What Color Should I Paint My House in 2024?

Cost to repaint

Repainting costs will vary based on the size of your home and the number of stories. According to This Old House, owners of single-family homes can expect to pay an average of $5,200 to repaint a 2,000-square-foot home. Average costs jump to $5,000–$12,000 for a home three stories or taller.

While home painting can seem like it comes with a hefty price tag, it’s often worth the money. A fresh coat of paint can boost your home value by $7,571 on average — a return on investment of 152%.

What color should you paint your house?

The color you select will depend on several factors, including whether you plan to sell soon.

Paint colors to help sell your home

As with interior walls, you can’t go wrong with neutral tones when painting the exterior of your house. Buyers like looking at a blank slate. It helps them project their design ideas onto a home and envision living there. White, beige, gray, and tan are all favorites amongst designers and real estate agents when it comes to repainting home exteriors.

“There have been trends lately with some different paint colors, but on the average, we still like to keep it very neutral, and that would be the tans,” says top real estate agent Bob McTague, who ranks #1 out of over 800 agents for selling single-family homes in Syracuse, New York.

“It’s just a very neutral color. The tan is always safe, and no one is really offended by tan.”

Kropovinsky agrees, adding that earthy, natural tones like beige and taupe are trendy right now: “These hues assist your property [to] merge into its surroundings and create a pleasant, welcome atmosphere,” he says.

If you want a bit of color, it’s best to pick one that will give your home a modern feel. Andre Kazimierski, CEO of Improovy Painters of Riverview, recommends blue or deep gray to give your home a contemporary look.

All black exteriors, too, are having a moment in 2023. According to Allied Painters, primarily driven by Pinterest and Instagram snapshots, black homes have been a growing trend since 2017.

“Black and moody shades, like Black Magic and Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams, are on-trend without being ostentatious. Keep in mind colors look different depending on sun exposure, so I recommend trying the color sample swatch on all four sides of the home to confirm it looks good in the sun vs. shade,” says Brooke Lang, principal designer and owner of the Chicago-based Brooke Lang Design.

“Keep in mind colors look different depending on sun exposure, so I recommend trying the color sample swatch on all four sides of the home to confirm it looks good in the sun vs. shade.”

Refreshing neutrals to help your home sell:

• Natural Bark, Behr, N170-6
• Accessible Beige, Sherwin Williams, SW 7036
• Chenille Spread, Behr, HDC-NT-03
• White Dove, Benjamin Moore, OC-17
• Elephant Tusk, Benjamin Moore, OC-8

Deep blues, grays, and blacks for a contemporary feel:

• Stiffkey Blue, No. 281, Farrow & Ball
• Kendall Charcoal, Benjamin Moore HC-166
• Black Magic, Sherwin Williams, SW 6991
• Hyde Park Grey, ECOS Paints, 1550

Bold, statement colors

Going bold with your paint choice won’t necessarily hurt you with buyers. Maximalism, characterized by bright jewel tones, is again in vogue.

Kropovinsky recommends deep crimson, a happy, bright yellow, or emerald green for buyers looking to make a statement with their home.

“In recent years, there has been a trend towards a more “maximalist” aesthetic, which emphasizes bold patterns, textures, and colors,” he says.

“This trend has carried over into the world of exterior home design, with many homeowners choosing to use bright and bold colors on their homes as a way to make a statement.”

Bold colors that help your home stand out from the crowd:

• Courtyard, Sherwin Williams, SW 6440
• Hawthorne Yellow, Benjamin Moore, HC-4
• Haute Couture, Behr, MQ1-09

Classic colors that stand the test of time

If you have an older home, go with a hue that hails from the era in which it was built. Layering bright colors is popular for Victorian homes, while Colonials tend to look better with more muted hues.  Many paint companies have historic lines to help guide homeowners to what palettes look best for their properties.

Historic colors for your home:

• Lamp Room Gray, No. 88, Farrow & Ball
• Needlepoint Navy, Sherwin Williams, SW 0032
• Tarrytown Green, Benjamin Moore, HC-134
• Pewter Patter, Dunn-Edwards Paints, DET 627

What does science say?

Like all fads, home painting trends come and go, but the science behind how color affects the human brain remains stable over time. Researchers have studied how color helps people concentrate and what emotions they associate with specific hues.

Their findings: neutral tones are good for focusing — something you want prospective buyers to do when they enter your home. The study found that women concentrate best in beige and white rooms, while men prefer white, green, and beige rooms.

Another study examined how green, pink, white, and gray affected people’s emotions. It found that green and white sparked happiness, while gray was linked to sadness, negativity, and unattractiveness.

What about trim, shutters, doors, and accents?

If you want to make a statement without going overboard, adding a pop of color to your home’s trim, shutters, or door can increase its curb appeal without overwhelming prospective buyers.

“A few simple accents of bright or pastel color can also add an interesting touch without overpowering the overall look,” Kazimierski says.

Kazimierski recommends red to add a pop of color and make a statement. Navys, black, and light grays can give your home a more neutral but still sophisticated look.

Accents that give your home a touch of color:

• Railings, No. 31, Farrow & Ball
• Naval, Sherwin Williams, SW 6244
• Smoldering Red, HC-134, 2007-10
• Cyberspace, Sherwin Williams, SW 7076

Consider local trends

If you’re trying to decide between a neutral palette or a more expressive one, looking at the houses in your neighborhood can be helpful. The National Association of Realtors agrees. They recommend repainting if your home clashes with others nearby as it can give buyers a negative perception.

“You don’t want your home to stick out like a sore thumb,” Kropovinsky says. “Choose a color that fits in with the overall aesthetic of the neighborhood.”

Architectural styles: how do they affect paint choices?

Design experts agree that architectural style doesn’t matter much to local trends.

“There’s no one-size-fits-all formula to matching a paint color to a style of home because it really comes down to your goals and stylistic preference,” Lang says.

Some colors look better on certain styles: “A traditional brick home, for example, might look best with a neutral color like beige or gray, while a mid-century modern home might look great with a bold, bright color,” Kropovinsky says.

What type of paint should I choose?

Color isn’t the only important decision you’ll be making when deciding whether to paint your house. You’ll also need to select a type of paint and a finish.

Paint types

The paint type that’s right for your home will depend on various factors, including what the exterior of your house is made of, how heavily trafficked the area is, and what climate you live in.

“The type of paint you should use for your exterior paint job is contingent on multiple factors, including your location, region, climate, and the direction your home is facing,” Lang said.

“Work with your local paint showroom to select the best exterior paint based on these factors, which can greatly impact the longevity of your exterior paint job.”

Paint finishes

Your paint’s finish will determine how it’ll look when dry. Satin or glossy finishes resist scuff marks, making them ideal for high-trafficked areas, whereas a flat or matte finish might be best for siding. Here’s a quick primer on different finishes.

So, what color should I paint my house?

If you’re looking for a safe, science-backed choice that will attract buyers, your best bet is to pick a neutral color. Like a clean sheet of paper, whites, beiges, taupes, and other neutrals feel welcoming to prospective buyers and allow them to envision a future in the house. Since paint exterior colors tend to last a long time, you don’t want to choose too bold for potential buyers.

“Given the semi-permanent nature of an exterior paint job, I normally advise against painting a home’s exterior in bright, bold colors,” Lang says.

“Generally, soft white colors, like Chantilly Lace and White Dove by Benjamin Moore, stand the test of time.”

Interested in trying out a few colors to see how they look? Professional painters often offer exterior rendering services, according to Lang, so you can test out what color might look best without making too much of a commitment.

If you’re looking for more guidance on whether your house needs repainting or what colors to go with, your real estate agent can help you decide.

A top agent can help guide you through color trends and advise you on what selections will help you get the highest ROI. Their expert recommendations will help you understand what colors best fit your home style and neighborhood.

Header Image Source: (Garrett Sears / Unsplash)