exterior paint colors for the house
Deciding which colors to paint the outside of your house is daunting (big commitment!)—so we asked the pros for help. Here, top designers share their go-to hues for a home’s siding, trim, and front door. Try one of their perfect pairings. Paint pricing: Behr Premium Plus exterior paint, from $29 a gallon. Benjamin Moore Regal Select Exterior paint, $55 a gallon. Dunn Edwards Evershield Exterior paint, from $44 a gallon. Farrow & Ball Exterior Masonry paint, $100 a gallon. Sherwin Williams A-100 Exterior Acrylic Latex Paint, $40 a gallon; All Surface Enamel Latex Base, $60 a gallon; Emerald Exterior Acrylic Latex Paint, $73 a gallon. At the risk of stating the obvious, it’s hard to find the best paint color for your house’s exterior. White is a classic, but choose the wrong shade and you’ll end up with a very expensive mistake. We wanted to take the guesswork out of choosing the best white paint for your house, so we asked the architect and designer members of our Professional Directory to share their vetted shades of exterior white paint.
Benjamin Moore Simply White; Farrow & Ball All White;
pinterest beach house decorBenjamin Moore White Heron. Bottom row: Sherwin-Williams Pure White; Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee; Benjamin Moore Linen White; Porter Paints Atrium White; and Benjamin Moore Cloud White. Above: On this house in Connecticut, Brooklyn-based O’neill Rose Architects used low-luster Benjamin Moore Brilliant White, which principal Devin O’Neill calls “a standard that always looks good.” The firm worked with Donald Kaufman on the palette for the house, and chose Donald Kaufman Color DKC-44 in semi-gloss for the porch and ceiling. Above: Interior designer Meg Joannides of MLK Studio in LA recently completed this Brentwood Park home. On the exterior, she used Sherwin-Williams Pure White, a true white that barely hints toward warm. The charcoal gray shutters are painted in Benjamin Moore Onyx. Above: Architect Tim Barber chose Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee for this new house in Santa Monica.
The color is also a favorite of SF Bay Area–based designer Nicole Hollis. Above: Donald Billinkoff of Billinkoff Architecture in NYC rarely uses any other white than Benjamin Moore White Heron. Says Billinkoff, “In bright light it is warm and in low light it is bright.” Above: NYC-based 2Michaels worked with midcentury antiques dealer Larry Weinberg in choosing Benjamin Moore Simply White for this outdoor room on Martha’s Vineyard. Interior designer Kriste Michelini also recommends this shade. Above: LA-based DISC Interiors painted the exterior of this Loz Feliz home in Crystal Haze from Dunn-Edwards. This shade has the deepest tan inflection of the paints recommended here. Above: SF Bay Area designer Nicole Hollis chose Farrow & Ball All White as her pick–the whitest white of our recommendations. In this image from Farrow & Ball, the door and metalwork are painted in Pitch Black. Above: Nashville architect Marcus DiPietro chose PPG Porter Paints Atrium White for the exterior of this modern, Japanese-influenced home in Oak Hill, Tennessee.
Next to Linen White (below), Atrium White is the second warmest of the bunch. Above: NYC-based Steven Harris Architects painted this Upper West Side townhouse in Benjamin Moore’s Cloud White. Photograph by Elizabeth Felicella. Above: SF Bay Area-based landscape architecture firm Pedersen Associates admires Benjamin Moore’s Linen White, shown here on a house in Mill Valley. Says principal Pete Pedersen, “Here in Northern California, the quality of light is such that you need to take a little off of the whites to keep from too much reflective glare.” Linen White is the warmest of the 10 whites shown here. Looking for a shade of white to paint an indoor room? See 10 Easy Pieces: Architects’ White Paint Picks. We also consulted architects for their picks for exterior shades of gray and black. This is an update of a post originally published September 11, 2013. , , , , , , , The for Every Project Love your space with expertly curated paint colors and room images to match any style.
From garage paint to deck stain, get the colors and know-how to finish your exterior project. More than a chip on a wall, Project Color is your space, transformed, in a single tap. Get helpful tips and tricks from DIY-ers and experts in our Home Depot Community. Already have a color in mind?FREE SHIPPING ON QUALIFYING ORDERS $49 OR MORE Prices, promotions, styles, and availability may vary. Our local stores do not honor online pricing. Prices and availability of products and services are subject to change without notice. Errors will be corrected where discovered, and Lowe's reserves the right to revoke any stated offer and to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions including after an order has been submitted. 1. Look around the neighborhoodThere's often a consistent color scheme running throughout. Look for complementary colors and intensities that will blend right in. 2. What's your style?Do you live in an old Victorian, mid-century modern or Spanish Colonial home?
That can really dictate your color scheme. For example, a Victorian lends itself to pastels like pink, mint green or baby blue. Those colors wouldn't work for a mid-century modern or Spanish Colonial, which are typically in more muted and neutral tones. 3. Think about what can't be changedWalk around your house and look at the large structural elements that can't be altered such as the color of your stone work or roof shingles. Make sure that your new paint color will complement them. Also remember that if you have any brick work - such as a chimney or foundation - that it can be painted. 4. Color evokes moodsThink about the overall impact that you're hoping to create. Do you want the house to appear bright and cheerful? Use light colors such as white, cream or light gray. Or do you want it to feel more impressive and substantial? Consider using deeper colors like dark gray, chocolate brown or navy. 5. Consider your surroundingsAre you surrounded by a lush landscape with lots of trees and flowers?
Steer clear of painting your home green or it will just blend right in. Think about architectural elements, plants, flowers and trees when selecting the right hue for your home. 6. What are you trying to hide? Are there any architectural details like gutters or an AC unit that you'd like to deemphasize? Surround an AC unit with paneling that's painted the same color as the house, or paint gutters to blend in. And the reverse is true. If you have beautiful windows that you'd like to emphasize, paint them a contrasting color so that they'll stand out. 7. Do your homeworkDrive around different neighborhoods and take pictures of the color combinations that appeal to you. Check the paint displays at your local Lowe's store. They often have brochures with house colors combinations that can inspire you. And finally, start surfing the internet. Check real estate websites and see what you like. You can also search sites like Pinterest and start a board to collect your favorites. More than likely, you'll start to see a recurring theme.
8. Be bold - but not too boldUnless you're 100 percent certain of a bold color pattern, consider painting your house in a neutral tone. Then use pops of color on your front door or shutters. If you ever tire of that bright red or canary yellow door, it's a cheap and easy weekend fix. 9. Don't skimp on qualityBuy the best quality paint you can afford. A high-quality paint will hold up better to the elements and will save you money in the long run. Good to KnowDo you have a home owner's association or live in a historic district? If so, make sure that you contact them. Some neighborhoods have restrictions on colors. Now that you've taken the tips into consideration, it's time to put theory into practice. Start by using Valspar's visualizer tool. You can upload a picture of your home and test different colors online. Head to Lowe's and try various color chips from your preferred palette. Pick your top four base colors and a couple for the door and/or shutters and have sample pots made.