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residential exterior house painting

Choosing the right trim and shutter colors is more than a simple aesthetic decision; it’s an opportunity to enhance your home’s curb appeal and showcase your unique style. Selecting the perfect color combination will make your home more inviting and reflect your personality.

With a world full of colors, selecting the perfect combination can feel overwhelming. However, we’re here to help you navigate through this process. Below are five exterior trim and shutter color combinations, each providing a unique appeal and character, designed to give your home a stylish and enduring makeover.

residential exterior house painting

1. The Classic Duo: White Trims and Red Shutters

A bold red shutter, such as Benjamin Moore’s Caliente, beautifully complements white trims when paired with a lighter or more muted exterior color. This combination enhances the contrast and draws the eye, adding a tasteful splash of color to your home. A darker siding, such as charcoal gray or brown, can provide the perfect backdrop for bright white trims, elevating the vibrant colors around it.

2. Cool Elegance: Harmonious Shades of Blue

Blue is synonymous with calmness and serenity, and incorporating different shades into your home’s exterior can create an elegant yet straightforward palette. Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy, a popular choice for shutters, pairs beautifully with lighter blue-green or blue-purple trims. This combination allows for a range of flexibility while maintaining a cohesive look.

3. Sunny Appeal: Soothing Gray Trims and Cheerful Yellow Shutters

Like Benjamin Moore’s Hawthorne Yellow, a soft yellow shutter gently blends with light gray trims, creating a bright, welcoming facade. To create a contrasting yet harmonious look, consider combining darker and lighter hues, such as a dark gray trim with a bright yellow shutter, or vice versa.

4. Earthy Charm: Natural Shades of Green

If lush green landscapes surround your home, why not bring that outdoor vibe into your home design? Choosing trim and shutter colors closer to nature for homes surrounded by lush green landscapes can enhance your home’s harmony with its environment. Combinations like Benjamin Moore’s Olive Branch for shutters paired with lighter green trims or Sage Green trims with darker green shutters can create an appealing contrast.

5. Minimalist Perfection: Monochromatic All-White

Sometimes, simplicity speaks volumes. Monochromatic white combinations can produce stunning results, especially when contrasted with a darker exterior. From pure whites with off-whites to bright whites with creamy ivory, these subtle contrasts can add depth and interest to your home’s exterior.

residential exterior house painting

Guiding Your Palette Choice: Tips for Pairing Trim and Shutter Colors

When it comes to choosing the right colors for your home’s exterior, pairing trim and shutter colors can be a tricky task. Here are a few tips to help you create a cohesive and stylish look: 

  • Explore the color wheel. Understanding the color wheel can help you create striking or subtle combinations. Colors opposite each other on the color wheel provide contrast, while adjacent colors blend more subtly.
  • Try similar undertones. Colors with similar undertones tend to match better, so you could experiment with different colors that share similar undertones for some interesting combinations.
  • Take the sun into account. Keep in mind that certain pigments may fade faster due to sunlight exposure. Understanding how different pigments react to sunlight can help maintain the vibrancy of your color combination.
  • Get a professional opinion. Professional painters and exterior designers can offer insightful suggestions for matching shutter and trim colors to enhance your home’s overall aesthetic.
  • Consider your home’s color. Your home’s primary color can impact your choice of trim and shutter colors. While white houses offer the most flexibility, there are endless possibilities for other exterior colors.

Maintaining Your Trim and Shutter Colors: A Guide to Long-Lasting Appeal

Choosing the perfect color combination for your home’s exterior is a significant first step. However, maintaining the vibrant appeal of your shutters and trims is equally important. Here’s how to keep your colors as fresh and vibrant as the first day:

  • Choose quality paints. High-quality paints are more resistant to the elements, including sunlight exposure, and are less likely to fade.
  • Use UV protective coatings. These products work like sunscreen for your home, blocking harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun that cause colors to fade. They are often clear and can be applied over your painted surfaces to extend the life of your color.
  • Regular cleaning. Over time, dust and grime can build up on your home’s exterior, leading to dull and less vibrant colors. Regular cleaning, especially in the spring and fall, can help maintain your chosen hues’ brilliance.
  • Schedule repainting appointments. Despite your best efforts, exposure to sunlight, wind, rain, and other elements means you will eventually need to repaint your shutters and trims.
  • Invest in professional maintenance services. If you don’t have the time or ability to maintain your home’s exterior, professionals can provide regular maintenance services. This can be particularly helpful if your home has hard-to-reach areas.

Remember, regular upkeep and preventative care are the key to maintaining your home’s exterior charm. A well-maintained home showcases your chosen color combinations and your commitment to your property’s care and value.

Setting the Tone: The Importance of Coordinating Shutter and Trim Colors

A well-coordinated color palette can dramatically enhance your home’s visual appeal. A harmonious blend of colors creates a balance that naturally draws the eye. While it improves curb appeal, it could also increase your home’s attractiveness to potential buyers.

However, even if selling isn’t your immediate goal, carefully selecting your trim and shutter colors can be a rewarding process. It’s an opportunity to express your personal taste and to create a space that feels like home.

Remember, your home’s exterior is its first impression. Make it count with a stunning trim and shutter color combination showcasing your style and personality, creating an inviting space you and others will love.

residential exterior house painting