and shutters to accentuate the details without taking away from the warmth of the natural stone."

Body Color: Benjamin Moore Baby Fawn OC-15
Wood Siding: Benjamin Moore Intrigue 1580
Wood Beams: Benjamin Moore Millstone Gray 1581
Windows and Shutter Color: Benjamin Moore Dragons Breath

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Gray, White, and Burgundy

Pale blue and red home exterior — Courtesy of Amy Wax

Consider your home's surrounding foliage and select colors that complement your natural landscape. "I chose a color for the body in the gray family—with a hint of slate blue—to give this home a little more personality," says Wax. "The rich accents, using nature's surrounding colors, draw attention to the front entrance, giving this home a genuine sense of charm."

First Floor Body Color: Sherwin Williams Steely Gray SW 7664
Second Floor Body Color: Sherwin Williams Monorail Silver SW 7663
Trim Color: Sherwin Williams Extra White SW 7006
Accent and Shutter Color: Sherwin Williams Sun Dried Tomato SW 7585

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Brown, Tan, and White

Brown home exterior — Courtesy of Amy Wax

Wax loves showing off a home's "eye candy or ornate details" with bright, crisp paint and letting the body color serve as the backdrop. When creating this neutral house's palette, Wax punched up the soft brown with metallic accents under the eaves and white paint on the decorative millwork.

First Floor Body Color: Benjamin Moore Long Valley Birch 1029
Second Floor Body Color: Benjamin Moore Mesa Verde Tan AC-33
Primary Trim Color: Benjamin Moore White Dove
Windows Accent Color: Benjamin Moore Greyhound 1579
Thin Molding Accent Color: Benjamin Moore Country Redwood
Metallic Accent Colors: Modern Masters Teal ME 249 and Warm Silver ME221

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Beige, Blue, and Plum

Blue and purple home exterior — Courtesy of Amy Wax

Don't shy away from fun colors when choosing a palette for your home. "Although darker colors would be period-appropriate for this vintage gem, my goal here was to brighten it up and make it more inviting and fun," says Wax. "With a body color as sweet as vanilla ice cream, the colorful details draw attention to the handmade and quality millwork, which separates this home from every other house on the block." To nod to the home's history, Wax opted for plum-colored shutters, which are a callback to the popular jewel tones of the Victorian period.

Body Color: Sherwin Williams Neutral Ground SW 7568
Primary Trim Color: Sherwin Williams Blustery Sky SW 9140
Accent and Shutter Color: Sherwin Williams Naturel SW 7542 and Plum Brown SW 6272
Window Color: Sherwin Williams Gale Force SW 7605

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