8 Dark Color Palette Ideas for Your Home’s Exterior

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While white, light gray, and beige are classic colors for home exteriors, a light and bright palette isn’t the only solution. For a distinguished, moody look, consider using a dark color palette for your exterior instead. From true navy to black to charcoal gray, the options are nearly endless. 

Discover our favorite dark paint color combinations that lend your home a refined, eye-catching finish. 

If you’re interested in a dark color palette, the experts at brick&batten are here to help. Our team of designers will help you identify the perfect moody shades for your exterior to level up your curb appeal and completely transform your home. Learn more about our virtual exterior design services.

Our designers only use and recommend products that we know, love, or would use on our own properties. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission, at no cost to you.

Two-story home with a gray and black exterior accented by natural stone

#1 // Cheating Heart + Blacktop

Cheating Heart by Benjamin Moore is a dark, complex shade. The charcoal hue has cool blue undertones, so it appears black, gray, or navy depending on the light. This timeless color is suitable for all home styles and textures, and it can be used as a base or accent color for unmatched versatility.

Thanks to its cool undertones, Benjamin Moore’s Blacktop is the perfect pairing for Cheating Heart. This sleek, black shade serves as a complementary accent color for doors, shutters, or window frames and offsets Cheating Heart’s moody, chameleon-like effect.

Singled home in a dark color palette of gray and black with wood accents

#2 // Deep River + Tricorn Black

A deeply saturated gray with green undertones, Deep River by Benjamin Moore is a unique hue for any home’s exterior. Inspired by powerful jungle rivers, this shade looks different depending on the light — appearing greener in soft morning light, more beige in direct light, and almost black in ambient light — for a transformative effect that makes your home’s exterior truly distinct. 

Tricorn Black by Sherwin Williams is a neutral shade that works with Deep River at any time of day. Perfect for drawing attention to architectural details, Tricorn Black is one of the most popular hues for black houses on the market thanks to its timelessness and versatility. When paired with Deep River, it creates a tonal combination that will never go out of style.

Brick, three-story home with gray siding and black accents

#3 // Iron Ore + Black Beauty

Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams is the best shade for those who love the look of black but want something a touch softer. This stormy shade is wonderfully dark — with a light reflectance value of only 6 — and is a true charcoal. While it infuses your exteriors with a sense of drama, it also helps showcase your home’s diverse textures from siding to brick to stucco. 

To enhance this decidedly moody shade, pair Iron Ore with Black Beauty by Benjamin Moore. This true black shade helps offset the slight softness of Iron Ore to create a chic, monochromatic color palette. Though the two shades are very similar, the slight variation offers your exterior extra depth and dimension.

Navy blue home with dark gray shutters and wooden accents

#4 // Blue Note + Urbane Bronze

For those who love color but want a more understated look, Blue Note by Benjamin Moore is the answer. This dark, moody hue is a light black shade with prominent navy undertones. The combination creates a rich, luxurious feel for your exterior. When paired with the brownish-gray hue of Sherwin Williams’ Urbane Bronze, Blue Note takes on an even more navy appearance, creating a strikingly dark color palette that adds sophisticated curb appeal to any home.

Charcoal gray home with black and wood accents

#5 // Raccoon Fur + Tricorn Black

If you want a less stark alternative to true black, Benjamin Moore’s Raccoon Fur is a stylish option. This slightly lighter shade of black features a hint of violet and effortlessly complements all exterior finishes like wood, stone, or even brick. 

In this design, Tricorn Black helps enhance Racoon Fur’s violet undertones, creating a wonderfully dark color palette that results in a stylish monochromatic color scheme for your home’s exterior. This pairing creates a luxe look that won’t go out of style any time soon.

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.

Single-story home with olive siding and dark charcoal accents

#6 // Aegean Olive + Black Beauty

Aegean Olive by Benjamin Moore is an earthy green that’s so striking, it made our list of best exterior house colors for 2022. The warm, deep shade is a green-brown hue that works well in rustic environments surrounded by trees and greenery. It’s a beautiful base for those who prefer a dark palette but want to stray away from using too much black.

To offset the warm hues in Aegean Olive, a near-black shade is the ideal accent. Black Beauty is a dramatic and dynamic color that complements the warmth of olive green. It also pairs well with natural stone, red or painted brick, and warm wood finishes, offering a versatile accent color for any style exterior.

Single-story gray home with black and wood accents

#7 // Kendall Charcoal + Black Jack

Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore is a versatile neutral — but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in depth and drama. In direct light, this gray shade appears like a dark greige. In ambient light, however, it reads as true, deep charcoal. 

While Kendall Charcoal pairs well with colors featuring both warm and cool undertones, we love it paired with Benjamin Moore’s Black Jack. This classic color is a dark, off-black that lends your home an edgy, modern feel. Especially when paired with eye-catching Kendall Charcoal, it creates a statement-making exterior design.

Single-story home painted a greenish brown color with dark charcoal gray accents

#8 // Deep Creek + Black

For those who prefer darker hues but want to avoid too much black, Deep Creek by Benjamin Moore is the obvious choice. This medium brown hue has green undertones, resulting in a color that changes throughout the day. It may look green in soft morning light. However, in direct and ambient sunlight, it has a rich brown hue to offer your exterior added versatility.

When paired with classic Black by Benjamin Moore, the result is a beautifully contrasting, dark color palette. Black doesn’t compete with Deep Creek’s undertones. Instead, it enhances them to create a complementary combination that will stand the test of time.

Home with a dark, monochromatic color scheme featuring gray, charcoal, and black

The perfect dark color palettes

These striking color combinations are the inspiration you need to take your home to the dark side. Whether you prefer a black and gray monochromatic look or want an earthy green or brown shade, the right dark color palette will instantly transform your home into one of the most eye-catching in your neighborhood.

brick&batten makes it simple to transform your home using the perfect color palette. After consulting with our team, you’ll receive your customized design deliverable that has all the details you need to update your exterior and turn it into your dream home. Get started with our Paint Visualizer to find the perfect shade for your home!

Author

Hannah is an experienced copywriter, journalist, and content writer who loves bringing brands to life. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from Boston University, Hannah spent a decade in New York City honing her skills by working on in-house creative teams for global brands like Estee Lauder, Douglas Elliman, Tiffany & Co., and Groupon. She also partners with small businesses across industries — from interior design to real estate to tech — to help bring their brands to life through print and digital content. Hannah recently relocated back to the greater Boston area, where she loves exploring the city’s different neighborhoods by way of new restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries.