A Rainbow of Curb Appeal From HGTV Magazine
We put together the ultimate curb appeal color guide with ideas for doors, shutters, siding and more. Pick a shade, swipe through the slides and get inspired.
From Blue to Blush
"Before I bought it, my bungalow was a depressing dark blue covered with mold, and it had weeds for a yard. But the wraparound porch was a dream!" says Savannah, Georgia, homeowner Jan Cunningham. "I kept driving by just to look at it. Now others do the same: people roll down their windows to tell me how much they love my house."
Paint shade pictured: Beautiful In My Eyes, Benjamin Moore
See More Photos: Copy the Summertime Curb Appeal
Pink and Stripes
Nothing's more charming that the pink exterior of Jeannie and Robert McLean's Mediterranean revival in Florida — besides those nautical striped awnings. "It's a true Tampa house," they say.
Paint shade pictured: Soft Pink, Behr
See More Photos: Copy the Charming Curb Appeal
The Sweetest Door
After homeowners Kim and Dale Cheney instantly brightened their Savannah, Georgia, home with white paint, they decided to give their front door a makeover too. They kept the original door, but added a fresh color: “I wanted something breezy and coastal,” says Kim. Seashell-inspired blush pink is light enough to let the door’s Craftsman details stand out.
Paint shade pictured: My Sweetheart, Behr
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Savannah, Georgia
Girly Gingerbread
In pure Victorian-era style, homeowners Jennifer and Frazier Taylor went with fancy pink-painted wooden brackets for their home in Saratoga Springs, New York. The best part: the matching pink trim.
Paint shade pictured: Youthful Coral, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Summertime Curb Appeal
Come On In
Inspired by the bright doors on homes in Washington, D.C., where she used to live, homeowner Carol Crockett painted her Phoenix front door a happy red hue.
Paint shade pictured: Pure Red, Behr
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Phoenix, AZ
Bold and Bright
“Our favorite thing about our home is the color — it shakes up the neutral neighborhood," say homeowners Katie and Jason Blazek. Jason painted the house’s HardiePlank siding over five weekends using a 2-inch brush. “Although we updated the house’s architecture, we wanted it to look like it was painted by hand in the 1940s,” Katie says.
Paint shade pictured: Awning Red, Behr
A Happy Entrance
“It was love at first sight,” say homeowners Lorin and Jeremy Seidman of their Narragansett, Rhode Island, Cape Cod-meets-Colonial vacation home. And then they went bold. “I wanted an entrance where you couldn’t walk in without smiling at the color,” says Lori of the front door’s shade.
Paint shade pictured: Soft Glow, Benjamin Moore
See More Photos: A Nautical New England Vacation Home With Summer Ideas to Steal
A Shaker Front Door
This glorious front door color — already in place when homeowners Susan and Tom Smith moved into their Salt Lake City home — is handy for giving friends directions. "There are a few similar homes on our block, but we can always say we’re the one with the red door," Susan says. Plus, check out those red Adirondack chairs.
Paint shade pictured: Haute Couture, Kelly-Moore
See More Photos: Copy the Summertime Curb Appeal
Handmade and Homey
This Savannah, Georgia, house was in sad shape when homeowners Beth and Michael Meeks first moved in. "We repainted the pale yellow a warm coral, put in a stained-glass window in place of a broken one and prettied up the landscaping. Now it looks new, but with the handmade feel we love.”
Paint shade pictured: Determined Orange, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Savannah, Georgia
Pops of Orange
Homeowners Catie and Will Wardwell knew their Boise, Idaho, home's two-shades-of-gray-plus-white-trim paint scheme was the perfect neutral canvas for bright details. “When we bought the house, the door was stained wood and it totally faded into the background,” Catie says. She painted it red orange — “like a sunset, so it’s not too pumpkin-y.”
Paint Shade Pictured: Hearty Orange, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Boise, Idaho
A Juicy Update
The only things homeowners Katherine and Jason Tramonte Jr. changed on their Houston house when they first bought it? The front door and the color of the siding. “The old six-panel Colonial-style wood door didn’t look right on our Craftsman cottage,” Jason says. He and Katherine replaced it with this two-panel door with a dentil shelf. Its juicy color plays off the canna lilies in the yard.
Paint shade pictured: Sunbaked Orange, Glidden
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Houston, Texas
A Midcentury Mood
Homeowners Gina Clifford and Tony Longhurst knew that painting their Boulder, Colorado, home cream would make the entry stand out even more. They swapped their old Craftsman-style door for a flat-front kind with vertical lites. “We were excited to find one with rectangles that match our windows,” Gina says. Its pumpkin hue has midcentury cred.
Paint shade pictured: Fire Dance, Benjamin Moore
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Boulder, Colorado
A Calming Exterior
“We’re only the second owners of this corner-lot charmer, which we painted yellow shortly after moving in,” say homeowners Susie and Jerry Jernigan of their Charlotte, North Carolina, home.
Paint shade pictured: Crowne Hill Yellow, Benjamin Moore
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Charlotte, North Carolina
Happy and Cheerful
“This cottage was light yellow when we bought it, but its most charming details — the white fence, the window boxes, and the brackets — stand out so much more against the gray paint we chose,” say homeowners Stephanie and Richard. They considered painting their Fairfield, Connecticut, home watermelon or teal, "but yellow seemed like the best mix of fun and classic to fit our house style,” Stephanie says.
Paint shade pictured: Cheerful, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Fairfield, Connecticut
Bring the Sunshine
“The sweeping lawn and serpentine sidewalk going up to the front caught our eye immediately, and that door jumped out, too. Together, they pull you right in!” say Kathy and David Shows of their Birmingham, Alabama, home. Its original six-lite wood door lets in a whole lot of sun; the hue is a traditional 1950s shade. “When I tell people I live in the house with the yellow door, everyone knows where it is,” Kathy says.
Paint shade pictured: Decisive Yellow, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Birmingham, Alabama
Funky and Fresh
“It looks different from every angle!" say Ashton Allison and Jay Anderson of their 2,650-square-foot Seattle home. The couple was drawn to the door’s cheery yellow. The big glass pane lets in plenty of light, which is welcome on those dreary Seattle days.
Paint shade pictured: Spirited Yellow, Behr
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Seattle, Washington
A Homey Entrance
The exterior of Lesley and Scott Clausen's Portland, Oregon, home was all-white when they moved in — i.e. cold and uninviting. "Once we painted it taupe with a bright yellow door, it turned into a totally welcoming place." Lesley picked the golden color for the original six-panel mahogany door. “She’s from California, so she wanted something that reminded her of the sun,” Scott says.
Paint shade pictured: Sunflower, Benjamin Moore
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Portland, Oregon
A Fun Farmhouse
Check out the door on Melanie and C.J. Gauss's Boulder, Colorado, farmhouse. Its height (8 feet!) and single-panel style show off that zippy color. “Our house was a spec build, but we bought it early enough to add special touches like a cool porch railing, a classic wood fence and a brick pathway with a bend in it," say Melanie and C.J. "Add a yellow door and it’s one fun farmhouse!”
Paint shade pictured: Cheerful, Benjamin Moore
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Boulder, Colorado
New Orleans Cool
When homeowners Heather and Erik Pfefferle designed their new home in New Orleans, they blended the traditional look of local historic houses with the industrial vibe of the warehouse district. As for the front door, Erik made it himself with reclaimed heart pinewood, modeled after vintage ones in the area. The walnut-color stain stands out against the green exterior.
Paint shade pictured: Green Smoke, Cooking Apple Green, Farrow and Ball
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: New Orleans, Louisiana
Special Shutters
Deep green shutters pop against the crisp white exterior of this Kansas City, Missouri, home. But it wasn't always so pretty. Homeowners Amanda and Chris Chaney bought the home despite warnings from friends and family that the it would need a lot of work. "We saw the potential and loved it back to life."
Paint shade pictured: Privilege Green, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Kansas City, Missouri
Green With Elegance
With Spanish-style roof tiles and stucco walls, this mossy green home in Newton, Massachusetts, is unique for its area. “I was immediately drawn to its elegant look, even though it was covered in overgrown vines," says homeowner Kate Wendt.
Paint shade pictured: Georgian Green, Wethersfield Moss, all Benjamin Moore
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Newton, Massachusetts
Granny Smith Green
Homeowners Kim and Cooper Etheridge went for a funky color on their front door door to add a pop to their Houston home's fresh white exterior. Welcome, Granny Smith apple green! For polish, they painted the vintage screen door — transplanted from their former house — the same shade. The bright brick "puts the spotlight on the house," says the couple, "and a can’t-miss-it-green door doesn’t hurt!”
Paint shade pictured: Laser, Behr
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Houston, Texas
Make It Match
Louvered shutters painted the same green as the door, frame most of this Fairfield, Connecticut, home’s windows. “Its fairy-tale qualities instantly won us over, despite the overgrown landscaping we had to replace,” say homeowners Carmina and Anthony Morro.
Paint shade pictured: Holly Leaf, Olympic
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Fairfield, Connecticut
Georgian Green
“We weren’t crazy about the yellowy brick when we moved in, especially next to the existing faded teal door and shutters. Repainting them bright green perked up the whole house," say Kathleen and Ken Moore of their Georgian-style Greenville, South Carolina.
Paint shade pictured: Jadite, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Greenville, South Carolina
Contemporary, Traditional and Blue
This cool blue home in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a mash-up of styles. Homeowners Heather McLarney and Christopher Kosa dubbed it a modern Craftsman. “Because we built our home in a historic neighborhood, we merged our contemporary tastes with traditional architecture,” they say.
Paint shade pictured: Foggy Day, Sherwin-William
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Charlotte, North Carolina
Bright Blue and Kelly Green
“We were drawn to our home’s classic, timeless look, with its symmetrical shape, simple portico and shutter-clad windows. The pretty blue color made it even more irresistible," say Susanne and McKay Cunningham of their Boise, Idaho, home. For a fresh kick still in step with traditional Colonial style, the couple repainted the black door rich kelly green. “We used a similar color in our dining room, and it looked so good we brought it out here,” Susanne says.
Paint shades pictured: Jade Green, Soft Jazz, both Benjamin Moore
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Boise, Idaho
Patience Makes Perfect
"I spent a lot of time researching paint colors that would fit the period and style of this house," says homeowner S. Allister Fisher of her Jacksonville, Florida, home that was built in 1911. "The blue siding makes me smile every time I get home."
Paint shade pictured: Deep Sea Dive, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Jacksonville, Florida
Pale Blue and Pretty
Two types of siding turn this Greenville, South Carolina, house into a standout: linear lap siding on the base and the chimney, and shingle siding on the gable over the porch. Louvered vents skirting the porch add even more texture, and sweet blue paint on the exterior makes it all pop.
Paint shade pictured: Blissful Blue, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Greenville, South Carolina
Twice as Much Character
The landscaping mirrors the symmetrical shape of this foursquare home in Louisville, Kentucky. And what's better than pops of bright blue on the shutters: two different styles of shutters! The outer sets are louvered, with cutouts of a moon on top; the smaller ones in the center each have a single flat panel with topiary shapes. "Altogether it creates a peaceful place to come home to," say homeowners Melissa and Michael Tracy.
Paint shade pictured: Roadster Blue, Valspar
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Louisville, Kentucky
A Nautical Nod
“We talked about adding shutters to complement the clean lines. For now, flower-filled window boxes do the trick,” say Kelsey and Duncan Banfield of their Fairfield, Connecticut, home. Instead, they went with a bright front door. “We had fun deciding what color to paint our door because everything goes with white,” Kelsey says. Their home is just a four-minute walk from the beach, so they chose blue as a nautical nod.
Paint shade pictured: Admiral Blue, Benjamin Moore
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Fairfield, Connecticut
Mediterranean Getaway
“This house used to be mustard yellow, but it’s Mediterranean in style, so I wanted to paint it white like houses you’d find in Greece or coastal Spain," says homeowner Briana Lang of her Orlando, Florida, home. "It’s one of the first changes I made.” Then, Lang painted her eight-panel door a shade of blue inspired by the ultramarine doors and trim she saw on a trip to Cadaqués, Spain.
Paint shade pictured: French Valley Blue, Do It Best Quality Paints
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Orlando, Florida
A Soft Blue Statement
“When we first laid eyes on the house, it was a one-story cottage turned two-story stucco box with Frankenstein-like additions, like a triangular bay window on the second floor," say homeowners Annie and Andrew Ashcroft of their Houston home. "Twin gables, a new porch and portico and shingled siding totally transformed it.”
Paint shade pictured: Krypton, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Houston, Texas
A Cute Cottage
This Knoxville, Tennessee, home is full of cottage-style touches like window boxes, a brick path and cutouts on sweet gray shutters. “Even though we built our house, it’s in a historic neighborhood, so we wanted it to fit in,” say homeowners Chris and Colleen Austin.
Paint shade pictured: Wedgewood Gray, Benjamin Moore
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Knoxville, Tennessee
Very Violet
“Although this home needed work, we couldn’t resist the 1920s architecture and walkable location," say Christine Lamar and Thomas J. Skouras of their Providence, Rhode Island, home. "We painted it sage green first, then this gray with faint violet undertones.” And check out the purple front door. It picks up the color of the catmint in the yard. The porch ceiling is painted the same pretty hue.
Paint shade pictured: Awesome Violet, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Providence, Rhode Island
A Storybook Look
“We weren’t looking for a fixer-upper for our first house, but we fell for this one. It was dirty yellow and a tree hid the window," say Mae and Sam Dennis of their Mobile, Alabama, home. "We took it down and brought out the house’s character with fresh paint and plants.” Mae inherited the traditional front door from her parents when they renovated their 1950s home. “We get a lot of compliments on the color,” Sam says.
Paint shade pictured: Iced Violet, Glidden
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Mobile, Alabama
A Welcoming Palette
A white exterior lets the special details on this Boulder, Colorado, home shine. “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 homeowners Amy and Andrew Larson.
Paint shade pictured: Ultra Pure White, Behr
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Boulder, Colorado
All in the Details
Besides the soft gray exterior on Lisa and Curt Chase's Kansas City, Missouri, home, the couple says they get a lot of compliments on their yard. It's no wonder when Lisa and Curt first moved in there was no landscaping at all. They worked hard to bring it to its current glory. "All the color really makes it come alive."
Paint shade pictured: Escape Gray, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Kansas City, Missouri
Show It Off
“Our house used to have pale yellow siding that didn’t do it justice. Replacing it with gray-painted composite and white trim brought out the pretty original features like the arched door, the curved roofline and our centerpiece chimney," say homeowners Kimberly and Jim Bauman.
Paint shade pictured: Software, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Portland, Oregon
Gray + Green
Deep gray paint on this Cincinnati home allows pops of green (on the shutter and in the yard) to shine. "It's like a country cottage, even though it's smack-dab in the middle of the city," say homeowners Donna McMullin and David Rensberger.
Paint shade pictured: Special Gray, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Summertime Curb Appeal
Neutral Charm
Homeowners Terry and Joe Drolla are both New Orleans natives, so they wanted a home that reflected the city’s charm. Formal landscaping, arches, a two-story porch and a brick path make it really special. In the end though, "The faded color completes the historic feel we were after,” says Terry.
Paint shades pictured: Coastal Fog, Greek Villa, Benjamin Moore
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: New Orleans, Louisiana
Suave and Stately
“Our Italianate home has a stately look, with its tall windows and elegant dentil molding, but the fresh white color, wraparound porch and brick-lined walkway make it inviting," say Kara and Matt Henderson of their Louisville, Kentucky, home.
Paint shade pictured: White Dove, Benjamin Moore
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Louisville, Kentucky
Black and White
“We live in a historic preservation district, so the palettes in our neighborhood are traditional,” say Paula and John Kluksdal of their Boise, Idaho, home. The black door and shutters — all original — create a striking contrast to the white wood siding.
Paint Shade Pictured: Carbon, Behr
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Boise, Idaho
Farmhouse Classic
“Our house used to be a boring white box," say Michelle and John York of their Greenville, South Carolina, home. "We added taupe shutters with iron hardware, sconces, and a window box. It’s classic yet not at all formal — the way a farmhouse should be.
Paint shade pictured: Foothills, Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Greenville, South Carolina
Warm and Earthy
Clara Chesterman founder her earthy home in Seattle by accident. "One day I took a wrong turn, saw it being built, and fell in love. The wood siding, warm colors and multipaned windows give it lots of character," she says. “The different shapes of the cedar siding and the earthy stain colors naturally go together — and make the house feel bigger than it actually is,” Clara says.
Stains pictured: Smoke Tree, Caribou, Belvedere Tan, all Sherwin-Williams
See More Photos: Copy the Curb Appeal: Seattle, Washington
Simply Stucco
Roma and Terry Kiser adore their stucco California home. Cedar shakes on the roof, tumbled stones on the walkway and an arched front door amplify the creamy, beige exterior.
Paint shade pictured: Valley Forge Tan, Benjamin Moore
