Choosing the right exterior color for your house is an important decision that can dramatically affect its curb appeal. While bold, dramatic colors are appealing to some homeowners, neutral tones tend to have the broadest appeal and work with a wide range of architectural styles. Neutral colors also provide a subtle, sophisticated look and serve as a great backdrop for your home’s more distinctive trim and accent details. When considering neutral exterior house colors, gray, beige, and white are classic options worth exploring.
Benefits of a Neutral Exterior House Color
There are many benefits to choosing a neutral tone as your main exterior house color:
– Versatility – Neutral colors are extremely versatile and work with many different architectural styles from traditional to modern. They act as a subtle backdrop that lets other exterior elements like stonework, shutters, and front doors shine.
– Calming effect – Soft, neutral tones have a soothing, calming effect that can help your home blend into the landscape. This creates pleasant street appeal.
– Lasting appeal – While trends come and go, neutral exterior house colors have stood the test of time. They always look current and tasteful.
– Easy to complement – Neutral backdrops make it easy to add pops of color through flowering plants, potted plants and the front door. This allows you to switch up accent colors from season to season.
– Increased salability – Real estate agents agree that neutral exterior colors have the widest appeal to potential home buyers. A beige, gray or white exterior won’t deter buyers the way a more polarizing bright color might.
Factors to Consider
When evaluating which neutral tone is the best choice for your exterior, keep the following factors in mind:
– Architecture – Consider your home’s architectural style. For traditional homes, beige and gray tones work well. On arts & crafts style bungalows, white is often an ideal pick. Modern farmhouse designs tend to suit lighter grays.
– Roof color – Look at the color of your roofing material and consider shades that coordinate well. For instance, gray exterior colors complement dark roofs while white houses often have light roofs.
– Surrounding natural landscape – Think about the environment around your home. Neutral earth tones like beige, brown and tan work well in wooded surroundings while grays suit urban environments.
– Existing exterior elements – Look at exterior materials like your brickwork or stone facade and choose a main house color that enhances those existing features.
– Personal preference – While neutral tones are recommended for their broad appeal, always weigh your own personal color taste. If you only feel happy with a light gray or prefer a warm beige, select colors you’ll enjoy.
Popular Neutral Shades for House Exteriors
Now that you know the benefits of neutral exterior house colors and what to consider when choosing a shade, let’s look at some of the most popular options.
Whites
– White
– Extra White
– Swiss Coffee
– Cotton White
– Dove White
– Classic Linen
Crisp white and off-whites like Swiss Coffee make great exterior house colors. They create a clean, timeless look. White exteriors pop against vibrant green lawns and landscaping. For a more subtle white, try shades like Cotton White.
Beiges
– Tan
– Khaki
– Buff
– Sandstone
– Mushroom
– Greige
– Gray Beige
Warm beige colors work with a variety of architectural styles from bungalows to colonials. Depending on undertones, some beiges read as more brown (Sandstone) while others appear clean and light (Tan, Khaki). Darker beiges contrast beautifully with white trim details.
Grays
– Light French Gray
– Classic Gray
– Heather Gray
– Gray Owl
– Light Gray
– Woodlawn Gray
– Rocky Coast
– Mindful Gray
Gray is one of the most versatile neutral colors for exterior house paint. Different gray shades can take on warmer and cooler undertones. Light grays like Classic Gray read as fresh and airy. Deeper, charcoal grays like Rocky Coast make a dramatic statement.
Tips for Choosing the Best Neutral Color
Choosing that one perfect neutral shade for your home’s exterior can seem tricky. Here are some tips:
– Get color swatches and view them at different times of day to see how natural lighting impacts the look.
– Paint large swatches on your exterior siding to see how the neutrals interact with landscaping.
– Use an online visualizer tool to experiment digitally with portrait views and close-ups.
– If struggling between two top contenders, consider opting for one as your main color and the other as an accent shade.
– Don’t forget to factor in the undertones of your brick, stone or other exterior materials.
– Drive around your neighborhood and take note of neutrals you’re drawn to on other homes.
Combining Neutrals for a Custom Look
One creative way to come up with your own custom exterior color palette is to combine neutral tones in different elements. Here are some examples:
– Main house exterior in light gray with white trim and black window sashes
– Beige facade with tan trim and dark charcoal gray front door
– White walls with Swiss Coffee shutters and olive green doors
– Heather Gray siding with Classic Linen shingles on upper levels
Blending two neutrals creates extra depth and visual interest. You can also include black or dark gray for contrast on windows, doors or the roof. Use neutral bases as your springboard to design a palette that’s uniquely yours.
Visualizing Popular Neutral Color Schemes
To help visualize combinations of classic neutral exterior house colors, here are some examples with gray, beige and white bases:
| Main Color | Trim | Accent |
|---|---|---|
| Light French Gray | Extra White | Black |
| Gray Owl | Dove White | Deep Hunter Green |
| Tan | White | Light Yellow |
| Mushroom | Swiss Coffee | Terracotta |
| Classic Linen | Cotton White | Navy Blue |
As shown, neutral bases allow for lots of creativity with trim and accent colors. Navy blue pops against Classic Linen siding. Hunter Green creates a bold, dramatic look against Gray Owl. And crisp white trim plays up the clean look of Light French Gray walls.
Tips for Painting a Neutral Exterior
Once you’ve selected the perfect neutral (or neutrals) for your exterior, use these painting tips to ensure success:
– Prep the surface by cleaning, patching holes, removing loose paint, sanding glossy areas, and spot priming. Proper prep leads to better adhesion and a uniform finish.
– On siding, use an airless sprayer for the easiest, most seamless application of exterior paint. Sprayers distribute paint evenly.
– For trim, doors and smaller areas, opt for hand brushing rather than spraying for best control and cutting-in abilities. Use high-quality angled paint brushes.
– Apply paint liberally, especially on porous surfaces like concrete, stucco and brick. These absorb more paint than wood or fiber cement siding.
– Work in small sections and maintain a wet edge to prevent lap marks as you paint. Follow the shade around the house.
– Allow proper drying time between coats. Drying conditions impact dry times, so check manufacturer guidelines.
– Use primer matched to your top coat color for better hide. Tinted primer helps even out the topcoat color.
With proper prep and application, your new neutral exterior palette will look freshly painted for years before needing just a touch up.
Maintenance for Neutral House Colors
To keep your neutral exterior looking its best:
– Expect to do some touching up every 3-5 years as needed. Touch-up helps maintain an even color.
– Repaint more vulnerable areas like trim every 5-7 years. Trim takes more weathering than siding.
– Address any moisture issues like leaky gutters to prevent paint peeling. Keep wood trim properly sealed.
– Power wash siding occasionally to remove grime. Let siding dry completely before applying any fresh paint.
– Reapply exterior sealants and paints as needed after having windows/doors replaced to protect any disturbed areas.
With proper maintenance and occasional refreshes, neutral exterior house colors will maintain curb appeal for years before needing a full repaint.
Conclusion
When choosing a new exterior house color, neutral shades of white, beige and gray offer versatility and lasting appeal. The right neutral complements your home’s style and melds beautifully with natural surroundings, roof color and exterior accents. Combining complimentary neutrals adds extra depth. Neutrals also make it easy to refresh the look just by switching accent colors. With so many gorgeous neutral paint options for achieving subtle sophistication, you can’t go wrong enhancing your exterior with one of these versatile, timeless colors.