Top Exterior House Paint Colours for 2025
The All Black House Trend Is Appropriately Dead. Time To Stop Living In Coffins And Bring Our Homes To Life!
I’ve put together four exterior house paint colour palettes that cover a range of house styles. We’ve been living with the psychological warfare of all black houses and buildings for a couple of years now and I think it’s safe to say that the vast majority of people are feeling the need for a little more optimism.
I’ve created two colour palettes from Benjamin Moore and two from Sherwin Williams for you to consider.
As always, please keep in mind that colours do not appear the same on computer screens as they do when painted on your house. I can’t say this enough! All of these colours look much better in real life than they do on any tech device.
Let’s begin with a totally classy palette. If what you want is style for the exterior of your house but also want it to have some colour, this is the one for you!
Silver Marlin, chosen as the main body colour, is a lovely silvery grey/green that exudes elegance.
I’ve paired it with White Dove, a soft and creamy white that wonderfully avoids any yellow undertones. I would say that around 95% of houses tend to use a white trim that is far too stark for their overall aesthetics. Many homeowners often match their window trim to their vinyl windows, I suggest that you really don’t need to do that; trust me! Opting for a soft white will enhance the appearance of your house, making it look inviting and friendly.
For the front door, I’ve selected Black Peppercorn. I love this colour; it’s such an elegant deep blue that manages to steer clear of becoming too navy or resembling baby blue, allowing for a more refined finish.
I’m not a fan of the all black house, but that’s not to say that I don’t like houses with a dark body colour - I do! It’s all about balance and harmony.
Benjamin Moore’s Blue Note will serve as a dark but interesting body colour, adding depth and character to the overall aesthetic. Good contrast is essential for a pleasing colour palette that enhances your home’s exterior.
I've chosen Benjamin Moore’s Gray Horse for the trim. It’s a soft grey with a subtle hint of sage that beautifully complements and off-sets the deep blue, ensuring a harmonious balance throughout the exterior colour design.
For the door, I’ve chosen Greenmount Silk, a soft yellow that works exceptionally well with the Gray Horse trim. This particular shade of yellow avoids being too bright or harsh, making it a perfect match that adds warmth and charm.
Now let’s look at a warm grey colour palette from Sherwin Williams. This is an ideal colour palette if your home is made of stucco.
This pleasing warm grey colour palette doesn’t have to be restricted to stucco; it can be used on any type of home surface or architectural style. It’s important to note that colour does not specifically define a style of architecture—that's a common misconception and a colour myth that can be misleading. This particular colour palette would work equally well on a charming small cottage as it would on a sleek, modern home. Roycroft Mist Gray offers a lovely warm grey feel without veering too much into beige territory. This subtle distinction can be a bit challenging to judge accurately on a computer screen, which is always an issue with these types of colours. A computer display can’t capture the nuances of paint shades, so please take my word for it, or better yet, go out and get a sample for yourself.
I’ve paired our body colour with a sophisticated dark trim. Sherwin Williams Grizzle Gray is one of my favourites; it possesses a depth and richness that works in harmony with the body colour. In general, I prefer to avoid using black trim, just like its polar opposite, stark white, I find it looks much too harsh. I would almost always opt for an off-black instead of a true pitch black. Again, this colour palette becomes so much more interesting and captivating when seen in real life.
Illusive Green, chosen for the door colour, is a complex warm grey-green that proves difficult for a computer screen to adequately capture and convey. It gives your entrance just enough of a hit of colour to make things interesting.
Now let’s move into a distinctive world of heritage paint colours.
Working with clients who own a heritage home is always a wonderfully creative experience for me. There are so many exquisite details to explore and unique architectural elements to enhance and make shine! For this particular project, I’ve chosen Sherwin Williams Rockwood Blue Green for the main body colour of the house. These kinds of deep greens work exceptionally well on heritage houses, providing a sense of depth and a distinctive look. Rockwood Blue Green embodies this concept perfectly; the subtle hint of blue gives this colour both a complexity and richness that truly stands out. To complement this, I’ve paired it with both a light trim and a dark accent colour, each of which can be used in a variety of ways to achieve a balanced and harmonious look to your home.
I want to make it very clear straight away that Still Water, the selected dark accent colour, possesses more blue in it than can be seen on the computer screen. When viewed digitally, it appears overly green and not as interesting or sophisticated as it genuinely is; therefore, I encourage you to go out and get yourself some physical samples for a true visual representation.
Roycroft Vellum serves as a classic heritage trim colour; its creamy tone with just a hint of yellow makes architectural details come to life in a beautiful way. Finally, Rockwood Terra Cotta for the entrance door elegantly completes that quintessential Arts & Crafts look, striking the perfect balance—neither too drab nor too colourful, but just right for a heritage home.