Home Improvement Ideas Home Exteriors Curb Appeal Ideas, Makeovers and Photos How to Pick the Best Exterior Paint Colors for Your Home’s Style The colors of your home’s exterior should reflect its architectural style. Use our tips to find the best color match for any type of home. By Jessica Bennett Jessica Bennett Jessica Bennett is an editor, writer, and former digital assistant home editor at BHG. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on April 4, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Choosing the right exterior paint colors for your home is no easy task. It depends on several factors, including architectural style. Use our tips to find the best paint match for your home’s architecture. David Tsay The Best Exterior Brick and Paint Color Combinations for Curb Appeal Different Colors for Different House Styles The architectural style of a home can tell you a lot about its character. Before you begin choosing exterior paint colors, it’s essential to understand your house style. Some aesthetics, including Colonial, Tudor, and Victorian homes, have historical significance, making them better suited for specific colors. Other styles, like contemporary or cottage houses, provide more opportunities to experiment with unique color combinations. After determining your home’s style, seek out other houses with similar features to gather color inspiration. The Top 2023 Exterior Paint Color Trends to Try on Your Home 01 of 17 Contemporary Exterior Colors John Granen Contemporary-style homes offer a streamlined, modern aesthetic, often showcasing geometric forms and asymmetrical designs. These houses are well-suited for sleek colors like a steely gray and slate blue. For a striking contrast, juxtapose these cool exterior colors with warmer materials, like stained wood and copper or bronze metals. 02 of 17 Cape Cod-Style House Colors Michael Partenio Cape Cod-style homes were historically designed to be sturdy, economical residences. This humble architectural style doesn’t lend itself to bright, flashy exterior paint colors, and these homes often look best with the classic gray shake siding. Crisp white trim helps to highlight the simple designs. This Cape Cod Makeover Takes Charming to a Whole New Level 03 of 17 Colonial Exterior Paint Colors Werner Straube Colonial homes represent classic American architecture, so exterior color schemes that are simple and timeless tend to work best. Choose siding in white, muted blue, or gray to establish a stately appearance. Black accents, including shutters or trim, add distinction and a more modern look. A stained wood or dark red front door provides a traditional finishing touch. 04 of 17 Colorful Victorian Homes Jay Wilde Intricate decorative details give Victorian homes a highly distinctive appearance. Unique exterior paint color combinations, often including at least three colors, enhance the elaborate designs. Bright, eye-catching hues, including red, yellow, green, blue, and even pink or purple, are all fair game for Victorian homes. 05 of 17 Cottage-Style House Colors Jamie Hadley Cottage-style homes often draw color inspiration from nature, creating exterior palettes that blend beautifully with the surrounding landscaping. This charming cottage house is partially shielded from the street by a gated fence and flowering vines. The walls offer a fresh blue-green backdrop for the array of colorful flowers. The reddish-brown door blends nicely with brick accents on the fence posts and walkway. 06 of 17 Earthy Craftsman Exterior Paint Colors Edward Gohlich Earth tones and rich neutrals fit in well with Craftsman-style homes. These exterior paint colors reflect the Arts and Crafts style’s emphasis on natural materials and organic hues. Here, well-coordinated greens, set off by cream trim and a wood door, add to the home’s relaxed, timeless appearance. 31 Green Paint Colors Designers Swear By 07 of 17 Color Schemes for Tudor Homes Jeff Herr Classic brick walls with wood and stucco accents distinguish many Tudor-style homes. Inspired by English architecture, these houses look especially charming when dressed in creamy white and brown exterior colors. This Tudor takes on a historically accurate look with ivory-painted stucco and dark brown framing accentuating the red brick exterior. 08 of 17 Neutral Cottage Home Ryann Ford Neutral exterior paint colors fit well with cottage-style homes, especially when there’s a brighter accent color. On this cottage, a classic neutral palette is energized by an unexpected yet refreshing turquoise front door. Dark trim around the windows matches the roof and provides subtle contrast with the gray siding. 09 of 17 Ranch Home Colors Emily Minton-Redfield Since they’re just one story, ranch-style homes often span a wide expanse, which means bold, bright colors can easily overwhelm. Neutrals such as beige, brown, or gray provide an aesthetically pleasing exterior paint color scheme that works well with low-to-the-ground houses. Natural stone adds texture to the facade of this ranch, while the roof, front door, and garage door work in agreement with the dark brown trim. 10 of 17 Low Country House Colors John Bessler Low Country houses are often found along the Gulf Coast, so they’re ideally suited for splashy exterior paint colors. This traditional home features classic white siding with bright accents. Pale blue shutters and a vibrant orange door provide a sunny, welcoming appearance. 27 Country Kitchens Bursting with Warm, Welcoming Style 11 of 17 Blue Georgian-Style House Greg Schiedemann Elegant and refined, Georgian houses call for traditional exterior paint colors. The deep blue of this home provides a strong and inviting impression. Clean, white trim adds contrast, and a wooden door is a focal point of the perfectly balanced architecture. 12 of 17 Eclectic Exterior Colors Richard Leo Johnson A neutral palette is perfect for an eclectic-style house with lots of details, such as divided-light windows, a columned portico, and textural siding materials. This home’s brick walls are painted a slightly darker shade of gray than the shingled gables, offering subtle contrast. The welcoming red door provides a punch of color. 13 of 17 Rustic Cottage House Colors Edmund Barr Opt for a pleasing mix of earthy colors and textures for cottage-style homes with rustic accents. Here, dark-stained shake blends nicely with the natural stone chimney, while small doses of white provide contrast. Cutout patterned shutters painted dark green add color and detail. The Best Dark Paint Colors of 2023, According to Color Experts 14 of 17 Mediterranean Exterior Colors Michael Partenio The use of sun-inspired colors on stucco walls lends casual elegance to Mediterranean-style homes. Consider hues like tan, gold, and coral, as well as warmer shades of green and blue. Here, warm terra-cotta walls partner with earthy browns and greens on the trim and shutters for a welcoming combination. 15 of 17 Classic Farmhouse Colors Michael Partenio Traditional farmhouse exteriors typically feature white siding with a single accent color, often black. This farmhouse embraces a timeless look with a classic combination of white and black. As a small break from tradition, the black door provides an unexpectedly modern touch. 16 of 17 Dutch Colonial Colors Werner Straube The sophisticated combination of gray, black, and white on this beautiful Dutch Colonial-style home creates a restful feeling of harmony. White trim and a dark front door and shutters partner effortlessly with the warm gray walls. The gray works well against the natural stone of the chimney since it offers contrast while blending beautifully with the grout. 17 of 17 English Cottage Color Scheme Kip Dawkins This English country-style cottage is updated with a contemporary exterior paint color scheme of warm grays. The home shows how contrasting a light siding color with a dark trim can be pleasing. The welcoming entryway is painted the same color as the trim, while the door adds a splash of color. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit