I received a question from a reader in California who is trying to figure out paint colors for the exterior of her home. On the bottom she has wood and on the top, or middle, she has stucco. She wrote me and is wanting a coastal vibe, with classic colors that won’t be too bold. She has primed the whole house, and has shutters to add to the big window in front and also a front door to paint.
I came up with 3 options that I think will look good.
The first is a classic-toned gray, white trim and a blue door to add a pop of color and more of a coastal vibe that she was looking for.
#1 Skyline Steel by Sherwin-Williams for the stucco
#2 Snowbound by Sherwin-Williams for the trim
#3 Waterscape by Sherwin-Williams for the front door
#4 Dovetail by Sherwin-Williams for the wood and shutters
The second color combination has more taupe, and brown tones, that is classic and neutral.
#1 Softer Tan (all Sherwin-Williams) for the stucco
#2 Creamy for the trim
#3 Prairie Grass for the door and shutters
#4 Foothills for the wood areas
This last color combination has some more color, green and blue tones, to add more color, yet won’t be too bold.
#1 Rare Gray (all Sherwin-Williams again) for the stucco
#2 Casa Blanco for the trim
#3 Pewter Green for the wood areas and shutters
I didn’t leave an option for the doors, but I think a charcoal black door, like Urbane Bronze would look great, or you could paint the door the same color as the wood area. (Pewter Green)
Of course these colors are going to look different on every home. I would suggest that if there is a color scheme you like, buy the paint samples, paint a little portion on your home, and tweak them around until you love them. What I mean by “tweak”, you can lighten or darken, or go to the next shade over on the fan deck that will give you a similar color, but have slightly different undertones.
Also if you want to use these colors for your home but don’t want to do a two-tone home, then just pick one of the colors for the wood or stucco, and use the other one for the eves and shutters.
Exterior paint can be tricky, but with these tips and colors, it will make the picking out process a little less time consuming and overwhelming.
For more exterior paint colors, see here.
Have a wonderful weekend!!