5 Fabulous Fail-Safe Exterior Colour Palettes
Looking for a colour scheme that not only looks fabulous but won't go out of date in a hurry? Here are our top picks
Gabrielle Chariton
29 September 2017
Houzz Australia Contributor. Freelance writer and editor. I write about anything and everything but I specialise in housing design, kitchens, bathrooms and sustainable living. I pass the time by painting old furniture white, photographing animals, haunting op-shops and dreaming up renovation projects. See more of my work at www.gabriellechariton.com
Houzz Australia Contributor. Freelance writer and editor. I write about anything... More
When it comes to creating a beautiful home, colour is an essential reference point. Like artfully applied cosmetics, house paint delivers that vital first impression, working to highlight a building’s best features while concealing its less-than-perfect ones. But painting your exterior is a costly exercise, both in terms of time and money, so you’ll want to choose a scheme that will look great for years to come.
Where to start when choosing
Several factors come into play when planning an exterior colour scheme. First, your home’s setting; every home is part of a wider environment and this will help inform your colour choices.
“Choosing your own colour has a lot to do with the surroundings,” says Wendy Rennie, Haymes Paint colour consultant. “If you are close to your neighbours then their homes may impact yours. It doesn’t mean you need to match, but it is good to use similar tones or a contrasting palette to help yours fit in.”
Find a professional painter on Houzz near you for customised advice on your exterior palette
Several factors come into play when planning an exterior colour scheme. First, your home’s setting; every home is part of a wider environment and this will help inform your colour choices.
“Choosing your own colour has a lot to do with the surroundings,” says Wendy Rennie, Haymes Paint colour consultant. “If you are close to your neighbours then their homes may impact yours. It doesn’t mean you need to match, but it is good to use similar tones or a contrasting palette to help yours fit in.”
Find a professional painter on Houzz near you for customised advice on your exterior palette
Consider fixed features
Next, look at the permanent features and existing colours on and around your home that can’t be changed, such as the roof, brickwork, timber joinery or that are harder to alter, such as aluminium window frames. “The roof and driveway are large areas that carry colour, whether it’s warm-toned brick or cool-toned tiles. The colours you choose need to tone in with these,” says Sarah Stephenson, Valspar colour and communications manager.
And finally: “The style of home also needs to be considered, especially if you are in a heritage overlay”, says Dulux colour expert, Andrea Lucena-Orr.
Next, look at the permanent features and existing colours on and around your home that can’t be changed, such as the roof, brickwork, timber joinery or that are harder to alter, such as aluminium window frames. “The roof and driveway are large areas that carry colour, whether it’s warm-toned brick or cool-toned tiles. The colours you choose need to tone in with these,” says Sarah Stephenson, Valspar colour and communications manager.
And finally: “The style of home also needs to be considered, especially if you are in a heritage overlay”, says Dulux colour expert, Andrea Lucena-Orr.
Think long-term
Painting the outside of your home is costly, so from an investment perspective, exterior colour schemes need to have more longevity than the interior. Ideally, you’d want the result to see you through the next decade at least. For this reason, it’s not always a great idea to go too fashion-forward with your colour selections. However, a nod to contemporary styling often works wonders to perk up a tired facade.
So, what’s trending at the moment? Our experts agree that grey in all its forms remains on-point – paired with white for a crisp finish or making a bold statement in shades of charcoal. We’re also seeing softer layered neutrals, earthy tones and Hamptons-inspired palettes coming to the fore.
Here are five exterior colour palettes that are sure to look great for years to come.
Painting the outside of your home is costly, so from an investment perspective, exterior colour schemes need to have more longevity than the interior. Ideally, you’d want the result to see you through the next decade at least. For this reason, it’s not always a great idea to go too fashion-forward with your colour selections. However, a nod to contemporary styling often works wonders to perk up a tired facade.
So, what’s trending at the moment? Our experts agree that grey in all its forms remains on-point – paired with white for a crisp finish or making a bold statement in shades of charcoal. We’re also seeing softer layered neutrals, earthy tones and Hamptons-inspired palettes coming to the fore.
Here are five exterior colour palettes that are sure to look great for years to come.
1. Dramatic monochrome
Classic yet thoroughly modern, a simple black-and-white scheme can deliver a high-impact facade. The most contemporary treatment of this colour scheme is to use generous portions of each colour – 50/50, 40/60 or 30/70 – and apply each shade in blocks. Use the contrast in colours to visually sculpt the building, highlighting bold architectural elements or different substrates.
Find a paint colour you’ve seen on Houzz
Classic yet thoroughly modern, a simple black-and-white scheme can deliver a high-impact facade. The most contemporary treatment of this colour scheme is to use generous portions of each colour – 50/50, 40/60 or 30/70 – and apply each shade in blocks. Use the contrast in colours to visually sculpt the building, highlighting bold architectural elements or different substrates.
Find a paint colour you’ve seen on Houzz
A less challenging but equally assertive technique is to team white walls with black accents. The high-definition contrast showcases your home’s architecture.
If graphic black and white is too austere for your liking, soften the look with timber, stone or even rusted metals.
If graphic black and white is too austere for your liking, soften the look with timber, stone or even rusted metals.
Black or charcoal paired with white is also a visually arresting choice for heritage-style and weatherboard homes. “A popular look at the moment is to have the weatherboards or main colour in a darker grey with a crisp white on trims, windows and features,” says Lucena-Orr. “A vibrant dash of red can really finish the scheme and give the exterior a contemporary look.”
Tip: “Black and white sound easy, but natural light can do all sorts of things to colour externally,” says Rennie. “Be very careful to identify undertones; some whites can be very warm and appear cream when really you just wanted a warm white, while blacks can often have a blue or red undertone that is only noticeable when the colour is applied to large external walls.”
Tip: “Black and white sound easy, but natural light can do all sorts of things to colour externally,” says Rennie. “Be very careful to identify undertones; some whites can be very warm and appear cream when really you just wanted a warm white, while blacks can often have a blue or red undertone that is only noticeable when the colour is applied to large external walls.”
2. Pretty in pastels
For timeless elegance, you can’t go past a classic, two-colour palette. Pairing a muted pastel on the walls with a white trim looks clean and fresh, and is particularly well suited to weatherboard homes. Picking out window frames, fretwork and other architectural details in crisp white conveys a Hamptons feel.
Read how to light your front entrance
For timeless elegance, you can’t go past a classic, two-colour palette. Pairing a muted pastel on the walls with a white trim looks clean and fresh, and is particularly well suited to weatherboard homes. Picking out window frames, fretwork and other architectural details in crisp white conveys a Hamptons feel.
Read how to light your front entrance
This type of scheme can work for coastal- or country-style homes too: look to the surrounding environment for inspiration. “We like it light and airy and the Hamptons palettes of light neutrals and soft blues is definitely a classic,” says Stephenson. “Beachside weatherboards carry blue undertones to echo the sky and ocean of course. Classic country looks on the other hand may have grey-green eucalypt-inspired shades, sympathetic to their surrounds.”
Tip: “The sun can wash colour out, so you can afford to go darker outside than you would inside,” says Stephenson. “It’s also important to ensure you have a nice sharp contrast between the main wall colour and your trim colours.”
Tip: “The sun can wash colour out, so you can afford to go darker outside than you would inside,” says Stephenson. “It’s also important to ensure you have a nice sharp contrast between the main wall colour and your trim colours.”
This simple two-colour scheme works on masonry homes too. This cute cottage looks picture-perfect dressed in pale grey and white. The owners of this home have anchored the look in the landscape by extending the colour scheme right out to the front fence.
Tip: The key to a successful two-colour scheme lies in selecting a white that harmonises with your base colour. Team fresh blues, greens and greys with cool whites that have a blue or black base. Warm whites will have a creamy or pinkish base, and work well with warmer pastels. Holding colour cards together and checking them in a range of different lights will help reveal the undertones.
Tip: The key to a successful two-colour scheme lies in selecting a white that harmonises with your base colour. Team fresh blues, greens and greys with cool whites that have a blue or black base. Warm whites will have a creamy or pinkish base, and work well with warmer pastels. Holding colour cards together and checking them in a range of different lights will help reveal the undertones.
3. Down to earth
Colours inspired by our own sunburnt country are inherently appealing in any setting. A palette of earthy hues takes its cues from the colours of the surrounding landscapes. Build the look with layers of warm ochres, slate grey and rich browns, incorporating tactile elements of timber, brick and stone. This type of colour scheme is easy on the eye and can add warmth and interest to the stark lines of contemporary architecture.
Colours inspired by our own sunburnt country are inherently appealing in any setting. A palette of earthy hues takes its cues from the colours of the surrounding landscapes. Build the look with layers of warm ochres, slate grey and rich browns, incorporating tactile elements of timber, brick and stone. This type of colour scheme is easy on the eye and can add warmth and interest to the stark lines of contemporary architecture.
While there’s no rule around the number of colours to include in an exterior house palette, three to four is generally sufficient. Don’t forget to include the colours of the roof, driveway and any other substrates such as brick walls, feature stonework or timber joinery in your number count.
This Newcastle, NSW, home plays off two base colours, while the grey guttering and roof trim tie back in with the driveway. Build an earthy palette using colours that are tonally similar, or choose colours that are different but played out at the same saturation level or strength. Wattyl’s Red Centre palette, which features a combination of desert-red ochres, sunset purples and rich browns, or Dulux’s Botanical Life palette, are great starting points.
This Newcastle, NSW, home plays off two base colours, while the grey guttering and roof trim tie back in with the driveway. Build an earthy palette using colours that are tonally similar, or choose colours that are different but played out at the same saturation level or strength. Wattyl’s Red Centre palette, which features a combination of desert-red ochres, sunset purples and rich browns, or Dulux’s Botanical Life palette, are great starting points.
4. Grey on grey
The last word in elegance, grey is versatile enough to be used on all styles of architecture. “Undoubtedly, grey is here to stay for a while,” says Stephenson. “We’re seeing a lot of blue-based grey in coastal areas, while charcoal and even black is a popular choice in the urban landscape. There are many terrace houses in the city in a mid- to deep-tone grey, with a bright front door.”
Whether your preference is for silvery, bleached-out greys or darker steely-blue hues, you can build a high-impact grey palette with just three shades: walls, trim, and guttering/fascia boards. Working with tonal variations of the same colour creates cohesion across the facade.
Make an Entrance: Top Tips for Painting Your Front Door
The last word in elegance, grey is versatile enough to be used on all styles of architecture. “Undoubtedly, grey is here to stay for a while,” says Stephenson. “We’re seeing a lot of blue-based grey in coastal areas, while charcoal and even black is a popular choice in the urban landscape. There are many terrace houses in the city in a mid- to deep-tone grey, with a bright front door.”
Whether your preference is for silvery, bleached-out greys or darker steely-blue hues, you can build a high-impact grey palette with just three shades: walls, trim, and guttering/fascia boards. Working with tonal variations of the same colour creates cohesion across the facade.
Make an Entrance: Top Tips for Painting Your Front Door
Greys can be warm or cool, so a good strategy is to select a grey based on existing colours of the immediate environment, such as greenery and pathways. Grey teams beautifully with warm, natural finishes such as sandstone, timber and slate.
Read more decorating stories
Read more decorating stories
An all-grey palette is particularly effective with period homes, striking the perfect balance between formal and inviting. For a cool, contemporary look, consider picking out balustrades, iron lacework and other decorative details in a darker version of the wall colour. “Architectural detail on older homes can either be painted white along with the other trim, or quite often is painted a deeper shade of the main colour to add interest and focus,” says Stephenson.
5. All-white and layered neutrals
Whatever your home’s style, a palette based around neutrals delivers timeless appeal. “Whites and neutrals are colours that most home enthusiasts feel comfortable with scheming for the home exterior,” says Lucena-Orr. “These include white, beige, grey, greige, taupe, charcoal, black and tan in many varieties of shades and tones. Using shades of neutrals in a monochromatic scheme can create a timeless look.”
Neutral Schemes That Kick Boring to the Kerb
Whatever your home’s style, a palette based around neutrals delivers timeless appeal. “Whites and neutrals are colours that most home enthusiasts feel comfortable with scheming for the home exterior,” says Lucena-Orr. “These include white, beige, grey, greige, taupe, charcoal, black and tan in many varieties of shades and tones. Using shades of neutrals in a monochromatic scheme can create a timeless look.”
Neutral Schemes That Kick Boring to the Kerb
While neutrals are often viewed as safe colour choices, they can pack a surprising visual punch. Choose a neutral with an undertone that ties in with your roof tile, base brick, or pathway, and apply it in different strengths. For a crisp, clean look, take the trims back to the palest shade. For an earthier, more welcoming entrance, paint the trims in a darker variation of the wall colour.
A neutral palette can be used to celebrate the diversity in form and texture that often characterises new homes – and in this instance, it’s okay to break the rules. As Stephenson says, “New builds are using multiple substrates and finishes and quite often we’re seeing a mix of warm- and cool-toned neutrals in these instances”.
This Perth, WA, home features a range of finishes including render, corrugated metal and panel cladding. A combination of taupe and pale stone shades works to both unify and define these textural variations.
This Perth, WA, home features a range of finishes including render, corrugated metal and panel cladding. A combination of taupe and pale stone shades works to both unify and define these textural variations.
White will never go out of style as a house colour. “I do really love whites – they often help to make a home feel grander, while keeping it clean and simple so that the architecture stands out,” says Rennie.
When choosing between warm and cool whites, take your cues from the style of your home: cool whites bring out the colonial charms of Edwardian and Victorian homes, while warmer tones add romance and grandeur to Federation styles. Grey-based whites enhance the minimalist styling of mid-century or contemporary architecture.
Add depth to an all-white scheme by applying different strengths of the same colour. Use a double-strength version on the walls and half- or quarter-strength of the same shade for the trim. This prevents the whiteness from looking too sterile and gives the architecture a subtle lift.
Tip: “White shades do differ depending on the undertones and on the aspect where they are placed,” says Lucena-Orr. “A white in full sun will look quite different to the same white in the shadow of the pergola. It’s also worth remembering that surrounding colours such as gardens, and neighbouring colour schemes, can impact how the white looks.”
When choosing between warm and cool whites, take your cues from the style of your home: cool whites bring out the colonial charms of Edwardian and Victorian homes, while warmer tones add romance and grandeur to Federation styles. Grey-based whites enhance the minimalist styling of mid-century or contemporary architecture.
Add depth to an all-white scheme by applying different strengths of the same colour. Use a double-strength version on the walls and half- or quarter-strength of the same shade for the trim. This prevents the whiteness from looking too sterile and gives the architecture a subtle lift.
Tip: “White shades do differ depending on the undertones and on the aspect where they are placed,” says Lucena-Orr. “A white in full sun will look quite different to the same white in the shadow of the pergola. It’s also worth remembering that surrounding colours such as gardens, and neighbouring colour schemes, can impact how the white looks.”
Tips for making make it easier to choose
The sheer number of colour options can leave you paralysed with indecision: which is right for your home? Lucena-Orr says that the test pots are your answer.
“I cannot recommend sample pots enough for testing exterior colour,” she says. “Lighting plays a huge role outside and will affect how the colours will look on your home. Simply by painting boards and shifting them around your home you can quickly see how light impacts the colour over the day. You can also see how surrounding colours from other exterior materials such as brick and tiles can affect the final colour scheme.
The sheer number of colour options can leave you paralysed with indecision: which is right for your home? Lucena-Orr says that the test pots are your answer.
“I cannot recommend sample pots enough for testing exterior colour,” she says. “Lighting plays a huge role outside and will affect how the colours will look on your home. Simply by painting boards and shifting them around your home you can quickly see how light impacts the colour over the day. You can also see how surrounding colours from other exterior materials such as brick and tiles can affect the final colour scheme.
“Keep samples up for three to four days so you can get a greater understanding of the colours over time and in different weather conditions.”
And you can simplify the selection process by starting with just one colour, says Rennie. “Get the main wall colour right, then worry about the contrast colour. Otherwise every time you change your mind on the main colour, the accent colour may change too. Stick to getting the right tone overall, then playing with the darker and lighter contrasts you may want.”
What You Need to Know Before Painting Brick
And you can simplify the selection process by starting with just one colour, says Rennie. “Get the main wall colour right, then worry about the contrast colour. Otherwise every time you change your mind on the main colour, the accent colour may change too. Stick to getting the right tone overall, then playing with the darker and lighter contrasts you may want.”
What You Need to Know Before Painting Brick
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See more gorgeous Australian exteriors
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See more gorgeous Australian exteriors
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Great article!
I am buying a little 1960’s house with orange roof tiles. I want to paint the exterior walls and it is SO hard deciding a colour that goes with orange. The colourbond fence & garage is cream so I definitely don’t want anything close to cream.
I don’t like it