4 Tips to Choose Your Best Exterior Paint Colors

How to Choose Exterior Paint Colors (that suit your home)

Are you trying to pick an exterior color and second-guessing yourself at every turn? If not, you should be. That’s right, you SHOULD be second-guessing yourself.

Why? 

Because choosing an exterior paint color is a WHOLE different ball game than interior colors, many people pick the wrong one. It can also be considerably more expensive than interior projects, so choosing the RIGHT color is even more important than ever.

So, how do you pick the right one? Prayer, toe crossing, salt throwing, and multiple bottles glasses of wine. Oh, and read these tips…

1. YOUR EXTERIOR COLOR MIGHT LOOK LIGHTER THAN YOU EXPECT

Expect your color to look about a half-tone lighter or EVEN MORE than it does on that wee little chip.

Why?

Well, paint looks lighter when exposed to natural light, especially on a large surface. Regardless of the direction your home faces, the amount of natural light it gets can make your paint look as expected, a little lighter, or a LOT lighter!

The average home can look up to two tones lighter than expected.

That’s right. If your home gets a good dose of sun, your paint color can look two to three tones lighter, which we’ll discuss below in the ‘exposures’ section (no indecent exposure, though…this time, anyway). And because information can be tedious, I’ll also share some great before-and-after photos from my Online Paint Color Consulting clients!

This home was tricky with its warm red terracotta tile roof, but it turned out gorgeous in the end, with a warm, neutral, off-white paint palette…

Kylie M Interiors E-Design

The effect of natural light is hard to see on those wee little paint chips. This is why I start with Samplize Peel & Stick. Once I’ve finalized my choices, I buy quarts of the actual paint/finish I’ll be using and paint larger areas to double-check. You must look at your samples on all sides of your home and in different types of light (morning/afternoon/etc.).

• If you have a lot of landscaping that blocks natural light, then the color won’t look as light as it would if it had DIRECT natural light.
• If you find a color you love and worry that it will be too light, it will probably be. If you’re worried it’s too dark – don’t jump the gun, as it could look lighter once it’s on the house.
• With south-facing homes, the southern side will look at least one tone lighter OR MORE – until the sun starts going down (Elton John style). At the height of the day, the color will look its most washed-out.
• The exterior of north-facing homes can look more or less as expected or even darker, depending on whether trees block your home or not.

North, East, South, West: Which Paint Color is the Best (interior colors)

2. EXPECT TO SEE UNDERTONES…OR EVEN LEGIT ‘COLOR’

On an exterior, undertones can be a wink more obvious than what you see on little paint chips (specifically, the undertones hiding in neutral paint colors). Find out what your color’s undertones are (if you choose a neutral one) and decide if you can live with those colors. You can do this via my blog (I have a great SEARCH function) or ask your paint provider.

The above shows you the variety of ‘colors’ that can be found in gray! 

My next client hired me as she was having a heck of a time finding colors that suited her gray metal roof. Here’s how it turned out…

For the above home, I WANTED purposeful undertones, as blending with the roof would be blah. To get this look, I found a gray with blue-green undertones that play well with the roof without overwhelming this home, given that most of the siding is under a roof.

Click HERE or on the above image to see available packages!

3. YOUR HOME’S EXPOSURE WILL AFFECT HOW YOUR COLOR LOOKS

North, east, south, west, which paint color is the best? You’ll want to figure out the exposure of the most important side of your home, which is usually the front. Now, this doesn’t mean you ignore the other sides, but you’ll want to give preference to the most important side for curb appeal.

While I have an ENTIRE BLOG POST dedicated to this topic, I want to touch briefly on a few things…

SOUTH-FACING EXTERIORS

Southern light is yellow and warm and is known to enhance some colors while softening others. However, in the middle of the day, direct southern light (like sunbeams shining on your house) will wash out colors. I know…it’s confusing. Sip sip. Okay, that’s better.

Check out this next home. Notice how dark Sherwin Williams Mediterranean looks in the shaded areas compared to the areas getting a touch of sun on the right…

On this next south-facing home, notice how bright Sherwin Williams Pure White looks in the sun and how muted in the areas shaded by the porch overhang…

Remember, if your home has some of its siding covered by a roof or large overhang, your southern exposure won’t affect it as much.

NORTH-FACING EXPOSURES

Northern light is gray. This light can slightly enhance cool colors while making warm colors look a bit flatter. Depending on how much northern light your home gets (is your front yard wide open or do you have a lot of trees blocking the light, in north light, colors often look as dark as expected OR a bit darker.

EAST OR WEST-FACING EXPOSURES

East and west-facing exposures are always a bugger as they aren’t quite as predictable as north/south.

East-facing light: This light is brighter in the morning and will HIT your home, whereas in the afternoon, it will fall into shadow.

West-facing light: This light is more shaded in the morning and will hit your home in the afternoon with some relatively intense warmth!

Check out this next project with direct sunshine on it…

Now, notice how different the SAME PAINT COLOR looks with no direct sunshine…crazy, eh?

Of course, there are mixed exposures, but I can only cover so much here – these tips are designed to point you in the right direction.

READ MORE: 5 Steps to Picking Your Perfect Exterior Paint Color

4. YOUR PAINT’S SHEEN CAN AFFECT HOW YOUR COLOR LOOKS

Paint finish (sheen) can affect how a color looks. OH, WILL THE MADNESS EVER END????? No. It won’t; that’s why wine was created.

These are my favorite exterior finishes and how you might expect them to act. However, depending on your geographical location, your local paint store could recommend other finishes better suited to your particular environment (e.g., ocean, forest, prairies).

The more sheen your paint finish has, the more light will reflect off it, and the lighter your color will look. 

And for a bonus, let’s look at some of my favorite finishes for exterior colors…

THE BEST PAINT FINISH FOR SIDING: WOOD, VINYL OR HARDI-BOARD

The lower the sheen on your paint, the less washable it will be. I usually start with high-quality, low-luster paint (Benjamin Moore has a good one—Aura). Satin is good for washability but can enhance texture and even look garish when the light hits it. Some brands/lines of paint are better than others.

Some lean into matte or eggshell, with matte being the most muted choice. Personally, I’d never go lower than eggshell – I’d never do matte. I’d also ensure it’s a super washable, high-quality eggshell finish. Matte and eggshell-finish paints can be much harder to keep clean.

• The more textured your wood, the flatter your finish should be (to a point). Sheen enhances texture, so choosing a lower-sheen paint will keep things looking calmer. That said, if you want washability, you might still prefer satin.

THE BEST PAINT FINISH FOR EXTERIOR TRIM, SHUTTERS & DOORS

Satin is my recommended finish for trims, doors, and garage doors. While some homes can pull off a semi-gloss trim or front door, satin offers washability without as much ‘shine.’

• Satin has just the right sheen to accommodate smooth or textured trim.
• Satin is in between eggshell and semi-gloss. Semi-gloss is THE most washable.
• When light hits sheen, it can make a colour wash out more and look brighter and reflective, so consider how much direct natural light you get when picking your finish.

THE BEST PAINT FINISH FOR MASONRY: BRICK, STONE, CEMENT

Satin finish can work for textured surfaces like brick and other masonry. This keeps it easy to hose down without creating a smudgy surface as brick is often on the lower portion of a home, where it gets the most dirt. However, I personally prefer a low-lustre/eggshell finish to keep the textured look down and reduce the sheen.

• Semi-gloss can be TOO much with the texture/pattern of masonry
• Satin is in between eggshell and semi-gloss. More wipeable than eggshell without the sheen of semi or high-gloss paint
• Low-lustre will have some sheen to it, but not as much as a satin, but not as flat as a matte/flat

READ MORE

What Color Should Your Gutters, Downspouts, & Soffits Be?

5 Steps To Choosing Your PERFECT Exterior Paint Color

How Exposure Affects Your Exterior Paint Color

How to Add Curb Appeal to Your Home’s Exterior: Budget-Friendly Ideas

The 12 Best Whole Home Gray and Greige Paint Colours – INTERIOR

NEED HELP?

Check out my Online Color Consulting Services! 

Originally written in 2018, awesomely updated in 2024