When it comes to painting the exterior of your house, there are many factors to consider. Choosing the correct color combinations is one of the most important ones.
Not all colors go well together, and choosing the wrong colors for your house could make it look unflattering.
When it comes to painting the exterior of your house gray, there are many great colors to use for your trim, including white, black, gray, or browns/earthy colors. The most popular combination involves using dark and light grays with white for the trim.
What it really comes down to, however, is what overall look you’re trying to achieve and the setting of your house. You’ll want to choose colors that work well with the natural lighting on your house, and that blends in well with your surrounding areas.
I’ll talk about these factors in detail in this article.
Understanding the Exterior of Your House
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Your exterior consists of two main parts, and it’s important to know what these are when it comes to planning the color scheme for your trim and other areas. First, there are the larger parts of your exterior called the body of the house.
Then, you get your trim which is the edging on the windows and doors.
When it comes to choosing a color scheme, you’ll also need to consider the accent color. These colors compliment the colors of the body of the house and the trim. They accentuate certain design aspects.
These accent colors also add dimension to your house and prevent it from looking flat.
Breaking Down the Exterior to Choose the Right Colors
There are a few different parts to consider when it comes to picking the right color scheme.
Every detail matters, no matter how small. Let’s take a look at all the parts to consider when choosing the right colors for the exterior of your house. These will differ, and you may not have all of these details.
Roof color
It doesn’t help if you revamp the exterior paint of your house, but your roof is left untouched. Unless the roof paint or tiles are in great condition if not, it’s a good idea to do a repaint if you want to make your exterior look beautiful.
You’ll want to coordinate the color of your roof with the colors you choose for the body of the house and the trim.
Gutters
Most gutters nowadays are PVC and come in standard white. While these usually blend really well with different color schemes, they can be changed to suit your overall scheme better. You can install dark brown or black gutters, for example.
Driveway
You’ll need to consider the color of the brick or paving used for your driveway when you choose your color scheme. Concrete paving tends to go better with different colors and requires less specific color combinations.
Railings or Columns
If your house has railings or columns, you’ll need to take these into consideration as well. These are usually painted to match the color of the trim. White is a popular color for columns in houses that are painted gray.
How to Choose the Right Trim Color
If you’re going to spend time and money on painting the trim of your house, you’ll want to put some thought into it. Choosing the wrong color could make your house look less flattering. There’s a rule of thumb when it comes to selecting the right colors.
If the body of your house is painted a darker color, you’ll want to aim for a lighter color for the trim. If your house is a lighter color, you’ll want to go with a color that is slightly darker.
For example, for a white exterior, you could choose a darker color for trim, such as grey.
How to Choose Accent Colors for Your Exterior
Accent colors can really make the exterior of your home stand out. You can choose accent colors according to the style you want to achieve. If you’re aiming for a modern look, you’ll want to go with grays or classics like white and beige.
For more relaxing and down-to-earth looks, you’ll want to go for your earthy colors like olive greens and your ochre colors. For a beach-style look, you can use blue accents with white as the main color.
Another popular choice is a monochromatic style when you choose to use dark colors for the body of the house and another dark color for the trim. It’s all about choosing the same hue with different light values or shade values.
When it comes to choosing accent colors, you can also choose contrasting colors, colors that vary subtly, or can be bold. These accent colors are used for the door, shutter, and other architectural areas that you want to stand out.
Trim Color Combinations for Gray Exteriors
Like with all colors, there are many options to choose from. Grays can range from dark grays to blue-grays to grays with a warmer tone. Gray is a popular color because it pairs well with a variety of colors and finishings.
I’ll discuss some of the most sought-after combinations here to give you some ideas.
Gray with Stone
Grays go really well with gray stone. There are so many ways to work with this color combination.
A popular choice is to paint the roof a darker gray, the body of the house a lighter gray, and to paint the trim of the house white.
These color combinations may also go well with tan-colored stone if planned out well. Then you may want to consider mahogany or medium brown color for the front door.
Gray with Wooden or Mahogany Finishes
When it comes to wooden trim, you’ll want to choose a darker hue of gray. Many modern looks involve wooden window trim and a wooden or mahogany front door. The wooden trim is usually primed and is more towards darker wooden colors.
It is also common to use white for parts of the trim, like for the outlining of the windows and for the gutters. This look is great for houses that are surrounded by more natural environments.
It also goes well with stone features.
Gray with Blue
This is a classic color combination and can vary quite a bit. You could, for example, go with a lighter gray and a navy blue trim or a darker gray and a pastel blue trim. The trim can also alternate, and some parts can be white to add more dimension to the exterior look.
Blue complements gray really well, and when used strategically, it can make for an amazing finish.
Gray with Black Trim
This type of combination is increasing in popularity. It really makes for a modern look and is perfect for houses that get lots of light. These color combinations can range between light gray and black trim to dark grays with black trim.
This is a great combination for those who want a monochromatic look.
Gray with White
This is one of the most widely opted choices when it comes to painting the exterior of a house. That’s because white really complement gray well. This color combination also usually involves using a darker shade of gray too.
A typical choice is to use white for the trim, including columns and doors, light gray for the body of the house, and dark gray for the roof.
Light Gray Vs. Dark Gray
Some homeowners choose to accentuate between different grays, again aiming for a monochromatic finish. Typical color schemes involve painting the body of the house light gray and the trim dark gray. Some people go for only slight differences in the hue and paint everything gray.
This can work really well if planned carefully. It also works best if the house also has grey stone features. Sometimes only select trim will be painted white to add a slight pop.
Gray with Tan Trim
These two very popular colors are used in combination for a well-balanced finish. This works really well when you use a darker gray on the roof, a medium gray for the body of the house, and a medium/earthy tan color for the trim.
This combination also works great with stone finishes and can match ochre colors too. It is the perfect choice for anyone who is looking for a subtle but modern look.
Concluding Thoughts
There are many colors that go well with gray. That’s why gray is increasing in popularity and is becoming more widely used for the exterior of houses. That’s because gray can pair well with warm and cool colors.
When it comes to choosing the color for the trim of your house, consider combinations that have worked and maybe even try painting only sections to see if they work well for your house.
For the best results, look at choosing three colors that pair well.
