How to Pick Colors for Your Home’s Exterior

March 19th, 2025

Are you looking to shake things up this summer with a new color scheme? Knowing where to begin can be difficult. If you are looking to break away from your current color scheme, then this article is for you.

Pick Colors not a color 

Sometimes I see my clients get bogged down with trying to find the perfect color without considering other areas of their home. You need to be thinking about the 3 main areas of your home’s exterior. Those are the body (your primary color), trim and accent. Of course decks and patios are also included in many homes in Steamboat, but I find those are a little easier to choose once we choose the main scheme for your home. 

The good news about Steamboat is that many of us are fortunate enough to not have an HOA that dictates our colors. Color of course is subjective so this piece is not going to be about my favorites, but it will give you pro tips on putting together a scheme that fits your style. 

Bold exterior repaint from last summer going with a darker trim color to make a statement.

First let’s talk about choosing a body color. 

Are you looking for inspiration from the surrounding environment? Think earth tones, soil, the lush forests that surround us, the earthen stone in our area. If you are wanting to blend into nature instead of stand out from nature I recommend medium toned browns, sage greens, clay like tones for your body. 

Are you trying to stand out against nature? Are you inspired by modernism, and stark contrasts? Then think about white’s, black’s, red’s, blue’s. All those things are sure to pop and stand out from the environment. 

Trim and Accent should contrast your body color. 

In this example of an exterior I painted last year you can see that the body color being a bright almost barn red is contrasted with white trim and black accents. What I loved about this scheme is that it makes the body pop and stick in your mind while the stark contrasts (white and black) both provide a clean modern look. I loved that because you get almost more of a rustic farm style with the red, but with a modern flavor with the accent and trim. 

Use Virtual Tools like the Sherwin Williams Paint Color Visualizer 

Once you have a broad color scheme in mind, this is an excellent tool to just get a ball park idea. It will only work with Sherwin-Williams colors so if you have colors from other paint suppliers it won’t work. This allows you to upload a photo of the exterior of your home and then it renders what the Sherwin Williams color will look like. It’s not going to give you a perfect representation, but it will help to narrow down your color scheme. 

Sample, Sample, Sample 

Now that you have a solid idea for what you want your color scheme to look like, it’s time to sample! Every major paint supplier like our local Sherwin Williams store will offer small (usually quart sized) sample paints that you can test the color on your home. I always tell my clients that real paint is going to be the best representation of color on the exterior of your home. That way you can see how it looks in different shades of light. 

When it comes to paint sheen (how shiny the paint is), which I wrote an article about, most paint samples come in one sheen which is Satin. Honestly, Satin is what you want for the exterior of your home. Satin has a little bit of shine which allows for more protection from our intense sun and extreme winters. This is good because it prevents your exterior paint job from fading. However, for masonry, stucco and concrete I do recommend a flat paint. 

The reason I bring up paint sheen is that sheen will alter the color a little bit. Flat paints (the most dull/least shiny) tend to provide an almost chalky luster to them, which is fine for masonry and stucco but on siding it will show dirt and fade faster. 

Sample with the actual paint you intend to use.

This might sound weird, but color can be slightly altered between paint brands. Sample paint can be slightly different from the real thing. Once you have applied the sample paint, just buy a little bit of the actual for your project, maybe a gallon of each - body, trim and accent and apply that. You’ll need way more if you are painting the exterior but one last test to give yourself peace of mind is worth it. 

If for whatever reason the color from the actual paint doesn’t quite look right to you, the stores can adjust the color. Sherwin Williams is really good at this and they’ll save the color on your file and label it so that way there’s a consistent record. 

Nothing is worse than buying 15 or more gallons of paint that don’t quite meet your expectations. Starting small and planning out your project goes a really long way in saving you time, money and your sanity. 

Summary 

Picking the perfect color for your home’s exterior doesn’t have to be tough. It’s all about looking at the complete vision for your project and figuring out your style and how to apply that. Furthermore, give yourself time to plan your project. If you can help it, don’t wait for one weekend or rush into the paint store on a Friday to choose your colors because the painters are coming Saturday. Your home is precious so take the time to sample what you like and see your colors applied to your actual space. 

Extra Pro tip if you are really stuck on choosing a color scheme - take advantage of Sherwin Williams Free Color Consultation 

I know I’ve mentioned Sherwin Williams a lot, don’t worry this isn’t an ad for them, but they are my primary paint supplier so I know a few things about them and the color consultation service is free and allows you to meet with a real person via zoom and they’ll put together schemes for you. The store staff in Steamboat is excellent too, Ever and Josiah the store managers are personable and they’ll make sure you are on the right path. 

Or you can hire me to paint your home, I have openings for Summer 2025!

Just call 970-819-9441