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House Color

Choose house paint colors by seeing them on your home

Browse popular exterior colors with their real names and codes, see them on a photo of your house, and copy the code for the store.

Sample house after: siding Accessible Beige SW 7036, trim Alabaster SW 7008, front door Hale Navy HC-154
Sample house before: Cape Cod with lap siding and two dormers
BeforeSample houseAfter

Stand across the street. Whole front in frame. Daylight.

A scheme for four house styles

Different houses want different colors. Here is one scheme that suits each of four common American house styles, on real photos of those houses.

1950s California ranch, board-and-batten and stucco, repainted: siding Accessible Beige SW 7036
1950s California ranch, board-and-batten and stucco, original photo
BeforeAfter

Warm greige ranch

1950s California ranch, board-and-batten and stucco

Real photo
  • SidingAccessible Beige SW 7036
Cape Cod with lap siding and two dormers, repainted: siding Kendall Charcoal HC-166, trim White Dove OC-17, front door Caliente AF-290
Cape Cod with lap siding and two dormers, original photo
BeforeAfter

Charcoal and cream

Cape Cod with lap siding and two dormers

Real photo
  • SidingKendall Charcoal HC-166
  • TrimWhite Dove OC-17
  • Front doorCaliente AF-290
Two-story farmhouse with lap siding and a metal roof, repainted: siding Extra White SW 7006
Two-story farmhouse with lap siding and a metal roof, original photo
BeforeAfter

White farmhouse siding

Two-story farmhouse with lap siding and a metal roof

Real photo
  • SidingExtra White SW 7006
Brick colonial revival with a full-width balcony, repainted: brick Iron Ore SW 7069
Brick colonial revival with a full-width balcony, original photo
BeforeAfter

Brick painted charcoal black

Brick colonial revival with a full-width balcony

Real photo
  • BrickIron Ore SW 7069

Screen colors are an approximation. Always check a real sample on your wall in daylight before you buy.

Start from the style of your house

The architecture narrows the field before you ever open a fan deck. Ranches usually look best in calm, low-contrast colors that keep them grounded: greige, soft gray-greens, warm whites. Colonials and Cape Cods carry classic contrast well: white or cream trim with navy, charcoal or deep green siding, and a front door that stands out. Farmhouses lean on white siding with black accents, or the reverse. Craftsman bungalows like earthy body colors with a contrasting trim that shows off the brackets and columns.

Brick houses are their own case. Many owners keep the brick and change trim and door; others paint or limewash the brick for a cleaner look. Try both on your photo before anyone touches a brush, because painted brick is hard to undo.

Undertones decide whether a color works

Two grays with the same lightness can look completely different on a house. One leans green, one leans blue, one leans warm beige. Next to a red brick chimney or a brown roof, a cool gray can look cold and a warm gray can look muddy. The only reliable way to check is to see the color next to the fixed parts of your house: the roof, the stone, the brick, the windows.

Light and dark also behave differently outdoors. Exterior colors look lighter and brighter in full sun than on a chip, so many people end up choosing one step darker than their first pick. Very dark colors on large walls look almost black from the street.

Copy the code, then sample it

Every color in the result is listed with its brand, name and code, like Naval SW 6244 or Hale Navy HC-154, and a Copy button. Take the code to any store that carries the brand. Then buy a sample and paint a large piece of poster board, at least two feet square, and look at it against the house at different times of day. Screens are an approximation; the sample is the truth.

Questions about the house paint color visualizer

How do I choose an exterior paint color?

Start from the fixed parts of your house (roof, brick, stone), pick two or three colors that work with their undertones, try them on a photo of your house, then sample the best one or two on the wall.

Can I copy the paint code for the store?

Yes. Each color on the result has its brand, name and code with a Copy button, for example "Naval SW 6244".

What are the most popular exterior color schemes?

White with black accents, navy with crisp white trim, warm greige with white trim, soft sage with white trim, charcoal with cream trim, and all-dark modern exteriors are among the most requested right now.

Why does the color look different on my screen than on the chip?

Screens vary and outdoor light changes paint a lot. Treat the screen as a way to compare options, and always check a real sample outside.

Can I use a color from a brand that is not listed?

Yes. Open Custom and type the hex value from that color's page. We describe it in plain words for the render.

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