Dark Brown Trim Exterior House Color Schemes

Choosing the perfect exterior house colors can transform the look and feel of your home. When paired with dark brown trim, your exterior color scheme can create a stunning, polished aesthetic.

Dark brown trim brings a sense of depth and sophistication to a home's exterior. The rich chocolate hue contrasts nicely against lighter background colors like grays, tans, whites, and pastels. It also complements materials such as brick, stone, and wood siding. Dark brown evokes feelings of warmth and timelessness - an ideal trim color for homeowners seeking a classic look.

Factors to Consider

When selecting exterior paint colors to match your dark brown trim, keep the following factors in mind:

• Your home's architectural style - Dark brown works well on traditional styles like Colonial and Craftsman homes. It can also add flair to more modern houses.
• The color of your roof and other exterior elements - Coordinate roof colors like black, gray, brown and avoid clashing hues.
• The predominant material of your home's exterior - Brick, stone, wood siding, stucco all pair attractively with dark brown.
• The general color tone you want to create - Do you prefer warm and welcoming or crisp and cool?
• How much natural sunlight your home receives - Darker colors show well in bright light.
• Your local climate and environment - Consider fading from sun, moisture, seasonal changes.

Neutral Background Colors

For a classic, timeless look, paint the main surfaces of your home in neutral tones that allow the rich brown trim to take center stage. Here are some neutral color options that work beautifully with dark brown:

• Whites or off-whites like Alabaster, Cream, or Bone White
• Beiges and tans like Fawn, Khaki, or Sandstone
• Light to mid-range grays like Silver Drop, Thunder Gray, or Rockport Gray
• Muted greens like Spruce, Moss, or Bay Leaf
• Soothing blues like Duck Egg, Coastal Blue, or Horizon Blue

Avoid stark white, which can look harsh against dark brown trim. Instead, consider a warm off-white with a slight creamy or beige undertone. This will create a softer, more welcoming look. When choosing a gray, go for muted, hazy shades rather than crisp, cool undertones.

Accent Colors

For a splash of contrast, use brighter accent colors on exterior elements like your front door, window shutters, or garage door. Vibrant hues like cobalt, deep red, emerald, or mustard yellow can make your home's entryway pop. Just be sure accent colors are not overwhelming. Keep them to smaller surfaces so dark brown trim remains the focus.

You can also add pops of color with landscaping features. Bright flowers, foliage, and containers near entryways and walkways provide eye-catching contrast against dark brown trim. Opt for colorful blooms like red tulips, purple clematis, yellow lantana, or sky-blue hydrangeas.

Avoid Clashing Contrasts

When selecting exterior colors, it's important to avoid hues that clash with dark brown. Certain color combinations will make your home's exterior look disjointed and messy. Here are some exterior color pairings to avoid:

• Bright, vivid primary colors like cherry red or sunshine yellow
• Pale pastels like mint, peach, or lavender
• Too many competing shades on different surfaces
• Colors with similar depth and saturation as the brown
• Monochromatic brown-on-brown color schemes

Also, beware of choosing colors that blend in too much with the dark brown trim. For example, avoid medium wood tones, tan, beige, or greige that don't contrast sufficiently with the trim. Ideally, the darker brown should stand out boldly from the background.

Test Paint Swatches

Don't rely solely on paint chips when selecting exterior colors. Colors look very different on a 3x3 inch card versus a whole house exterior. Purchase a few quarts of your top color choices and paint decent-sized swatches on your home's exterior surfaces.

Observe the swatches at different times of day and night to see how natural and artificial light affects them. Look at the swatches next to your home's dark brown trim to ensure pleasing contrast. And paint swatches adjacent to any brick, stone, or wood on your exterior. This allows you to evaluate real-life coordinated color schemes.

Professional Painters

Hiring professional house painters is highly recommended for exterior paint projects with dark brown trim. Experienced painters properly prepare surfaces, use high-quality primers and paints, and apply multiple coats for excellent coverage. A pro will also flawlessly 'cut-in' your trim area and ensure the transition between trim and field colors is seamless.

For the best results, choose painters who specialize in exteriors. Verify they have experience working with the materials on your home. Ensure they know proper exterior painting techniques for your local climate. With pro prep and application, your exterior paint colors and dark brown trim will maintain their beauty for many years.

To keep exterior paint colors looking their best:

• Inspect surfaces yearly and spot paint as needed
• Power wash siding and trim to remove dirt and mildew
• Re-caulk window, door, and trim areas if cracks appear
• Consider repainting the entire exterior every 5-7 years
• Watch for any paint blistering, cracking, or peeling and address immediately

Proper maintenance preserves your exterior paint, extends its lifespan, and keeps dark brown trim looking rich and flawless. Avoid allowing dirt build-up, permitting moisture issues, or delaying necessary touch-ups.

Your exterior paint colors and dark brown trim will enhance your home's style for many years to come with strategic color selection, smartprep work, professional application, and routine care.