Best Exterior Paint Colors
Exterior paint has to do two jobs most interior colors never worry about: survive UV, rain, and temperature swings, and read correctly at a distance and in full sun. Light colors shift lighter outdoors, dark colors shift darker, and saturation generally reads more intense than on a sample chip. The colors that consistently perform well on full-house exteriors are either high-LRV warm whites (which reflect heat and age gracefully), mid-LRV neutrals in the greige-to-taupe band, or deep saturated tones (navy, forest, charcoal) paired with bright trim. Historic districts and HOAs will constrain your choices; check before finalizing. Always specify an exterior-rated product with at least a 100% acrylic resin base — Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exterior, Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior, and Behr Marquee are among the most durable options.
60 ranked picks across 27 paint brands
Featured Exterior Guides
These colors rank strongly for exteriors and have full hand-authored designer guides with undertone notes, lighting behavior, coordinating trim and accents, and room-specific usage.
Top 60 Exterior Paint Colors
Accessible Beige
SW SW 7036
Agreeable Gray
SW SW 7029
Eider White
SW SW 7014
Evergreen Fog
SW SW 9130
Mindful Gray
SW SW 7016
Repose Gray
SW SW 7015
Worldly Gray
SW SW 7043
Balboa Mist
BM OC-27
Bleeker Beige
BM HC-80
Classic Gray
BM OC-23
Collingwood
BM OC-28
Coventry Gray
BM HC-169
Edgecomb Gray
BM HC-173
Gray Cashmere
BM 2138-60
Gray Owl
BM OC-52
Guilford Green
BM HC-116
Manchester Tan
BM HC-81
Muslin
BM OC-12
Pale Oak
BM OC-20
Palladian Blue
BM HC-144
Revere Pewter
BM HC-172
Saybrook Sage
BM HC-114
Silver Satin
BM OC-26
Smoke
BM 2122-40
Soft Fern
BM 2144-40
Stonington Gray
BM HC-170
Winter Gray
BM 2117-60
Silver Bullet
Behr N520-2
Ammonite
F&B No. 274
Strong White
F&B No. 2001
Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Vellum
C2 C2-868
Hempel 11150
Hempel 11150
Hempel 20450
Hempel 20450
Hempel 49500
Hempel 49500
Abalone Shell
SW SW 6050
Acacia Haze
SW SW 9132
Acanthus
SW SW 0029
Accolade
SW SW 9516
Acier
SW SW 9170
Adrift
SW SW 7608
Aesthetic White
SW SW 7035
African Gray
SW SW 9162
Agapanthus
SW SW 9066
Agate Green
SW SW 7742
Aged White
SW SW 9180
Agua Fría
SW SW 9053
Aleutian
SW SW 6241
Allegory
SW SW 9553
Aloe
SW SW 6464
Aloof Gray
SW SW 6197
Alpaca
SW SW 7022
Amazing Gray
SW SW 7044
Analytical Gray
SW SW 7051
Ancient Marble
SW SW 6162
Anew Gray
SW SW 7030
Angora
SW SW 6036
Antimony
SW SW 9552
Antler Velvet
SW SW 9111
Aqua-Sphere
SW SW 7613
Best Exterior Paint Colors by Brand
Each brand’s top 5 ranked picks for exteriors. The lists reflect the room-specific suitability rubric applied to every color in the brand’s full catalog.
Related Rooms
Adjacent rooms in the house often share a color palette, and browsing the neighboring room guides usually surfaces picks the exteriorrubric doesn’t rank as highly.
Exterior Paint Colors — Frequently Asked
- What is the most popular exterior house color?
- Warm whites, soft greiges, and classic navy-and-white combinations remain the top-specified exterior palettes. Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, Benjamin Moore Hale Navy (on doors and shutters), and Farrow & Ball Cornforth White all rank at the top of architectural and designer reference lists.
- Do dark exterior paints fade faster?
- Historically yes, but modern exterior-grade paints with UV-resistant pigments have largely closed the gap. Dark colors still run hotter in direct sun — worth considering for siding durability and interior heat gain — but fade resistance is effectively on par with lighter colors in premium exterior lines.
- How do I pick an exterior color?
- Start with fixed elements you can't repaint: roof color, stone, brick, existing masonry. Pick a body color that coordinates with those elements. Trim should be 2–3 values lighter or darker than the body for readable architectural separation. Test large samples (at least 2x2 feet) on multiple sides of the house, and always view them in morning and afternoon light before committing.
- What finish should exterior paint be?
- Satin and low-sheen finishes are the standard for exterior siding because they balance durability with a natural appearance. Semi-gloss is appropriate for trim, doors, and shutters — its higher sheen resists dirt and highlights architectural detail. Flat and matte exterior finishes are rarely used outside of stucco and historic restorations.