23 Beige Houses That Are Anything But Boring

A beige exterior doesn't have to be boring. If you thought a beige, taupe or tawny house would lack curb appeal, think again. These neutral hues can be some of the most versatile shades for siding, stucco or painted brick — and some of the most appealing to passersby and potential buyers alike. If you have a sad beige exterior in need of a curb appeal makeover, or you're in the midst of painting your house, let these stunning beige homes from all across the U.S. inspire you to turn a neutral house into an eye-catching abode — like this brick beauty in Dallas.

“When we moved to this area, we didn’t want a cookie-cutter suburban house, and this home, with its interesting H-shaped layout, delivered," say homeowners Ann and John Damele. A pair of chimneys adds height to the facade and emphasizes the home’s perfect symmetry. Ann and John added a new front door, which they stained and sealed to pop against the painted beige brick (Lover's Hideaway by Kelly-Moore). Fast-growing mandevilla plants fill the urns flanking the front door. The cheerful yard features orange marigolds, yellow zinnias and pink and red periwinkles.

Location: Saratoga Springs, NY

Built in: 1920

Size: 2,015 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (house) Bleeker Beige and (trim) Bone White, Benjamin Moore

The red slate roof tiles are original to this century-old house. Homeowners Barbara Frank and Rick Guior painted the once-gray stucco facade warm beige to bring out the crimson shade even more.

"We fell for its quaint storybook details, like the stone wall and the brick path,” they say of the house. To amplify the front yard’s English garden vibe, Barbara and Rick added the delicate steel arbor with climbing wild rose on the trellis. The row of arborvitae creates a natural — but stylish — privacy screen.

Location: Detroit, MI

Built in: 1941

Size: 2,109 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (top of house) Dover White, (bottom of house) Perfect Greige and (front door and trim) Lounge Green, Sherwin-Williams

“We were practically sold on this house before even stepping inside," say homeowners Kelley and Scott Foess. Charming touches like the brackets, the shake siding and the glass front door make it feel incredibly homey.” 

The Foesses overhauled the yard, reseeding the lawn and trimming the overgrown boxwoods along the walkway into small mounds. The windows flanking the front door are outfitted with planters. Painting the front door and trim green helps the landscaping look even more lush and makes this two-tone beige house even more unique.

Location: Montgomery, AL

Built in: 1912

Size: 5,200 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (house) Meditation and (trim) Cameo White, Benjamin Moore

110-year-old windows open and close now that homeowners Brandy and Robert Price have repaired them. The local historic committee said no to replacements, which turned out to be a good thing: “The diamond molding and wavy glass have become two of our favorite features,” says Brandy. A new door looks original to the house. (The couple worked with a local mill to craft one that captures the home’s folk Victorian style.) Painting the door and trim work in creamy white gives subtle contrast with the taupe siding and makes the historic details even more charming. The lush planters along the steps are filled with a variety of white petunias, angelonia, pentas and asparagus ferns.

Location: Knoxville, TN

Built in: 1920

Size: 2,000 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (house) Safari Bisque Beige, (white trim) Meeting House White and (brown trim) Grey Squirrel, Glidden

“When I bought this house, the whole thing was painted white. Choosing a few different shades of beige for the siding added dimension and highlighted the home’s charming Craftsman style,” says homeowner Tim Helton. “The oak door used to be covered with paint and hidden behind a storm door, so you couldn’t see how beautiful it is,” Tim says. He removed the storm door, then stripped, sanded, stained and sealed the wood.

Two tall tapered pots mimic the shape of the porch’s substantial columns. Tim wanted a flagstone path leading to the front door, but it was too pricey. His affordable alternative: stamped concrete.

Location: San Antonio, TX

Built in: 1929

Size: 2,300 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (siding) Burlap, (blue trim) Jacaranda, (white trim) Nacre and (front door) Saffron Thread, Sherwin-Williams

Jamie and John Bloodsworth bought this San Antonio, home in 1991. “We expanded the back of the house but kept the facade and chimney the same, since the cottage charm is what drew us here in the first place,” they say. The stepped chimney — made of hand-laid, locally quarried Texas limestone — looks like it’s right out of a storybook. Two slightly arched corbels frame the entry, packing a lot of charm into a tiny porch. The Bloodsworths have painted the original-to-the-house door four colors since moving in. Their most recent pick is golden orange.

The long, gently curving fieldstone path helps highlight how far back the house sits from the street. Midway down the path on the right, a Mexican honeysuckle bush grows clusters of tubular orange flowers all summer. Bordered by Blanco River rocks, small colorful beds of salvia ‘Henry Duelberg,’ rudbekia ‘Indian Summer,’ purple coneflowers and zinnias add zip to the landscaping.

Location: Maplewood, NJ

Built in: 1908

Size: 3,300 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (house) Safari Vest, (trim) Arcade White, (sidelites trim) Infamous and (front door) Emergency Zone, Behr

The star of this stucco house is the charming Dutch door. It's original to the historic home — creaks, wavy glass and all. Homeowners Kellie and Mansoor Khan open the top half on warm days. “It’s a fun door, so it deserves a fun color!” says Kellie.

A small patio made of bluestone pavers is where Kellie and Mansoor read and drink coffee, and where their youngest daughter picnics. Superbells in the large planters have a trailing habit, so they cascade over the edge. Pachysandra edging the beds below is a popular ground cover; it’s evergreen and easy to grow.

Location: Pasadena, CA

Built in: 1923

Paint colors: (house) Valley Forge Tan, (trim) Glacier White and (shutters) Night Train, Benjamin Moore

Homeowners Roma and Terry Kiser bought their home in 1972. They say, "the tumbled stone path, which we added, gives our stucco house so much more character." So does the front door. With its arched top and rich stain, the door could be the entry to a country cottage. The roof is topped with cedar shakes. Not only can they last upward of 30 years, but they also resist wind damage and have a textured look that adds to the house's rustic appeal.

The 'Cecile Brunner' climbing rose framing the entry no longer needs support. After years, it's trained to climb along the arch. Round terra-cotta planters flanking the front step are packed with light pink and fuchsia azaleas. Bacopa, a trailing plant with tiny white blooms, fills in the spaces between the stems.

Location: Jacksonville, FL

Built in: 1923

Size: 2,300 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (window trim and front door) Oxblood, Behr; (house) try Wool Skein and (trim) Marshmallow by Sherwin-Williams for a similar look

“We’ve spent countless hours lounging on our porch over the years," say homeowners Terry and Walter Woodlief. "Its wide columns and French doors that open to a sunroom were a major selling point.”  A wrought iron door in front of the solid front door adds character, and metal chairs with cozy cushions keep with the wrought iron look.

Pink wax begonias and yellow marigolds bloom in the long planter that spans the first-floor window. Ponytail palms, a variety of succulent, grow in terra-cotta pots that flank the front steps. Thanks to the warm Florida climate, they can stay outside all year. Sun-loving crotons and yellowish-orange marigolds on both sides of the front steps require little care, just occasional watering.

Location: Pensacola, FL

Built in: 1912

Size: 2,400 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (house) Intellectual Gray and (trim) Extra White, Sherwin-Williams

"Our Craftsman-style house is referred to as an 'airplane bungalow' because the second floor resembles the cockpit of an old plane," say homeowners Susan and Michael Burleson. Many homeowners remove rafter tails (the trim extending from the roof) because they can rot, but the Burlesons wanted to keep the integrity of the century-old house. Stucco made of Portland cement, rock and horse hair (you read that right) covers the exterior walls. It’s called “old-fashioned pebble dash.” The granite in the porch and columns was originally used as ballast in ships in Pensacola’s port.

"Although we’re on a busy road, we have privacy thanks to our garden," they say. "The tree out front is a rare century-old Franklinia that’s been certified authentic by arborists from Philadelphia." In addition to the tree, elephant's ear, like its namesake, can get very big. The plants anchor the left side of the porch. Vinca offers a bright welcome to guests and pollinators, and white caladium has heart-shaped leaves that flourish in the warm climate.

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Built in: 1935

Size: 2,000 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (brick) Riverbend, (trim) Swiss Coffee and (front door) Taliesin Blue, Dunn-Edwards

“When we met this charming house, it was love at first sight," say Robert Betnar and Thomas Vigil. White brickwork around the front door and window emphasizes their arched shape and add character to the warm buff exterior. Original to the house, it is one of the architectural details that attracted Robert and Thomas to the home. The 1930s roof needed replacing, so they chose cedar to replicate the original shingles.

Envisioning an English country garden, they choose plants that have a slightly wild appearance, including orange flame, twisted myrtle and two purple-leaf plum trees for the front yard. Simple white pots set on the front stoop are filled with blue plumbago flowers to play off the color of the front door. Robert and Thomas tried out more than 20 paints before landing on this pretty blue-gray shade.

Location: Fairfield, CT

Built in: 1923

Size: 3,087 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (house) Brandied Pears, (trim) Delicate White and (front door and shutters) Holly Leaf, Olympic

“Of all the homes we looked at, we never thought we’d fall in love with the oldest one. Its fairy-tale qualities instantly won us over, despite the overgrown landscaping we had to replace,” say homeowners Carmina and Anthony Morro.

The angular top echoes the unique archway and the windows on the right side of the house. “It’s not a shape you see every day, so people always comment on it,” says Carmina. The urn outside the door is filled with red petunias, which complement the door’s hunter green hue.

Location: Bergen County, NJ

Built in: 1920

Paint colors: (siding) Mega Greige, (trim) Warm Stone, (shutters) Take Five and (front door) Tricorn Black, Sherwin-Williams

This home may be covered in tones of greige, but its look is far from neutral. "Our home has all of its original casement windows, which adds a lot of character," say homeowners Emily and Nick Spahr. "The blue shutters are another favorite touch" — and an unexpected pop of color.

Pink New Guinea impatiens fill the flower beds on both sides and at the end of the walkway, packing the yard with even more color. The black urn on the front steps is filled with purple geraniums, trailing sweet potato vine and pink begonias.

Location: Seattle

Built in: 1932

Size: 1,800 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (house) Indian Muslin and (door and trim) Whitest White, Kelly-Moore

“With cedar shake siding and a Craftsman-style door, this home felt like the cozy beach cottage we left on nearby Bainbridge Island to move back to the city,” say homeowners Octavia Chambliss and Jon Zulauf. “We had a pretty blue door at our old house, so I thought I wouldn’t like white,” says Octavia. “But after living with it for a while, I decided I love how it looks with all the white trim.” The outdoor chair on the porch provides the pop of blue instead.

Tidy flower beds wouldn't have jibed with the home's beachy feel, so the couple chose to landscape with a mix including moutain hemlock and lavender. The ceramic planter to the left of the steps is potted with variegated kohuhu, pink geranuims and yellow and red coneflowers. In the containers by the street, eulalias stand tall behind calibrachoa and zinnias.

Location: Bergen County, NJ

Built in: 1929

Paint colors: (house) Standish White, (trim) Rockport Gray and (shutters) Crimson by Benjamin Moore

Jennifer and Brian Burchell say, "We love our English Tudor's storybook charm. Moving here from a larger home made us discover less really is more."

The dry-stack stone wall made up of Pennsylvania fieldstones matches the stone arch over the gate. In the hanging basket above: purple petunias and pink million bells. With its reddish-purple leaves, this Bloodgood Japanese maple tree, on the far right, is a standout in an all-green yard.

Location: Tampa

Built in: 1917

Paint colors: (trim, columns and railing) French White, (window trim and french doors) Beach Glass, and (house) try Shabby Chic for a similar look, Benjamin Moore

"We adore the large trees that shade our lot and the pretty brick steps leading to the front porch," say homeowners Laurie and Duncan Elliott. To liven up the Craftsman-style windows, the Elliotts painted the wooden frames and mullions between each pane of glass light blue. The covered space is furnished like a comfy living room — with a swing and all-weather woven chairs that resemble wicker.

Ligustrum hedges and boxwoods line the house. Small beds of white impatiens border the walkway. The Elliotts' urns, on each side of the brick steps, are filled with four plants for a lush look. The combo includes mint, red snapdragons, trailing ivy and hot pink geraniums.

Location: Rhinebeck, NY

Built in: 1863

Size: 2,000 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (house) Soleil and (trim) Mascarpone, Benjamin Moore; (shutters) Iron Ore and (porch floor) Black of Night, Sherwin-Williams

“My last house was a new build, the complete opposite of this 145-year-old home," says homeowner Beth Gershuny. "Because of its decorative trim, quaint shutters and dreamy yard, I now understand what character means.” Decorative corbels are a classic element of Folk Victorian homes like this one. Beth painted the house a soft color to make these seem less formal. The front door is made of a fiberglass composite and stained to look like wood.

When Beth revamped her yard, she planned it around the existing hydrangea bush and Japanese maple tree. “From the start, I loved the way they flank the house like pillars, welcoming everyone inside,” she says. Between them, she planted perennials and flowering bushes.

Location: Kalamazoo, MI

Built in: 1938

Size: 1,500 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (house) Kingsport Gray and (door) Buttered Yam, Benjamin Moore

The house had a flat front, so homeowners Mark and Therese Winnard installed the portico and corbels over the front door for some architectural detail. They're favorite ugrade: the stone paver patio with seating. "We love that it’s welcoming to neighbors, and it was more cost-effective than building a porch," they say.

The pillows, which tie in with the front door, are made with Sunbrella fabric. They consider their front door the perfect shade of orange — not too Halloween-y and not too salmon. For low-maintenance landscaping, Therese started planting more perennials, like ligularia, lantana and guaras. She sculpts the boxwoods herself.

Location: Los Angeles

Built in: 1920

Size: 2,100 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (house) Briarwood, (woodwork) Stone Brown, (trim) Moonlight White and (front door) Violet Stone, Benjamin Moore

“My neighborhood is a mix of styles that were popular in LA in the 1920s. I love the juxtaposition of California Craftsman and Tudor Revival," says homeowner Laura Vender. "Repainting the house taupe — it used to be yellow — brought out its uniqueness.” The pediment’s decorative trim is a charming Tudor twist. “I made it a different color than the siding to highlight it,” says Laura. She pulled the gorgeous purple door color from the patterned tiles on the walkway. “Everybody knows my house as ‘the one with the lavender door!’ ”

When Laura bought the house, her yard was mostly grass which meant a lot of watering. She put in a variety of SoCal-friendly plants: French lavender, ivy leaf geranium, iceberg rose, Italian cypress, star jasmine and mystic spires blue salvia.

Location: Essex County, NJ

Built in: 1930

Size: 1,928 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (house) Crisp Linen White and (trim) Deep Blue Shadow, Glidden

“Over the nearly three decades we’ve lived here, our home has gone from the ugly duckling on the block — with pink awnings and rusty posts — to a swan,” say proud homeowners Dinah and Andrew Lyktey. Combined with the gambrel roof, the centered brick chimney gives the house storybook charm. It’s painted off-white to match the siding. The Lykteys have painted their door, which features three small windows, everything from pink to teal. Recently they stripped it and stained it mahogany for a natural look.

Dinah turned the yard into a vibrant, thriving garden that features red New Guinea impatiens, blue salvia, red verbena and Limelight hydrangea. A weeping cherry tree — the focal point of the colorful yard — blooms pink flowers every spring. A pair of wood chairs in the shade of the tree makes a great spot for morning coffee.

Location: Mystic, CT

Built in: 1856

Size: 1,721 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (house) Sag Harbor Gray and (front door) Black, Benjamin Moore

“We love the warm cottage feel of our place, so we embraced it!" say homeowners Kerry and Jeffrey Van Schoick. "We hung louvered black shutters and filled the yard with whimsical flowers that highlight the picket fence. It’s always such a good feeling coming home.”

The couple was after a natural feel with lush blooms and year-round greenery in the yard. Wild-looking stonecrop, coneflowers and boxwood line the fence, while fluffy holly and Russian sage fill the space under the windows. “The garden continues to amaze us with its constant blooms through fall,” Jeffrey says. The ornate design of the picket fence makes the garden oh-so-dreamy.

Built in: 2005

Size: 5,850 sq. ft.

Paint colors: (trim) Ultra Pure White, Behr; (house) try Tailor's Chalk by Behr

“From the second we laid eyes on this place, with its giant wraparound porch, big windows and slabs of Colorado red bluffstone leading up to the entry, it felt welcoming," say Amy and Andrew Larson, homeowners. To give the beige and white exterior a modern farmhouse jolt, thy opted for standing seam metal roofing in gray. "Standard shingles would have made the house seem too traditional,” says Andrew.

Baskets of blooms in alternating colors suspend from the ceiling of the porch to add a hint of color to the mostly green yard.