16 BEST Paint Colors for Your Home’s Exterior in 2020
By: Cassie McDowell
At brick&batten we have curated 16 of the best paint colors for your home’s exterior in 2020. Painting your home’s exterior can be quite a task… but if done correctly it can elevate your curb appeal without cutting into walls or backing a huge dumpster into your driveway for months! What I mean by done correctly is finding the perfect color and a reputable contractor to get the work done!
In 2020, we are moving toward more earthy shades and moving away from the lighter muddy gray exterior. Whether you’re going light or going dark, we have the shades for you!
No. 1// Seapearl by Benjamin Moore
Seapearl has been a long standing favorite of ours, even making our 6 show stopping whites list earlier this year. It truly is a warm gorgeous white that is a perfect backdrop for aged copper lighting or a more modern design.
No. 2// Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore
Hale Navy is a newer favorite of our designers. It’s not as dark as black but gives off a soft dramatic feeling. Without much of an undertone, Hale Navy is easy to use and always delivers. Some are saying navy is the new neutral…
No. 3// Iron Mountain by Benjamin Moore
Another beautiful dark color is Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore. We have used it as a house color, as well as trim, doors, and shutters. This seems to be the perfect charcoal gray with just a very slight brown undertone. Adding white trim and Iron Mountain is virtually unstoppable. It speaks for itself!
No. 4// Barren Plain by Benjamin Moore
Are you looking for the perfect color to blend with muted stone? If so, Barren Plain is the answer. With the rooted brown base, it seems to be an excellent warm gray that gives off a classic and clean vibe.
No. 5// Bracken Slate by Benjamin Moore
We are loving Bracken Slate by Benjamin Moore. With a blue green undertone, Bracken Slate evokes a feeling of happiness and more dynamic a typical black. We see this color often on houses with a Nantucket beach feel. Looking beautiful with white trim and wood accents Bracken Slate is another go-to dark in our color pallet.
No. 6// Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore
Slightly lighter, Wrought Iron is a deep, dark, soft, gray. If you aren’t fully committed to black, Wrought Iron is a great choice. It still adds drama and interest but isn’t as deep as other shades. Great for trim, doors, and often used on the popular modern farmhouses. With Wrought Iron, you can’t go wrong.
No. 7// Accessible Beige by Sherwin Williams
When you think of earthy, think of Accessible Beige. I took the plunge this year and painted my home’s brick. After testing numerous colors, we landed on Accessible Beige because of its warmth and beauty with natural wood.
No. 8// Gray Huskie by Benjamin Moore
Another beauty! Gray Huskie looks darker on the paint chip, as do most colors, than it will on your home’s exterior. It is a wonderful gray with a slight blue/ green undertone. It’s not a cool color but works in different environments. It pairs nicely with Onyx shutters or door and white trim.
No. 9// Onyx by Benjamin Moore
Onyx is a wonderful warm black with a slight brown undertone. It works well as an accent color on a door or shutters. It is hugely popular right now because of its ability to stay soft without turning stark looking.
No. 10// Simply White by Benjamin Moore
Don’t let the name Simply White trick you into thinking whites are simple. Whites are probably the trickiest color to use on your home’s exterior because of their reflective properties. That said, Simply White is a warm shade. It looks white, but when compared to a white piece of paper, it gives off an off-white hue. Beautiful and classic looking.
We always recommend sampling and testing paint colors before committing. Factors such as natural lighting, undertones, and your property’s fixed elements will have a significant impact on how a color will appear on your exterior. Our friends at Samplize offer extra-large 9 x 14.75 inch peel-and-stick paint samples of the colors we love for exteriors. Order your ‘Real Paint, No Mess’ samples from Samplize here.
No. 11// White Dove by Benjamin Moore
Often used on modern farmhouses, White Dove has become extremely popular. With a hint of warm gray, it’s a tad brighter than Sea Pearl. It gives off a cozy feeling without reading stark or cold.
No. 12// Cape May Cobblestone by Benjamin Moore
Cape May Cobblestone is a classic, elegant gray with a warm undertone. When you’re feeling like you’re not sure which way to turn, Cape May Cobblestone is always a great place to start testing because it’s considered a rather neutral shade. In my experience, Cape May works well in direct sunlight and appears darker in areas of low sun.
No. 13// Silver Chain by Benjamin Moore
Gray paint can be tricky, just like whites, because of the undertones. With blue, green, taupe, and violet undertones, finding the perfect gray is a challenge. That said, Silver Chain is a gray we have found that doesn’t stray too much from the color it represents. I haven’t seen it read blue or purple. It’s just a nice gray.
No. 14// Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams
Repose Gray is a light medium gray that doesn’t read brown or muddy. When testing Repose myself, I noticed a variety of undertones at different points in the day. That said, Repose Gray is reflective and does have a tendency to pick up shades around it. As the paint began to dry I saw a very light purple undertone shine through but more often I see a slight soft green cast.
No. 15// Olympic Mountains by Benjamin Moore
Olympic Mountains by Benjamin Moore is a brighter beige with some gray undertones. It’s light, warm, and fresh and because of this could be used on your whole house, inside and outside.
No. 16// Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore
One of our favorite and more reliable gray paint colors is Kendall Charcoal. It’s neutral shade mixes well with stone or dark brown. On the warm side, Kendall Charcoal won’t read blue; therefore, you can’t go wrong using it time and time again on just about any house exterior or style.
Overall, as I finish my thoughts on 2020 best paint colors for your home’s exterior, I’m reminded of that White Snake song, Here I go again on my own… going down the only road I’ve ever known. As a drifter I was born to walk alone. I ain’t wasting no more time…. Quit feeling like you’re in this alone. Stop drifting around your local hardware store waiting for a color to jump off the shelf. You’re wasting time! Let our designers partner with you on a home design to find the perfect paint color for your home’s architecture and your personal style.
I’m ready to GET INSPIRED
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