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Exterior house color help!?

Matthew Travis Rowley
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago

We are about to have our house painted and are having a very hard time figuring out what color would look best. We for sure want to paint the trim white. We are replacing the door with a stained wood door & wanting to add stained wood shutters for a craftsman feel. Any advice and tips would be greatly appreciated!



Comments (41)

  • apple_pie_order
    4 years ago

    Sage green with white trim and terracotta shutters. Or deep ivory/cream with white trim and chocolate shutters.

    Matthew Travis Rowley thanked apple_pie_order
  • K Laurence
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Muted sage green with cream trim ( not yellowish ) & if shutters , not sure they’re needed, you could go black. My one suggestion for a front door color would be Sherwin Williams “Mature Grape”, I like it with sage green. But you said you want a stained door.

    Matthew Travis Rowley thanked K Laurence
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  • chloebud
    4 years ago

    I like the idea of sage green with a (soft) white trim. The only windows sized right for shutters are the upper ones. Each shutter needs to be half the window's width. The lower windows are too large for shutters. K Laurence's door color suggestion sounds like a winner to me.

    Matthew Travis Rowley thanked chloebud
  • flopsycat1
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Not a house color suggestion, but I think cutting back the shrub so that the front door is visible would be an improvement. I’d also trim the two to the left, but in a more natural, less sculpted shape. Agree, no to shutters. Overall, nice house!

    Matthew Travis Rowley thanked flopsycat1
  • PRO
    BeverlyFLADeziner
    4 years ago


    I like your home as it is with those muted, muddy colors, but I think it needs better landscaping to bring the colors to life.








    Matthew Travis Rowley thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
  • Matthew Travis Rowley
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Thanks guys! Landscaping is definitely next., I agree with the shrubs being cut back. I have also not been set on the idea of adding shutters as noted above that they would only fit the upper ones. I have been thinking about custom window boxes as another option. I like the thought of a Sage green as suggested for sure. We were somewhat set on a deep blue or dark gray. Even a light gray but I have been so stressed that they wouldn't go with the style of the house, I am not even sure what style you would consider it. Again I really appreciate the suggestions!

  • Bette P
    4 years ago
    Greens are a natural choice with your roof color.
  • flopsycat1
    4 years ago

    Some colors I like, with cream, not stark white, trim:


    But, as Beverly said, I also like the current muted palett.

  • PRO
    Matthew Travis Rowley thanked Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
  • PRO
    Matthew Travis Rowley thanked Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
  • PRO
    Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
    4 years ago

    Any dark color looks good with white trim



    Matthew Travis Rowley thanked Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
  • houssaon
    4 years ago

    I like celerygirl 's dark blue and dark gray renditions.

    Matthew Travis Rowley thanked houssaon
  • K Laurence
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Muted greens, browns , earthy colors, etc. are suited for a “Craftsman “ look. And those colors look great with the landscape.

  • Molly Matthews
    4 years ago

    Nix on shutters. Unless you're going for Gramma's house as the look. Just MHO.

  • Omar Cooper
    4 years ago
    I'd go with beige/taupe/sand or a medium to dark grey. They're both timeless, keeping your home value strong and they both look great with landscaping.
  • karinbee
    4 years ago

    I am probably the only one to say that I don't like the windows trimmed in a light color. Study your roof colors... make the window trim and railing colors the darkest color that's in the roof...perhaps a dark greenish charcoal. Then perhaps use a a medium toned gray-green sage for the siding( maybe your present color will work!). Paint your door a warm shade of aqua, teal, turquoise. I know you didn't ask and I realize you plan to work on your already good boned landscaping...perhaps instead of the very bushy shrub that is presently at your front entrance steps, you could find a variety of evergreen which features angular branches and sparse needle coverage. I live in the mountains of VA and my site, too, is hilly and awkward with about the same growing zone as yours. But I love your house!

  • lazidazi
    4 years ago

    Everyone is right saying no to shutters. Custom window box under double front window [and trimmed shrub as you've said] would be good. With light [cream or white] window trim, be sure to accent the window Sashes with a dark contrast color - can be same as front door but can also be a fourth color. Have balustrade top rail be the same as window sash color, and balusters be the light trim color.

  • RedRyder
    4 years ago
    I agree that shutters don’t feel right. I like the dark colors with light trim versions from celerygirl. I had a dark teal house with cream trim for years and loved it. Window boxes sound like a good idea to “dress up” the house. And, of course, you’ll trim the bushes.
  • ej2000
    4 years ago

    Your home would look utterly fantastic in a deep, earthy red color. Perfect architecture and setting for that. Beautiful house!

  • Mamacita Nikita
    4 years ago

    Agree with ej2000, a dark red would look great! Also like the dark gray and teal above.

  • RedRyder
    4 years ago
    I also think a deep farmhouse red would be great on your house.
  • Sue Brown
    4 years ago
    We did ours a deep reddish rust, dark brown shutters, cream trim. Have received tons of compliments.
  • decoenthusiaste
    4 years ago

    I'd remove al the shrubs except the azaleas. Then you need a color that will look great with them when they're blooming. A white house with green trim like Crisp Romain might be good. I'm not on board with the Craftsman idea.


    Private Residence in Savannah, GA · More Info



    Crisp Romaine 686 Paint · More Info


  • PRO
    Novel Remodeling
    4 years ago

    We do not own the rights to these pics, google searched the images. We do like dual paint colors for exterior paint. check out these designs.




  • PRO
    Barbara Griffith Designs
    4 years ago

    I have never used white trim with a dark wall color exterior and neither did Frank Lloyd Wright, and I also never use white with any dark color paints as the tone difference is to extreme. If, "for sure" you want white paint for your trim, choose a mid to light color for the walls. What color is your roof, it is hard to tell in photo, that should also be a factor in your color choices. If you will need to replace it soon, consider that first, as most roofs come in gray tones or beige tones, as there are only a few colors for a roof vs the gazillion shade of colors for the walls.


    I love FLW works, but look to his muted colors for your options. These are FLW colors, not only choose from them, but that goes for trim as well. Keep in mind you can lighten these shades (value)..but the color hue should remain the same.

    https://www.ppgpaints.com/color/color-collections/frank-lloyd-wright/the-colors-of-fallingwater

  • Peggy Duerr
    4 years ago

    If you plan to keep the azaleas, choose a house color that will not clash with them when they are blooming. I have seen that happen too many times when people don't pay attention to blending blooming plants with the house colors.

  • Phanwadee Suriyaphen
    4 years ago
    กระเป๋าลากเด็กนักเรียน
  • Catherine Kashmark
    4 years ago

    Ohhh!!! I went through this exactly...after two years of trying to decide a colour, I just completed it ;) from this to this





  • Catherine Kashmark
    4 years ago

    Mountain Road - Sherwin-Williams

  • Beth G
    4 years ago

    I recommend that the vertical corner boards (or perhaps they are downspouts?) at the exterior corners and edges of the house be painted the same color as the siding. Painting the corner boards in a contrasting color makes the house seem smaller. Think also about what direction the front elevation faces-- if it faces mostly north, go for a lighter wall color, or it will look dreary. The existing colors are OK, maybe a bit dark. I don't recommend stark white for window & door trim; cream or very pale warm grey would be easier to keep clean-looking over time. I like the idea of a rusty red on the siding, but that color would clash with the pink azalea. Mid-tone sage green would be pretty, maybe with a dull red on the window frames and darkish cream trim. Ditch the shutters-- fakes never look right, and the house already has a fair amount of shadow/texture & busyness going on. Good luck!

  • Beth G
    4 years ago

    For years I walked past a shingled house in Cambridge which had a color scheme I loved: a light to mid-tone grey on the walls with a slightly blue cast. Window & door trim was a muted mustard. Front door was a muted warm barn red. All 3 colors were close in value, but the contrast of cool bluish grey and warm mustard & red was spectacular. Wish I'd taken a photo!

  • Bonnie Pickhardt
    4 years ago

    That sounds like a dynamite combination. Before painting his house, my brother's research showed that a 3-color scheme raised the aesthetic value of the house, so went with light beige, cream, and an Italian Flag rich green door.

  • karinbee
    4 years ago

    Bonnie, sounds like an elegant simplicity! Just curious, how did you landscape...colors of trees and shrubs, types of growth in terms of fullness and height? I'm kinda working on that now( it's 30 years old so rather than adding, I'm subtracting and pruning).

  • Lizzy L.
    4 years ago

    No beige or red! Find a gray that works with your roof color. Gray with white trim is beautiful.

  • PRO
    Susan Tiritilli
    4 years ago

    Celery girl such a cool app. I was thinking creamy white for the siding and chocolate for or tan for the trim. Can we see what that would look like?

  • Matthew Travis Rowley
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    So here is the finished product. Minus the landscaping.... We plan to start that early spring. We ended up going with the following colors:

    #1 Wood siding - SW Woodland Lichen

    #2 Trim - SW Natural Choice

    #3 Window frame - SW Black Magic

    I hope you like! We are very pleased.



  • houssaon
    4 years ago

    Looks good.

    Now is a good time to hand prune. Get in deep to encourage new growth near the base. I would aim to keep the azaleas height to just about even with the porch so all of the railing is visible.

    I would bring down the bushes on the left halfway between the bottom of the window and the top of the brick. Again open up pockets on top so light gets in and encourages new growth.

    I am also a stickler for my own property to keep at least a foot of open space around the house. That means I do a bit of pruning every year to keep plants from touching the house.

    The only plant that seems to big is the one to the left of the steps. Maybe you can relocate it.

    Love your house and, once again, well done on the colors!

  • apple_pie_order
    4 years ago

    Nice crisp colors. I agree that the shrub next to the porch should go elsewhere. Then add some red petunias or red geraniums in a big pot for summer.

  • RedRyder
    4 years ago

    Wow. It looks great! I love your choice. Congratulations!

  • Kathleen K
    4 years ago

    .