If you’ve ever stood in front of a wall of paint chips at Sherwin Williams and thought, “Well, this is how I die,” then you know the struggle of picking the perfect paint. Selecting an exterior paint color scheme feels high stakes because, unlike an accent pillow, it’s not something you can just swap out if you hate it. And when you’re weighing a few completely different directions? It’s… a lot.
Right now, we’re deep in the thick of it with our own house. Below is how our house currently looks:
It’s not terrible, but after remodeling a lot of the inside, the outside feels like it’s giving, “ugliest house on the block” energy. Though now I’m realizing that I never did a blog post on the minor exterior updates that we did do… I guess more on that soon 😉 (because you will want to see what it looked like before these update).
Anyways, we’ve narrowed it down to a few directions in colors and even had renderings done (because apparently, I like stress and indecision).
The Options We’re Debating:
1. Crisp White with Bold Red Trim
I saw this photo on Pinterest and was instantly obsessed. This one somehow feels classic but with a little personality punch and is definitely a little out-of-the-box. I used Sherwin Williams Greek Villa for the main exterior and their Sun Dried Tomato for the trim. It’s fresh, timeless, and a little bit “farmhouse in France.” (And I should also say that any direction we go in, we are definitely planning on adding a larger profile trim to the doors & windows.)
2. Sea Blue with White Trim
Moody, sophisticated, and looks incredible with lush landscaping. Think the inspiration photo below:
I did a rendering with Sherwin Williams Mediterranean for the body and Greek Villa on the trim, and it’s definitely giving “cozy & cool” energy.
3. Soft Sage Green with Matching Trim
This one is softer, more relaxed, and plays nicely with all the trees around our house. Sage is having a major moment, but it’s also a color that will age well. I used Sherwin Williams’ Acacia Haze for the rendering below. I went with a full color drenching of the shade.
How We’re Deciding
When you’re stuck between options, here’s what I’ve learned (aka what’s keeping me from throwing a dart at the paint deck):
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Look at your roof color.
Your roof has to work with your new paint color. When we replaced the roof last year I went with a neutral brown palette, so we can get away with pretty much anything. But if yours leans red, green, or grey, you’ll want to test how the undertones play together. -
Factor in landscaping.
If you’re surrounded by trees or flowers, the colors you pick will be constantly reflecting off your house. Navy pops beautifully against greenery, while white looks fresh year-round. -
Think about curb appeal vs. personal style.
Do you want to play it safe for resale or go bold because it makes you happy every time you pull into the driveway? We’re leaning toward the latter because we don’t want to blend in with every beige house on the block (we are literally sitting between two light grey houses with white trim, so definitely want to avoid anything “basic”). -
Test it on a big scale.
Don’t just look at paint chips. Get samples, paint large swatches, and look at them at different times of day. Sunlight can completely change how a color reads.
Where We’re Leaning
Honestly? It’s still a toss-up. The Greek Villa + Sun Dried Tomato scheme makes my heart skip a beat, but I don’t think my house can pull it off full scale. Then there’s the navy that is so rich and the sage feels effortlessly charming. The renderings have been a lifesaver for visualizing each option, but now I’m dying to know:
Which one would you choose?
Drop your pick in the comments, I could use all the help I can get!
If you’re picking colors for your own home exterior and want some inspiration check out my post on 15 Green Paint Colors Designers Are Loving next. And thank you for being here… your feedback and ideas make these projects so much better!
