9 Neutral Color Palette Ideas for Your Home Exterior
By: Hannah Warne
While popular paint colors come and go, one combination never goes out of style: a neutral color palette. Choosing from a mix of white, beige, brown, black, or gray ensures that your home exterior will be equal parts timeless and modern — even as exterior design fads change.
Read on to discover our favorite neutral color palettes that will instantly elevate your home exterior.
Looking to find your perfect color palette? Our team can help you identify your style and choose the ideal paint colors for your home’s texture and style. Using our design expertise, we’ll help you select shades that enhance your home’s architectural details to deliver unmatched curb appeal. Learn more about our virtual exterior design services.
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What is a neutral color palette?
Neutral colors are those that are muted or have little color. The most common neutral shades include white, gray, beige, black, and taupe. While neutral colors may seem simple, there are many variations with different undertones and saturation that make them the ideal option for home exterior designs. You can also mix and match different neutral colors to create a sophisticated and timeless color palette that transforms the look of your home.
#1 // Swiss Coffee & Black Beauty
Swiss Coffee and Black Beauty, both by Benjamin Moore, are a match made in heaven. This high-contrast duo creates a visually interesting color palette by incorporating shades on opposite ends of the neutral spectrum.
Swiss Coffee is an airy, off-white shade with warm undertones. The creamy hue has a slightly yellow tint that creates a vintage feel, making it ideal for more traditional-style homes like colonials.
Black Beauty, on the other hand, is a near-black shade that is a bolder approach to neutrals. Like Swiss Coffee, this shade has a hint of warmth, making it a rich and welcoming alternative to stark black hues. When paired together, this palette creates a timeless look that elevates any exterior — and also pairs effortlessly with other architectural accents like stone, wood, or brick.
#2 // Drift of Mist & Mountain Peak White
Drift of Mist by Sherwin Williams and Mountain Peak White by Benjamin Moore combine to create a tonal, neutral palette that instantly brightens up any exterior. Drift of Mist is an inviting greige hue that walks the line between gray and beige, creating a versatile neutral that coordinates with nearly any other shade.
Mountain Peak White is an off-white shade with creamy undertones that perfectly pairs with Drift of Mist. When used together, they offer a monochromatic color palette that complements all architectural styles.
#3 // Wool Skein & Bear Creek
Sherwin Williams’ Wool Skein and Benjamin Moore’s Bear Creek are a neutral duo that delivers unmatched warmth. Wool Skein is a muted shade that falls somewhere between tan and beige and is suitable across textures, from brick to stone to stucco.
With an LRV of just over 16, Bear Creek by Benjamin Moore is a smoky brown hue that is ideal as an accent for windows, trim, or doors. This darker shade — though not too dark — effortlessly offsets the richness of Wool Skein, creating a warm neutral color palette that will never go out of style.
#4 // Nuance, Accessible Beige & Intellectual Gray
The trio of Nuance, Accessible Beige, and Intellectual Gray by Sherwin Williams is ideal for those who are undecided on their neutral color palette. These versatile shades seamlessly blend to create a dynamic neutral exterior.
Sherwin Williams’ Nuance is a beautiful white shade with cool, green undertones. This gives the hue an earthy feel and creates a cozy ambiance — as opposed to a true, stark white. Sherwin Williams’ Accessible Beige has gray undertones that pair perfectly with off-white shades like Nuance. With an LRV of 58, it also strikes a middle ground between light and dark. This versatile middle tone works well as an accent or primary color, depending on your palette.
Sherwin Williams’ Intellectual Gray is the final piece to this neutral palette. A moody gray with warm undertones, it’s a similar hue to Accessible Beige but with added saturation. These similarities make them an obvious pairing for a dynamic and monochromatic neutral color palette.
#5 // Urbane Bronze & Natural Choice
There’s a reason Sherwin Williams’ Urbane Bronze was named their 2021 color of the year. This warm greige has unbeatable depth and dimension. With an LRV of 8, it’s an earthy and unexpected alternative to other dark shades like charcoal or black.
The cool, creamy undertones of Sherwin Williams’ Natural Choice offset the dark moodiness of Urbane Bronze. Adding this welcoming off-white to your neutral color palette lightens things up to create a modern, high-contrast finish for your exterior.
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.
#6 // White Dove & Iron Ore
There’s no neutral color combo more classic than black and white. That traditional duo gets a modern twist with White Dove by Benjamin Moore and Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams.
White Dove is always on our short list of favorite white paint colors for home exteriors. This neutral white doesn’t have obvious undertones, allowing it to easily pair with colors across the spectrum. Just as beautiful on brick or stucco as it is on siding or soffits, White Dove is nearly unmatched in its versatility, allowing it to work well in both neutral and bold color palettes.
For a modern-yet-timeless feel, consider matching White Dove with Iron Ore. Though this hue may appear black to the naked eye, it’s a charcoal shade with brown undertones. This mix gives it a softer feel than black, creating a bold and stylish overall exterior — especially when paired with light, bright shades like White Dove.
#7 // Bracken Slate, Seapearl & Urbane Bronze
While brown, cream, and beige are commonly used neutral hues, charcoal is a bolder alternative within the neutral color palette. If you want something deeper, consider the classic Bracken Slate by Benjamin Moore. Crafted using only black and white pigment, this true charcoal will never go out of style.
While Bracken Slate’s versatility allows you to mix and match other hues to find the perfect palette, we love it when paired with Seapearl by Benjamin Moore. This creamy off-white has gray undertones that complement Bracken Slate while adding dimension.
Urbane Bronze adds an even deeper hue to infuse the palette with a bit of warmth and round out this high-contrast trio.
#8 // Desert Twilight & Shoji White
For those looking for an earthy, organic color combo, look no further than Desert Twilight by Benjamin Moore and Shoji White by Sherwin Williams. Desert Twilight is a beautiful, mid-toned color that is a unique mix of olive green, gray, and brown. The result is an ever-changing exterior that has a modern and earthy feel.
To complement this chameleon-like shade, we recommend Shoji White, one of our favorite warm whites. This color is an off-white, creamy choice that brightens and adds warmth. It also has a subtle hint of green undertones, ensuring it complements the green in Desert Twilight.
#9 // Agreeable Gray & Greek Villa
Agreeable Gray and Greek Villa by Sherwin Willaims is the perfect pairing to create a more monochromatic neutral color palette. Agreeable Gray is one of our favorite neutral hues for any texture and home style. From stucco to siding, this light greige hue with subtle green undertones easily transforms any exterior type and offers a sleek, modern upgrade.
Greek Villa is a timeless white hue that is bright, but not too stark. Its yellow undertone helps to warm up the cool green undertones of Agreeable Gray, creating a balanced and beautiful palette.
Transform your exterior with your favorite neutral color palette
Whether you want a warm neutral color palette, a monochromatic look, or prefer something higher contrast, there is a neutral color palette out there that can bring your vision to life. Mix and match your favorite hues from white to brown to gray to nearly black to develop a dynamic and timeless combination that is just right for your home.
With brick&batten, it’s easy to transform your entire home or business exterior in just a few steps. With our virtual exterior design services, our expert team will help you visualize a unique color palette — along with finishes and other design elements — to make your dream home a reality. Once complete, you’ll receive a customized guide with all the details you need to make the design a reality. Get started on your project today!
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