Home Architecture and Home Design How To Choose The Right Siding And Trim Color Combination, According To Experts Practical tips and professional advice to help you pick the perfect siding and trim color combo and create a visually appealing look. By Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin A former magazine editor. Freelance writer. Content creator. Obsessive reader. And wannabe baker. Elizabeth is a Southern lifestyle writer with more than fifteen years of experience. Her work covering Southern food, arts and culture, travel, and interiors has appeared in the pages of national publications, including Southern Living, Coastal Living, Garden & Gun, and The New York Times, among others. See her work at www.hutchcreativeco.com. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on August 5, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Popular Combos Match Trim and Siding Opt For A Tonal Look Play With Contrast Close Photo: ROBBIE CAPONETTO; STYLING: BUFFY HARGETT MILLER A firm handshake and a timely arrival. A well-turned out appearance. A thoughtful host gift or a prompt thank-you note. Confidence or a kind smile. There are lots of ways for a person to make a good first impression. But when it comes to the initial impact of your home, one of the easiest ways to generate curb appeal is the right paint color for your home’s siding. An exterior paint job or a complete siding overhaul is a big investment, though, which often turns a seemingly simple decision into a surprisingly tricky one. Even after you’ve settled on a siding color, you still have to consider the trim, which depending on your approach can drastically alter the overall aesthetic of your home. Do you match your siding for a cleaner, elegant look? Do you stay within the same color family and paint the trim just a shade or two lighter or darker than the siding? Or perhaps a dose of high contrast is in order? The possible siding-trim combinations are exponential (even the good ones), but you can avoid paralysis by analysis with this practical, expert-driven guide to choosing the right siding and trim color combination for your home. 25 Exterior Paint Palettes To Suit Every Style Of Home Meet the Experts Leigh Misso is the owner of River Brook Design & Construction in Birmingham, Alabama. Kirsten Schoettelkotte is the studio director at MHK Architecture in Charleston, South Carolina. Patti Wilbourne owns interior design firm, PWD Studio, in Charleston, South Carolina. Popular Siding and Trim Color Combos Carmel Brantley; Styling: Matthew Gleason Once a siding palette or main exterior paint is decided upon, there are three common approaches designers and architects often take toward trim color selection–matching, tonal, and high contrast. Explore all three approaches as well as popular color combinations in each category. How To Maintain Your Home's Siding, According To Experts Match Your Trim And Siding ROBBIE CAPONETTO; STYLING: BUFFY HARGETT MILLER Sometimes less really is more and matching your trim to your siding can create a clean yet sophisticated look. “Matching also feels more timeless to me,” says Patti Wilbourne of PWD Studio in Charleston, South Carolina. “I sometimes feel like the contrast between the siding and the trim, depending on the combo, can date your home.” Expert-Approved Classic Whites Leigh Misso (River Brook Design & Construction): Siding/Trim: Benjamin Moore White Dove, OC-17 To add contrast, try the shutters in Benjamin Moore Pale Oak, OC-20 Patti Wilbourne (PWD Studio):Siding/Trim: Farrow & Ball All White, No. 2005 To add contrast, try the shutters at 50% Benjamin Moore Mopboard Black, CW-680 Siding/Trim: Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, SW 7008 Kirsten Schoettelkotte (MHK Architecture): Siding/Trim: Sherwin-Williams Origami White, SW 7636Siding/Trim: Sherwin-Williams Oyster White, SW 7637 Expert-Approved Dramatic Grays and Dark Blues Kirsten Schoettelkotte (MHK Architecture):Siding/Trim: Sherwin-Williams Porpoise, SW 7047Siding/Trim: Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore, SW 7069 Patti Wilbourne (PWD Studio):Siding/Trim: Sherwin-Williams Needlepoint Navy, SW 0032 Expert-Approved Soft Grays Patti Wilbourne (PWD Studio):Siding: NuCedar shake in Intellectual GrayTrim: Sherwin-Williams Intellectual Gray, SW 7045 Bronze windows and copper accents pair nicely. The Best Way To Clean Siding, According To Experts Opt For A Tonal Look Southern Living Adding just a touch of contrast to your home’s exterior by choosing siding and trim combos that are a few shades lighter or darker than each other or within the same color family allows you to subtly highlight your home’s unique architectural elements without committing to a more dramatic look that you might not love a decade from now. Expert-Approved Classic Whites Kirsten Schoettelkotte (MHK Architecture):Siding: Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, SW 7008Trim: Sherwin-Williams Egret White, SW 7570 Expert-Approved Dramatic Grays and Dark Blues Kirsten Schoettelkotte (MHK Architecture):Siding: Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore, SW 7069 Trim: Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black, SW 6258 Patti Wilbourne (PWD Studio):Siding: Sherwin-Williams Porpoise, SW 7047Trim: Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze, SW 7048Pro tip: Copper accents, like the gutters, pair well. Siding: Sherwin-Williams Needlepoint Navy, SW 0032Trim: 50% Sherwin Williams Needlepoint Navy, SW 0032 Expert-Approved Soft Grays Kirsten Schoettelkotte (MHK Architecture): Siding: Sherwin-Williams Dovetail, SW 7018Trim: Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray, SW 7017 Siding: Sherwin-Williams Worldly Gray, SW 7043Trim: Sherwin-Williams Pure White, SW 7005 Play With Contrast If you aren’t afraid of a little drama, dialing up the contrast between your trim and siding paint colors is an easy way to highlight your home’s best architectural features. A fresh coat of Benjamin Moore's Simply White (OC-117) lightened up the exterior of the 1924 charmer. ALISON GOOTEE; Styling by Dakota Willimon Expert-Approved Light Siding/Dark Trim Pairings Leigh Misso (River Brook Design & Construction): Siding: Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter, HC-172Trim: Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore, SW 7069 Kirsten Schoettelkotte (MHK Architecture): Siding: Sherwin-Williams Egret White, SW 7570Trim: Sherwin-Williams Porpoise, SW 7047 Siding: Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, SW 7008Trim: Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze, SW 7048 Expert-Approved Dark Siding/Light Trim Pairings Leigh Misso (River Brook Design & Construction): Siding: Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal, HC-166Trim: Benjamin Moore White Dove, OC-17 Kirsten Schoettelkotte (MHK Architecture): Siding: Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze, SW 7048Trim: Sherwin-Williams Felted Wool, SW 9171 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit