Top 5 Colors to Paint Your Home to Increase Home Value in 2023

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If your home is in need of a fresh coat of paint or you are considering painting your exterior to enhance its curb appeal for potential buyers, choosing the right color can feel like a weighty decision. It’s true that the most important photo for your home’s online listing is the first one, and that first impression is crucial for capturing a buyer’s attention. Learning about the types of colors that work well for your home’s design and in your neighborhood – as well as colors that are currently trending for home exteriors – can go a long way toward narrowing your choices. We’ve provided an overview of the most popular home colors this year to help you discover the perfect exterior shade.

Trending home colors have shifted to warmer end of the color spectrum, with earth tones preferred over cooler tints, while dark dramatic shades have also increased in popularity. Describing the appeal of earthy colors to homeowners, Jackie Mosher, co-founder of Dzinly says, “Shades of navy blues, forest greens, dark browns, and maroons offer the calming aura of nature.” These warm colors and bold tones can help us feel more connected to the natural world just outside our door or make a statement with our home’s exterior, or even both.

5. A Palette of Greens

We found more than one shade of green trending for exterior home colors this year, from cool sage to warm, deep olive tones. Green is reminiscent of the natural world and painting your home in one of these earthy shades can evoke feelings of growth and harmony with nature. These colors also happen to shine particularly well on Craftsman homes, which are plentiful throughout Portland.

Soothing hues of sage are calm and welcoming and provide an air of refinement for a home’s exterior. Sherwin Williams’ Mountain Road is a good example, as a muted gray-green whose subtle tones make it an attractive exterior color in both sunlight and shadow.

Deep, rich greens can draw attention to a home’s structural design, and therefore increase curb appeal. Ripe Olive from Sherwin-Williams is one such statement color, with a depth and drama that will make your home stand out in your neighborhood. On the cooler side of the green family is forest green, a lush shade with blue undertones that blends well with nature and lends a sense of tranquility. According to Trico Painting, Benjamin Moore’s Regent Green has recently been gaining popularity with homeowners. This striking dark pine hue reveals its depth in natural light and contrasts beautifully with lighter shades.

4. Black and Refined Charcoal

Black is having its moment in the design spotlight as a trending color for indoor kitchen and bathroom fixtures and a dramatic interior accent color, and now has decidedly taken its place among the top desirable shades for home exteriors in 2023. Homes with black exteriors make a striking first impression on home buyers and emanate high style and luxury. Black is at once sophisticated and mysterious, and especially suited to modern and simplistic Scandinavian home styles, though it can add an air of refinement to any home design. Tricorn Black by Sherwin Williams is a versatile matte black that is popular with designers, giving exteriors an ultra modern feel and adapting well to a variety of applications, from siding to trim. It also provides eye-catching contrast when paired with lighter neutrals.

Somewhere between gray and black lies charcoal, a deep and timeless hue that has also been gaining momentum as a modern home exterior color. Charcoal is a bold shade that draws attention to the architectural and structural features of the home as a base shade or trim accent color, and plays extremely well with similar light and dark tones to achieve the popular monochromatic look. Soot by Benjamin Moore is a perfect example of how charcoal can instantly elevate a home’s facade, revealing blue undertones in full sun and imbuing the exterior with an air of sophistication as daylight fades into evening.

Black or charcoal have many advantages as an exterior color, and when choosing one of these, it is important to consider that a color may look darker on the paint chip inside the store than it will in natural light on your home’s exterior.

3. Warm Gray to Beige (and Everything in Between)

For the last couple of years, the trending design palette has moved farther away from the cool grays that dominated the realm of decor for over a decade. Now homeowners are embracing warmer tones, paving the way for earthy neutrals including warm gray, greige, and beige to gain popularity as desirable exterior colors.

Worldly Gray by Sherwin Williams is one such neutral: a light gray muted by warm tones that pairs well with earthy light and dark accent colors. And for an example of the rich combination of gray and beige, Dutch Boy’s 2023 Color of the Year, Rustic Greige is a warm and grounding shade with a versatility that complements both cool and warm tones equally. Finally, Benjamin Moore’s Grant Beige is a light, elegant beige that is an excellent choice for your home’s exterior if you want to achieve classic curb appeal. In fact, it is part of the brand’s Historical Collection of colors that have been favored throughout history.

As home exterior colors, these warm neutrals harmonize well with their natural surroundings and complement any architectural design, from traditional Victorians and Colonials to postmodern styles. Because we perceive lighter colors to be closer, painting your home with one of these neutrals can make your home stand out on your street and draw the attention of prospective buyers. And as an added bonus, using a lighter color on your exterior achieves the visual effect of making your home appear larger.

2. Bold Blues

Blue is appearing on home exteriors in a wide array of hues, from sky blue to rich cobalts and newer deep blue-grays, and due to its unwavering classic appeal, this trending color has definite staying power.

In the light blue range, Poolhouse by Sherwin Williams is a mellow blue reminiscent of a cottage by the sea. In natural light it can enhance the exteriors of Craftsman and historic home styles as the sun draws out its cool green-gray undertones.

Naval by Sherwin Williams is a lovely and versatile medium blue exterior color that can elevate your home’s siding or act as a fresh and contemporary accent color for trim. On the dark end of the spectrum is Benjamin Moore’s Westcott Navy, an inky blue-gray that makes a sophisticated statement on home exteriors. This dark and glamourous navy pairs perfectly with modern home styles yet also adapts well to traditional home applications. Shades of blue-gray like these are especially attractive on modern farmhouse exteriors.

Colors in the blue family pair especially well with natural building materials like wood and stone and blend easily with nature. This calming hue has a grounding effect that will inspire a feeling of contentment for you and for potential buyers.

1. Off-White for the Win

Off-white hues were at the top of our list in 2022 and still reign as the most popular choice for home exteriors in 2023. Its popularity has been largely influenced by the minimalism decor trend, which embraces light, neutral colors as the backdrop for a more simplified lifestyle. The fact that this classic color that can stand the test of time and is also trending as a contemporary color choice makes this one a winning combination.

One of the home exterior paint colors most popular with designers is Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams. This warm, creamy off-white complements any type of siding, including vinyl, wood and brick, and works nicely as a trim color against contrasting shades. Wind’s Breath by Benjamin Moore is another attractive off-white hue with undertones of warm gray that works equally well as a base or accent color. It is both refreshing and relaxed, making for an inviting home exterior color. Finally, Behr’s 2023 Color of the Year is the aptly named Blank Canvas, a soft warm white that invites creativity and harmonizes with a wide range of colors, including popular neutrals and earth tones.

In a recent survey, 20% of homeowners said they would choose a cream or off-white shade for their siding in 2023. This versatile neutral has the ability to brighten the appearance of houses covered in shade and bring out natural wood tones or accentuate a home’s architectural features. As a desirable home exterior color, off-white offers the advantage of being both classy and trendy while providing the perfect backdrop for individual expression.

Choosing Your Perfect Color: Factors to Consider

When deciding on the ideal color to paint your home, a good place to start is right in your neighborhood. Take a drive and take note of the color combinations that appeal to you. Also consider the design and era of your home and the types of hues that complement that style. A local painting contractor is also a good resource to discover specific painting schemes that are popular in your area. Ultimately though, the color you choose is up to your personal preference, and switching to a new exterior shade can offer a rewarding refresh that may even pay dividends in your home’s resale value.

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