Maria Killam’s GO-TO LIST OF EXTERIOR COLOURS · 2020. 4. 14. · For exterior, off whites also...

Mar ia Ki l lam’s

G O -T O L I S T O FEXTERIOR COLOURS

M A R I A K I L L A M . C O M© 2020 Maria Killam | All Rights Reserved


G O -T O E X T E R I O R C O L O U R S 1

My go-to list of colours for exteriors is intended to take the world of thousands of available paint colours and reduce them to a manageable number. This list will make it much easier to make decisions when you are looking for the right colour to paint your house!

So, if you’re looking for the perfect cream to paint your house, knowing the best creams is so much easier than looking through every cream colour in your fan deck (plus, to achieve a cream exterior, creams are NOT the place to look).

If you need the right white for the body of your house and trim, the short-list of my go-to whites will give you just enough choices, without overwhelming you.

If you’re looking for a colour that will give your house a soft muted blue without looking like baby blue, my list will give you several reliable options.

And, if your existing cultured stone or brick has taupe undertones, look for a colour in my short-list of taupes to create a house where the colours look related and intentional.

Please note, if the colour you are already considering is not on my list, this DOES NOT mean it won’t work, or it’s a bad colour. I could easily list 50 colours in each category, however this list fits inside my system of Understanding Undertones™ and is intended to make colour easier to choose.

M Y G O -T O L I S T O F C O L O U R SFor Exte r ior s



If you are a designer, or are working with a designer, you might not need my guidelines. Rules may be made to be broken, but it takes a professional to know which rules to break. So, take my advice and just follow my guidelines without looking immediately to be the exception.

There are far more (and if you’ve been driving around looking at homes, you have to agree with me on this one) really ugly dark greys and taupes, as well as mismatched colours, on houses in your neighborhood and that’s what I’m trying to save the world from.

The minute you start thinking, “Should we roll the dice and be the exception to the guidelines?” is where you enter the danger zone where most likely, after all is said and done, you’ll look at your house and think, “I should have taken her advice.” It happens every day.

Should you choose more than three (body colour, trim and front door) colours for your house just because you can?

Should you paint your house dark charcoal because you love some pretty homes you’ve seen in magazines or on the web and you think your house could be the exception to the, “Dark neutrals date the fastest” rule?

Do you think you can ignore the earthy stone on your house and paint it white anyway because you don’t want an earthy colour palette?

I S Y O U R H O U S E T H E E X C E P T I O Nto the Guide l ine s in My Ma st e rCla s s?

You might ask...

And, Maria would say...



Choosing exterior colours is way more about getting contrast right than the exact replica of any particular shade.

A medium to dark grey can look bleak and sad on a house that doesn’t have a lot of opportunity for contrast with architectural features and elements, such as thick casings and porch railings. But take that same grey, pair it with lots of white trim and it will look like a totally different colour.

Therefore, instead of choosing a trim colour that’s simply a darker version of the body of the house colour, choose white or cream. You’ll create more contrast and your home will have a fresher look and feel.

And then you’ll be happy every time you drive up to your house!

B E N J A M I N M O R E andS H E R W I N - W I L L I A M S Colour s

G E T T I N G Y O U R E X T E R I O RColour s Right

My go-to list of exterior colours includes both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams colours to give you as many options as possible.

I’ve given you the colour equivalent to some colours where possible - if the colours aren’t listed side by side, this means there was no good colour match between the two paint lines and these are two different colours within the same undertone or colour category. For instance, SW 6251 Outerspace is not the colour match of BM 2128-30 Evening Dove but they are both charcoals with a blue undertone.



White andOff-White

The white farmhouse trend is going strong and houses everywhere are being painted stark white like this house below. Consider going with a softer white like off white, greige or cream for a softer look that is less trendy.

Most often, choosing the right white for your trim is a matter of finding the best match to your white, off white or cream windows.

True whites typically match standard white vinyl windows, but sometimes they are a grey white like BM Cloud Cover or SW Origami White. NEVER assume, ALWAYS test. You can compare these whites to your windows by placing paint chips of each white directly on the window frame to find the best match.

For exterior, off whites also read very bright and white and sometimes, if you want a softer trim colour, you can get away with using an off white for the trim even if your windows are true white.

Interior creams like BM Ivory White or SW Dover White will look more off-white in bright exterior light.

If you would like a soft white look for your exterior, you should also consider the palest greige colours in the green grey, taupe and violet grey categories as options.

BM CC-30 Oxford WhiteSW 7005 Pure White

U N D E R T O N E

7006 Extra White (true white)7005 Pure White (true white)7004 Snowbound (off white)7008 Alabaster (off white)6385 Dover White (creamy white)7636 Origami White (grey white)7637 Oyster White (grey white)

OC-68 Distant Gray (true white)CC-30 Oxford White (true white)OC-17 White Dove (off white)925/CC-130 Ivory White (creamy white)OC-25 Cloud Cover (grey white)OC-46 Halo (grey white)

Sherwin-Williams Benjamin Moore



Cream

The perfect cream for your exterior will be a couple shades deeper than one you would choose for your interior.

Pale green greys are the coolest creams, they often work well to create a fresh look with natural stone or concrete.

Pale green beige greige like BM Ballet White or SW Shoji White look like soft warm whites on exteriors. They can be combined with the fresh, light stone like pale limestone for a current look.

Pale green beiges like BM Manchester Tan and SW Wool Skein are versatile choices for a cream body or cream trim to work with earthy finishes.

Warm whites and creams work better for painting brick than whites or off whites which can look too stark.

If you are working to freshen pink beige stone or brick, consider a complex cream like BM Maritime White or SW Divine White to coordinate.

BM OC-9 Ballet WhiteSW 7042 Shoji White

U N D E R T O N E

7042 Shoji White (green beige complex cream)

6148 Wool Skein (pale green beige)

7036 Accessible Beige (pale green grey)

6105 Divine White (pink beige complex cream)

OC-9 Ballet White (green beige complex cream)

HC-81 Manchester Tan (pale green beige)

OC-14 Natural Cream (pale green grey)

OC-5 Maritime White (pink beige complex cream)




Charcoal and Black

Since the black and white trend is here, many people are drawn to the austere drama of a charcoal or black house. My advice is to tread lightly here. Dark neutrals always date and betray the trend they were chosen in faster than light neutrals.

And the vast majority of houses will not wear these darks well. They either need lots of pretty casings and moldings painted white for contrast and balance, or they need to be architecturally elegant and modern to pull it off. The average home will look heavy and drab in black or charcoal. However, if you do have the right house for a black or charcoal, here are some of the best ones.

BM 2124-10 Wrought Iron SW 7674 Peppercorn

U N D E R T O N E

7674 Peppercorn (charcoal)

7048 Urbane Bronze (warm brown charcoal)

6251 Outerspace (charcoal with blue undertone)

6258 Tricorn Black (black)

2124-10 Wrought Iron (charcoal)

2134-30 Iron Mountain (warm brown charcoal)

2128-30 Evening Dove (charcoal with blue undertone)

2133-10 Onyx (black)




U N D E R T O N E

7036 Accessible Beige (cream)1015 Skyline Steel7051 Analytical Gray7045 Intellectual Gray7640 Fawn Brindle7032 Warm Stone

OC-14 Natural Cream (cream)HC-172 Revere PewterAF 100 PashminaHC-108 Sandy Hook GrayHC-105 Rockport GrayHC-104 Copley Gray

Sherwin-Williams

Green Grey

These greys almost always look like a warm, neutral grey on an exterior. However, depending on the time of day, they may sometimes show a hint of green or even beige. The lightest green greys read like soft creams that are modern, because they are not too yellow. If you need a cream to work with your stone or brick, test SW Accessible Beige or BM Natural Cream.

If you are looking for the colour of natural limestone, or a trim colour to relate to the warm grey mortar on your brick home, use either BM Rockport Grey (SW Fawn Brindle) or BM Pashmina (SW Analytical Grey).

BM AF 100 PashminaSW 7051 Analytical Gray

Benjamin Moore



Blue Grey

Any blue grey colour will give your house the read of a muted blue rather than a grey exterior. Test these colours before you make a final choice, as some will look bluer than others. The best blue greys have a slight green tint which adds warmth so they don’t look like battleship grey.

BM HC 169 Coventry GraySW 7658 Gray Clouds

U N D E R T O N E

7654 Lattice7064 Passive7071 Gray Screen7658 Gray Clouds7760 Earl Gray

OC-52 Gray OwlPM-5 Cliffside Gray1605 Winter SolsticeHC-170 Stonington GrayHC-169 Coventry Gray




Violet Grey

If the blue greys or green greys don’t seem to be relating to your stone or pavers, there’s a good chance it’s a violet grey you need. It’s common for cultured stone to have violet grey undertones. Violet greys can look sophisticated for exteriors without the hint of beige often seen in green greys, or the cool battleship cast of blue greys.

U N D E R T O N E

7634 Pediment 7043 Worldly Gray7030 Anew Gray7018 Dovetail

2108-60 AbaloneOC28/859 Collingwood2108-50 Silver FoxCC-546 Metropolis


SHAKESSW 7030 Anew Gray

BM 2108-50 Silver Fox

TRIM + BRICKSW 7035 Aesthetic WhiteBM OC 24 Winds Breath



Taupe

These taupe colours will give you a house that looks like a modern greyed brown. It can sometimes be tricky to distinguish taupe undertones from violet grey ones. Taupes tend to look warmer and more beige, while the violet greys are cooler. Many cultured stone blends will have both undertones present, so you will need to test both.

To see what Fairview Taupe looks like, view this blog post.

BM 984 Stone Hearth SW 7037 Balanced Beige

U N D E R T O N E

7570 Egret White 7037 Balanced Beige 7038 Tony Taupe 7039 Virtual Taupe 7040 Smokehouse

OC-20 Pale Oak984 Stone Hearth HC-87 Ashley GrayHC-86 Kingsport GrayHC-85 Fairview Taupe


http://www.mariakillam.com/can-you-mix-brick-stone-on-your-exterior/



Green Beige

The perfect cream for your exterior (below) is SW Wool Skein or BM Manchester Tan. These two colours read cream without being yellow on an exterior (for even less yellow creams, see pale green greys).

These exterior creams and green beiges work well as trim colours on exteriors with earthy brick or stone. “Almond” or “Wicker”windows and gutters are often a match for BM Grant Beige.

They can also be good choices for the body of your house if you are looking for a fresher look with earthy brick or stone. Pale green beige creams can be used on both the body and trim for a current, fresh monochromatic look.

Choosing a cream to coordinate with other colours is a balance of contrasts.

SW 6148 Wool SkeinBM HC 81 Manchester Tan

U N D E R T O N E

6148 Wool Skein (cream)7532 Urban Putty 7528 Windsor Greige

HC-81 Manchester Tan (cream)HC-83 Grant Beige HC-82 Bennington Gray




Pink Beige (Tan)

Often you can use a pale green beige or a green grey (cream) on a house with pink beige undertones in the fixed elements, but sometimes, you will need a tan, or pale pink beige to coordinate perfectly.

SW Divine White and BM Maritime White look like warm creamy whites on an exterior and are useful to create fresher contrast with trim on an earthy colour scheme with pink undertones. SW Patience and BM Muslin are pale pink beiges that will read like warm cream on an exterior for softer contrast.

If you need a traditional warm tan to coordinate with pink beige stone or brick, test the deeper pink beiges listed here.

BM Shaker Beige HC 45SW 6016 Kilim Beige

U N D E R T O N E

6105 Divine White (creamy warm white)7555 Patience (Cream with subtle pink undertone)

6106 Kilim Beige2855 Sycamore Tan

OC-5 Maritime White (creamy warm white)

CC-110 Muslin (Cream with subtle pink undertone)

HC-45 Shaker BeigeHC-77 Alexandria Beige




Orange Beige

Choose from these colours if your earthy brick or stone currently has orange beige undertones or if you have a Mediterranean style home. If pink beiges look too pink with your stone, and yellow beige too yellow, it’s likely an orange beige that you need. This is not a common undertone for exteriors, but it is sometimes the answer. A pale orange beige looks fresh and creamy here with orange-toned wood.

BM CC-248/957 Papaya SW 7716 Croissant

U N D E R T O N E

7716 Croissant6129 Restrained Gold 6130 Mannered Gold

957/CC-248 Papaya1102/CC-410 Boardwalk HC-41 Richmond Gold




Yellow Beige& Gold Beige (dark yellow beige)

Yellow beiges work well if you need a historical cream, or a muted yellow. Like orange beige, they are not the most current exterior category of colours, but they still work well for Mediterranean exteriors.

Gold beiges are not very current, but they can be useful for creating a historical look.

BM HC-26 Monroe BisqueSW 7696 Toasted Pine Nut

U N D E R T O N E

7698 Straw Harvest 7691 Biltmore Buff 7696 Toasted Pine Nut GOLD BEIGE 7693 Stonebriar 7697 Safari 6122 Camelback

270/CC-290 Straw Hat HC-29 Dunmore Cream HC-26 Monroe Bisque HC-35 Powell Buff GOLD BEIGE HC-34 Wilmington TanHC-28 Shelburne BuffHC-38 Decatur Buff




Blue/Green Grey

Blue green greys are always classic if you want a fresh look that is not too cool or grey. They have a watery look with a bit more colour than other neutrals. Blue green greys always look classic and work well on coastal and beach houses in particular. They look freshest contrasted with lots of crisp white trim.

BM HC-164 Puritan GraySW 7660 Earl Gray

U N D E R T O N E

6170 Techno7652 Mineral Deposit7660 Earl Gray7059 Unusual Gray7060 Attitude Gray

2141-50 Horizon GrayHC-165 Boothbay GrayHC-164 Puritan GrayHC-163 Duxbury Gray




Muted SageGreen

Sage greens have always been a classic choice for exteriors because they relate well to natural surroundings. Sage is a good choice if you would like a bit more colour than a neutral green beige or green grey. They can be paired with warm white or cream trim for a classic look.

BM HC 111 Nantucket Gray

U N D E R T O N E

6178 Clary Sage7546 Prairie Grass6164 Svelte Sage

HC-114 Saybrook SageHC-102 Clarksville GrayHC-111 Nantucket Gray




Navy Blue

Navy exteriors are dramatic and tend to be happier and less dreary than charcoal. They need ample wide white casings to look fresh. The best navy colours for exteriors are a bit muted or greyed. You may even consider a charcoal with a blue undertone from the black and charcoal list to get the effect you want.

BM HC 154 Hale Navy

U N D E R T O N E

6244 Naval7075 Web Gray

HC-155 Newburyport BlueHC-154 Hale Navy2126-30 Anchor Gray




Muted Blueand Blue Green

U N D E R T O N E

6227 Meditative6205 Comfort Gray6206 Oyster Bay6213 Halcyon Green7616 Breezy9132 Acacia Haze

OC-818 Early MorningAF 490 TranquilityCC-680 RaindanceHC-142 Stratton Blue1565/CC-710 Mount Saint Anne1567/CC-720 Night Train


If you would like some colour on your exterior, muted blues and blue greens are a popular choice with longevity. They can work well in most neighborhoods, and are especially popular for cottages and beach houses. Getting them right can be tricky, so here’s a list of tried and true colours to consider.

SIDINGBM CC 818 Early Morning

SW 6227 MeditativeTRIM

BM OC 17 White Dove



Front Doors

My favourite front door colour is the one that looks the best on your home and flows with your interior and exterior decor.

Follow the guidelines in my colour training to discover your custom colour and check out my Pinterest board called Front Door Colours for inspiration. Also, this post has some of my favorite front door colours.

BM 2058-30 Deep Ocean SW 6502 Loch Blue

http://www.pinterest.com/mariakillam/front-door-colours/https://mariakillam.com/ten-best-front-door-colours-for-your-house/https://mariakillam.com/ten-best-front-door-colours-for-your-house/



T E S T I N G E X T E R I O R C O L O U R S

When you’re painting your exterior, this step CANNOT be skipped, even with my go-to exterior colours. There are so many factors that affect the way paint colour looks on exteriors, the biggest one being the final combination of colours chosen.

Make sure you test colours on a white surface or board so you don’t end up visually comparing your new colour to the current one. If you’re painting a new colour over your existing siding, add a strip of white paint around the edges of the new test paint area.

The bigger the test area, the better. Choose a spot between two windows so the colour ends up on both sides and it’s easier to see. This will make it easier for you to see how the new colour will really look, rather than if you just paint an area in the middle of a large expanse of siding where there’s lots of old colour influencing how the new colour looks.

If you are still unsure what the best colour scheme would be or are interested in validation that you are making the correct decisions for your exterior, go here to see the full range of eDesign consultations we offer to get Maria’s direct advice for your exterior. You can consult on any single selection and it’s usually best to get an overall perfectly coordinated plan with one of the comprehensive packages.
https://www.mariakillam.com/shop/#interior-solutionshttps://www.mariakillam.com/shop/#interior-solutions

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Maria Killam’s GO-TO LIST OF EXTERIOR COLOURS · 2020. 4. 14. · For exterior, off whites also...

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