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Paint ideas for exterior walls


70 Exterior Paint Colors For a Better Looking Home

Upgrade your curb appeal with paint color ideas that range from neutral to bold

The Spruce / Almar Creative

Deciding what color to paint your house is a big decision that will have daily consequences for years to come. Choosing a light neutral exterior paint color such as white, beige or gray is a safe bet that won't upset the neighbors and will ensure that your house remains buyer-ready if you don't plan to live in it forever. Darker neutrals such as charcoal or black are a popular choice with a bit more edge but require more elbow grease to repaint if you or your real estate agent decides it's time to brighten the mood.

Timeless, crowd-pleasing colors like blue, yellow, red, or green are go-to exterior paint colors that add a hint of personality without stealing the show. And if you love bold color, live in a place where you are allowed to paint your house any color that you want, and are looking to make a statement, there is a world of vibrant hues to choose from that will give your home some stand-out personality and unforgettable curb appeal.

Here are some wide ranging exterior paint color ideas on a variety of houses in a range of styles and settings that will give you some inspiration for choosing a paint color for your home. Remember that paint colors look different in online image galleries and on paint store swatches than they do in real life, where everything from the time of day to the orientation of your home and the light quality where you live will have an effect on the overall look.

To save yourself from disappointment and unnecessary expense, architect Jimmy Crisp of Millbrook, NY-based Crisp Architects offers this wise piece of advice: "Always paint samples on the exterior before ordering the paint."

Here are 70 exterior paint colors to inspire you.

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Watch Now: Exterior Paint Colors and Design Ideas for Your House

What to Consider When Picking a Paint Color for Your House

There are several factors to consider when choosing an exterior paint color, from the history and architectural style of your home to the construction materials used on the facade, to the natural setting and surrounding landscape. It's up to you to decide whether you want an exterior paint color that blends in or provides a vivid contrast, whether you live in a beachfront cottage, a suburban new build, a cabin in the woods, or a historic country farmhouse. While painting the house red can give it a whole new lease on life, keep in mind that you can also create a new mood with something as simple as changing the door color.

FAQ

19 Popular Exterior House Colors for Fall 2023

Revive your house with one of these popular home exterior paint choices.

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Artazum/Shutterstock

Blue-Gray

Blues and grays have been a popular exterior paint color for the last decade. Now designers are combining the two for blue-gray tones that result in a welcoming color choice for home exteriors. The hue is a great complement to stonework and wood trim.

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An Unexpected Pairing

An emerging trend is to paint a home in two hues that normally wouldn’t be found in the same exterior color scheme. For example, try a gray paint on the siding with turquoise accents or a warm green with shutters in a cooler green hue.

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Pawel Kazmierczak/Shutterstock

Pick Primary Exterior Home Colors

Mix and match reds, blues and yellows for your home’s exterior colors. Try a sunny yellow with a deep blue. By the way, save time and effort with this colorimeter instead of trying to match paint colors with a physical fan deck.

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Wood for Warmth

Warm up nearly any home’s exterior color with wood, which works extremely well when paired with a medium to dark color. And try wood shake siding, wood shutters or a wood garage door.

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Claud B./Shutterstock

Updated Yellow

Prepare your home for an exterior color update. Bright yellow is out, but deeper mustard yellows are trending. And mustard tones go well with both browns and whites as accent exterior home colors. So try Classic Gold (PPU6-17) from Behr.

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Krista Abel/Shutterstock

Try Stain

Instead of using a bold exterior color on your home’s all-over exterior. And try outdoor stain, which works well on a variety of home styles. Then use a bold pop of color on your home’s front door.

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Konstantin L/Shutterstock

Rich Greens

Greens, particularly sage and olive exterior color hues, work well with Craftsman-style homes.  And while the color is rich, greens allow a home’s design to shine. So try Renwick Olive (SW 2815) from Sherwin-Williams.

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Classic White

White as an exterior color never goes out of style. And the classic look can be updated with a bold front door and colorful landscaping.

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Ocean Blues and Greens

Ocean blues, greens and aquas are a welcome update to the pale blues of yesterday. Prepare your home’s exterior for painting and try pairing a seaside aqua hue with ivory for refreshing look.

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kataleewan intarachote/Shutterstock

Peaches and Cream

It’s not quite pink, not quite orange. Trending peach and apricot evoke a warm feel and work well in nearly every part of the country. And pair peach with black and white for a classic look, or try greens for an unexpected twist.

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Artazum/Shutterstock

Black

With the explosion of minimalist modern styles, layers of black are trending as a striking home exterior color. Blacks pair well with brick and wood and will work with both primary exterior home colors and grays for accents.

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Updated Neutrals

Classic exterior home colors such as tan and beige are getting an upgrade. And whether your home is a traditional Victorian, Colonial or a Craftsman bungalow, gray-beige or a warm tan will look nice. Try as Colonial Revival Stone (SW 2827) from Sherwin-Williams. And it pairs well with classic white and black, along with a door painted in a deep burgundy or a classic wood stain.

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Artazum/Shutterstock

Warm and Cool Tints

Light and easy warm greens, yellows and blues can make your home appear larger. Using the warmer tints of color themes with a simple white trim visually brings the home closer to the curb to make your home stand out in your neighborhood. Once you’ve selected a basic color, it’s easy to create many different and warmer versions within the same family. All you need to do is combine that color with a neutral in order to make it warmer or cooler, lighter or darker. This is known as tint and shade. Tint is lightening a color by adding white. Shade is darkening a color by adding black. Check out this resource on how to choose paint colors.

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Artazum/Shutterstock

Monochromatic

Monochromatic colors on the wheel are one basic color (hue), but have different values — lightness (tints) or darkness (shades). A dramatic and bold way to use the monochromatic paint trend is to paint your home all black. While contrasting trim and siding colors is typical, choosing monochromatic — especially black or gray with a darker or glossier black for the trim — really enhances the architectural and structural features of the home. Be careful when choosing your exterior paint colors in the store because they may appear lighter on the home exterior than on the paint chip in the store because of the natural lighting.

Plus: Exterior Painting Tips and Tricks

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Bold Color

Trim draws attention to your home’s architectural details. Dramatic exterior trim paint is one way to feature your home’s beautiful windows or doors. Try dark red trim, dark blue or black trim, or other bold trim colors for a classy exterior statement.

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Rafal Olechowski/Shutterstock

Roof Color

The roof can be up to 40% of your home’s exterior. If you have to replace your roof, take the opportunity to consider your color choices. Bring home samples and see how they look with your other exterior colors.

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via Valspar

Tech-Inspired Colors

Senior Color Designer, Sue Kim of Valspar, believes 2019 will be all about high-intensity shades that mimic artificial light. “Smart technology in the home is driving the color experience differently,” Kim said. Twilight Mist from Valspar is a blue-lilac hue that pairs well with ultra white.

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Citrus

Bold and unexpected, citrus colors will be popular in 2019. Whether lime green or citrus orange, add something unexpected to your home’s decor this year. Citrus make a statement and are especially effective on an exterior door. “If you’re looking to make a change, look at the shades of colors that your neighbors have selected and avoid making the same choice,” said Bruce Schmidt, chief brand officer of CertaPro Painters.

These tips will help you paint a door perfectly.

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karamysh/Shutterstock

Sky Blue

Sky blue is a bit of a classic but it’s seeing a resurgence as an alternative to the darker earth tones that people like. Sky blue naturally pairs well with white trim, gutters and gray shingles. Plus the gray stonework like with this house, looks great, too!

Originally Published: July 14, 2021

Painting exterior walls of the house - texture

This article is about how to paint exterior walls and texture . Painting interior walls and exterior walls by adding textured paint can drastically change the look of your home and make a huge difference to your comfort. In order to add texture to your wall, you have two options: first, you can use special paints; second, create the texture on your wall ahead of time before you paint. In this article, we will show you the first method: how to paint stone walls, and how to create patterns.

There are many texture options on the market from Roman patterns to modern designs. It is important to study the samples before ordering a textured paint to find the one that suits your needs and tastes.

Read also Errors when painting walls

If you do not like any of the proposed textures, you have one way out: plaster-paint . This is a special paint that is thicker and denser, which allows it to be applied to walls using a trowel. If your choice is to use stucco-paints, you can create endless paintings and drawings without limiting your imagination.

Before applying the texture paint to the wall, you must make sure that you have protected all surrounding objects with old rags, or plastic wrap. If possible, it would be a good idea to move the furniture and other items out of the room until you've finished texturing the walls. However, remember that you can also apply texture paint to exterior walls. In this case, you must use ladders and scaffolding to gain access to all areas of the wall.

Before you start painting, you must close or remove all sockets, switches and lights, and other objects that may interfere with your work. Use paper tape to mask wires from switches and outlets.

Read also Painting a wooden house

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  • How to paint exterior walls
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    How to Paint Exterior Walls

    If you want to apply texture paint to your exterior walls, then you need to build or buy scaffolding to have access to all areas. Compared to conventional paint, it is important to paint the entire surface of the wall in one color at once, otherwise you will not get the desired result.

    If you are painting exterior walls, make sure that the outside temperature does not exceed 77 ºF (25 ºC) and that the sun does not hit the surface you are working on directly. The main issue is that at high temperatures, the paint will dry very quickly and you won't be able to create textures.

    Next, before showing you how to paint exterior walls, we need to stress the importance of having properly support the surface. So you must either use a spatula to remove the old coat of paint or add a new coat of plaster.

    In most cases, if the surface is smooth, you only need to remove the previous layer of paint, roughness and thoroughly clean from dust and other contaminants.

    Read also Enamel PF-115

    When applying texture paint on any wall, you must apply one coat of primer to the surface. You must buy a primer along with the paint, and match the color of the textured paint. The main purpose of a primer is to create a perfect bond between the textured paint and the wall surface, apply the primer with a roller. After you have primed the wall, wait for the surface to dry for at least one day.

    The next day, you can start applying texture paint to the wall using a large plastering trowel. Before applying paint, you must mix it thoroughly in a bucket. Start at one corner of the wall and try to apply a thick coat of paint as evenly as possible. Remember that you should not paint a large area at once, first apply texture paint on 1 sq.m of and then use a shovel to create texture. This will be better, otherwise the paint will dry before you can make the texture.

    See also At what temperature can I paint

    Work with patience and care, as to create the next layer of texture paint. This method is not difficult and will dramatically change the look of your home if you learn the steps in the correct order. When working, it's best to wear some old rags and a pair of gloves, as you'll get dirty with paint in the process.

    Smart Tip: If you don't primer, you won't get the right color when creating the texture. Also, the paint texture won't be able to adhere to the wall, so make sure you coat the wall with a primer.

    Texture decoration on the walls

    As we have already said, after you have processed 1 sq. m, you must use trowel to create the desired texture . The most commonly used method is to use up and down motions while pressing the grater against the wall. In this way, you will create textures similar to the bark of a tree.

    However, you can also use circular motions if you want to get different textures.

    After that, you must continue your work by spreading the texture paint over other areas of the wall and then creating the same pattern. From time to time, evaluate your work by looking at the walls for at least a couple of meters. It is necessary to control that the texture is the same.

    Smart Tip: If you must stop this process, the only solution is to apply paper tape around the area and then cover the surface with paint. Then, create a texture and remove the paper, film. If you continue to work on the project, you must start from that area.

    The technique described above is also useful if you want to create a design with two or more colors. Therefore, apply paper tape along the edge of the area. Apply the textured paint as described above to the paper tape. Then, remove the paper and wait a couple of hours for the paint to dry.

    Read also Painting fiberglass

    After removing the scaffolding (in case you are painting exterior walls), put back the fixtures and sockets.

    See also How to paint brick walls

    Some texture paints are waterproof, so you can scrub your walls with a wet sponge from time to time to restore them to their original look.

    Thanks for reading our article on how to texture and paint an exterior wall , we recommend reading our other articles. Don't forget to share our articles with your friends using the social media buttons.

    Please click on one of the buttons to find out if you liked the article or not.

    21+ Stylish Options for Combining the Colors of the Exterior Walls of a Private House • 333+ Photos • [ArtFacade]

    Not only the aesthetics of the building, but also its atmosphere and mood depend on the right choice of color for the exterior walls of the cottage. A palette can add a touch of class to a home, transform it into a family retreat, or accentuate cutting-edge dynamics.

    The exterior wall painting also determines whether the object blends with the landscape or turns out to be contrastingly taken out of the context of the environment. The palette can be adapted to the environment or dictate its own atmosphere here. Consider fashionable options for each occasion, and you can choose the tones that match your wishes, requests, furnishings and style of the cottage.

    Painting ideas for the exterior walls of a classic house

    The color combination of exterior wall paint in the classic design implies restraint and a discreet palette. Tones should be close to natural for a harmonious combination of architecture and environment. This is important, since the classics are intertwined with naturalness, being, as it were, a derivative of it. This is also evidenced by rich floral patterns.

    At the same time, classical canons imply luxury and charm. Therefore exterior colors must be noble. Compliance with shades of expensive wood, natural marble, granite is welcome.

    Gypsum plaster and stucco in white becomes the main tool for home decoration. And due to the fact that the top and bottom of the building are made in dark, natural colors, beautiful, light structures stand out in contrast against the background.

    Eco-friendly exterior wall painting ideas for the home

    In the context of urbanization, people are increasingly chasing to be closer to nature. Therefore, among the best color combinations for exterior walls have become primordially natural shades - wood, green, blue, gray, white.

    This palette a priori looks harmonious and natural. But it is important that it corresponds exactly to the area where the house is located. After all, the diversity of the natural palette can be considered the richest.

    Urbanistic ideas of outer wall color

    At the same time, the development of technologies and the same urbanization evoke a feeling of immersion in an artificial, high-tech environment. The popularization of the cyberpunk direction with a unique atmosphere encourages a separate category of people to pursue industrialization, manifesting this in architecture as well.

    Bright, saturated colors, orange, yellow, blue palette, an abundance of metal with a corrosion effect - all this is inherent in extraordinary conceptual objects. The choice of those who do not want to be in the masses has abandoned the idea of ​​a friendly neighborhood of man with nature and sees our future in even more advanced technologies. But with all this, comfort and coziness is considered secondary.

    Trendy, contrasting exterior wall paint design

    Contemporary exterior styles require more dynamism, but with an emphasis on practicality. So here are the combination of colors of the external walls is to make the palette perform the function of decor, zoning, add aesthetics to the house. In this regard, we meet steep, contrasting facades.

    Integration into nature is also reaching a new level. Therefore, the importance of using natural colors for exterior walls is increasing. Almost every trendy cottage that you will meet will be made in colors invented by nature.

    And these should not be bright shades that knock the building out of the overall picture, but mass strict tones that we meet in the forest, mountains, on the seashore. The palette is strongly tied to the environment. Therefore, determining from color combination for the exterior walls modern cottage, explore the area. It will become the basis of the design.

    Colorful exterior wall design

    This is an option for those who want to forgo the mass palette and add originality to the house. Red, bright green, yellow shades will positively highlight the house against the backdrop of both the urban landscape and the natural landscape.

    The main rule is not to use all the colors at once. In this case, a successful color combination for external walls implies the use of one bright tone in the base, and its complement with neutral white, black, gray, brown shades.

    Strict color combination for exterior walls

    Do you want to emphasize your high status? Strict aristocratic gray, graphite, black, wenge tones in color design of external walls will help to achieve this. The house will represent your high status in society.

    But don't forget to soften the exterior. Depending on the style, luxurious, sophisticated stucco, or an abundance of open, light, glass structures are suitable for this. The first option is suitable for classics, and the second for modern architecture.

    The most elegant combination of exterior wall colors

    Most of the considered options look quite rough and severe. For those who want to create a sophisticated home with an atmosphere of charm and sophistication, the option in light pastel with white dominance will be relevant.

    White and beige tones can be used both in the base and in decor, for auxiliary structures. In this color , the outer walls of look easy and cozy. The building visually increases in size, but does not press. The palette is suitable for almost any environment.

    White and beige can be combined with any other tones, so there are endless design possibilities. Based on these shades, trendy modern, futuristic and classic exteriors are created. It looks attractive both in monochrome and with contrasting designs and decor.

    The best color match for exterior brick walls

    Connoisseurs of traditional style often prefer brick walls, leaving their natural color.

    Learn more