5 Exterior House Accents
​that Will Boost Curb Appeal

Boost curb appeal and make a statement with pops of color on shutters, garage doors, and other exterior accents.

Update your home’s exterior in a small but impactful way with a color scheme designed to make accents stand out. From painted shutters to our favorite hues for garage doors, these tips will help you choose the right exterior accent colors for a unique and beautiful home.

1. Exterior House Accents and Colors for Shutters

Painted shutters are an easy way to add an accent color to your home’s exterior. Create dimension with monochromatic hues—or go even bolder with complementary colors that sit across from each other on the color wheel.

For visual interest, try using analogous colors, selecting hues for the siding and shutters that sit next to each other on the color wheel. Here, Shore House Green 2047-50 shutters cool things off against Flawless AF-320 stucco exterior, with bountiful greenery acting as the bridge to the blue-green-yellow color scheme.

If you don’t have shutters, try a pop of color on the exterior window trim or the front door.

2. Exterior House Accents and Color Combinations for Shutters and Front Doors

Create a harmonious exterior color scheme with front door paint colors that go perfectly with your shutters and other exterior accents. 

If you’re looking to paint your shutters a different color than the front door, consider using hues with a similar undertone. Combinations we love:

• Siding in Wedgewood Gray HC-146, trim and shutters in Hazy Skies OC-48, and front door in Hawthorne Yellow HC-4.
• Siding in Dove Wing OC-18, trim in White Dove OC-17, shutters in Collingwood OC-28, and front door in Iron Mountain 2134-30.

Monochromatic Shutter and Home Exterior Colors

​A monochromatic exterior color scheme creates a modern and eye-catching look. You can choose to paint your home’s exterior a single hue or experiment with different shades of the same color.

For shutter and front door combinations, consider painting them a few shades lighter or darker than the rest of your home’s exterior.

Here are a few monochromatic color combinations we love:

• Siding in Somerville Red HC-62 and accents in Odessa Pink HC-59.
• Siding in Yarmouth Blue HC-150 and accents in Hale Navy HC-154.
• Siding in Flora AF-470 and accents in Lush AF-475.

Analogous Shutter and Front Door Color Combinations

​If you want to add the illusion of depth to your home’s exterior, consider an analogous shutter and front door color combination. 

Analogous color combinations showcase colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel.

By choosing analogous colors for your home’s exterior and accents, you can create a multi-hued color scheme that enhances your surroundings. We recommend these combinations:

• Siding in Wedgewood Gray HC-146, accents in Kittery Point Green HC-119, and front door in Weston Flax HC-5.
• Siding in Pristine OC-75, accents in Cotton Balls OC-122, and front door in Ansonia Peach HC-52.

Matching Shutter and Front Door Colors

Painting the front door and shutters the same color is a popular choice among homeowners. Try these exterior color combinations where the front door and shutters are the same:

• Siding in Edgecomb Gray HC-173, trim in Chantilly Lace OC-65, and shutters and front door in Sea Star 2123-30.
• Siding in Soft Fern 2144-40, trim in Swiss Coffee OC-45, and shutters and front door in Mysterious AF-565.

Want to add more definition and tie the whole color palette together? Try a bright white paint color on your exterior window or door trim.

3. Coastal-Inspired Exterior Home Accents

Rooted in casual coastal design, brightly painted shutters against an otherwise neutral exterior can bring charming warmth to any home—even if you don’t live in a beachside cottage. Taking inspiration from the Southeast and tropical regions, aqua blues and rich greens are popular choices for this relaxed but playful look. 

Here, we paired sparkling White Diamond OC-61 with the bold and breezy Bahaman Sea Blue 2055-40. Take the look one step further with painted furniture and linens in similar hues.

Other saturated hues we love for shutters: 

• Caliente AF-290
• Deep Ocean 2058-30
• Florida Keys Blue 2050-40

A Pop of Color on Your Home’s Exterior

A home with a white or neutral painted exterior provides an excellent opportunity to add eye-catching accent colors. Adding a pop of color can help your home coordinate with your landscape or create focal points that complement your home’s exterior. 

Here, Chantilly Lace OC-65 adds a classic off-white to Weston Flax HC-5 siding with a Stuart Gold HC-10 front door.

Other colors we love for exterior accents:

• Regent Green 2136-20
• Schooner AF-520
• Soleil AF-330

4. Exterior Home Accents: Garage Door Colors and More

When selecting paint colors for your garage doors and the rest of your home’s exterior, think about the more permanent elements such as landscaping, stone or brickwork, and roof color, then choose a central hue and go from there. No matter what you pick, you’ll be sure to have a balanced, cohesive color scheme.

Here, garage doors in rich Wolf Gray 2127-40 are a striking presence against Moonshine OC-56 siding and Simply White OC-117 trim. For a more neutral take on this look, pair Thunder AF-685 siding with Steam AF-15 exterior window trim, and use Sparrow AF-720 on the garage door and front door.

Deep Garage Door Colors

​Can you use dark paint colors on a home’s exterior? Absolutely. If you don’t want to commit to painting your entire home, try adding them to accents like garage doors or shutters. We love these earthy, darker paint colors: 

• Gravel Gray 2127-30
• Black HC-190
• Castle Peak Gray 1561

If you don’t have garage doors but still want to add a bit of dramatic curb appeal, you can get the look by choosing a deeper hue for the front door, porch, or exterior window trim. Make sure you choose the right paint color by sampling your choice or visiting your locally owned store for help with your project.

Navy Blue or Black Garage Door Paint Colors

​Painting a garage door navy blue or black creates a sophisticated aesthetic, especially when paired with neutral exterior hues. For a touch of less drama, look to shades of charcoal for a softer but still impactful pop of color. 

To get the look, we recommend these colors:

• Kendall Charcoal HC-166
• Ashwood Moss 1484
• Midnight Oil 1631

White Garage Doors: A Classic House Accent

​A longtime homeowner favorite, white garage doors owe their popularity to their ability to blend in with other exterior color schemes—and the neighborhood as a whole.

Some of our favorite white paint colors for garage doors:

• White Wisp OC-54
• Cloud White OC-130
• Atrium White OC-145

5. Look to Your Surroundings When Choosing House Exterior Accents

Need the perfect color for your trim and shutters? Look around. Painting with colors that contrast your surroundings can make a powerful statement that boosts your home’s curb appeal. 

If your house is surrounded by greenery, go bold with eye-catching red shutters, or use another shade of green for an earthy, nature-inspired look.

For extra charm, tap into the breezy blues and soft grays of coastal landscapes. Versatile hues like Woodlawn Blue HC-147, Wind’s Breath OC-24, and Boothbay Gray HC-165, shown here, complement regional flora without overwhelming.

As exterior accent colors can look vastly different as the light changes throughout the day, we strongly suggest using color samples to help narrow down your options. Shop online or visit your locally owned store to browse colors, and be sure to view your favorites at different times of the day to ensure you’re making the right choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What paint should I use for my home’s exterior trim, garage doors, and other accents?
A. Benjamin Moore offers many high-quality exterior paints that provide excellent durability and protection for the outside of your home. For wet and humid environments, look no further than Element Guard® Exterior, which is specially formulated to tackle one of the most difficult painting environments: high moisture.

Q. Where do accent colors go on a house?
A. Exterior accent colors should be placed on smaller, attention-worthy areas of your house—think front doors, window trim, shutters, and garage doors, among other elements. Let Benjamin Moore help you find the exterior color that best suits your home or project with our extensive line of color tools, samples, and more.

​Q. Should exterior trim be lighter or darker than the house?
A. There is no hard and fast rule for the color of exterior trim. Try an analogous color scheme for visual interest, using colors for the siding and trim that sit next to each other on the color wheel—or go even bolder with complementary colors that sit across from each other.

​Q. Should I match my exterior accent color to my front door paint color?
​A. Whether exterior accents match your front door color is entirely up to you. If you’re looking to paint your shutters a different color than the front door, consider using hues with a similar undertone to tie everything together.

​Q. What are some popular color schemes for exterior accents?
​A. Gray, neutral, and white paint colors remain homeowner favorites for their versatility and classic look, while blue, green, and black paint colors are popular choices for making a statement with your exterior accents.

If you’re stuck on choosing the right colors for your exterior accents, ask the experts at your locally owned store what’s popular in your neighborhood and go from there.