Farmhouse Style Exterior Color Schemes Guide

When designing a farmhouse exterior , choosing the right color scheme is crucial for creating a cohesive and appealing look. The exterior colors of a farmhouse bring together various elements like siding, trim, shutters, doors, and accents into a unified vision. Planning home exterior color schemes for a farmhouse involves both leveraging traditional palette ideas and experimenting with modern hues. By thoughtfully balancing and layering paint colors, homeowners can craft a personalized farmhouse exterior that reflects their taste and lifestyle.

Whether you favor a traditional white farmhouse or want to get creative with bold and modern hues, there's an inspiring color scheme waiting to elevate your home's curb appeal.

Popular Farmhouse Exterior Color Combinations

When starting your exterior color scheme planning, it helps to understand some of the most classic farmhouse color pairings. Here are a few timeless combinations that bring out the best in farmhouse architecture.

White or Light Neutral Main Color

A white or light neutral base is the quintessential farmhouse exterior paint choice. Classic options like Snowbound white, Extra White, Swiss Coffee, and Alabaster create a clean, airy backdrop that allows other accent colors to really pop. Soft whites with subtle warm undertones feel especially inviting and cozy.

Accent Colors Like Green, Blue, Black

Once your light base body color is selected, bring in accent shades on details like shutters, doors, window trim, and metal fixtures. Classic farmhouse accent colors include hunter green, navy blue, black, dark gray, barn red, and mustard yellow.

Trim and Shutter Colors for Contrast

Strategic use of trim and shutter colors is key for adding depth through contrast. Black window shutters stand out beautifully against white siding. Try white trim around windows and doors on a dark gray house body. And experiment with multiple accent colors by pairing navy blue shutters with red front doors.

Create a Cohesive Farmhouse Color Palette

When planning your farmhouse exterior colors, aim for cohesion in your overall palette. Follow these guidelines to ensure all your color choices work harmoniously together.

Choose Base Siding/Brick Color

First decide on your predominant siding or brick color. Neutrals like white, light gray, tan, or pale yellow are safe bets. Or go bold with a saturated shade like navy blue, olive green, or rusty red if you want something more striking.

Select Accent Trim/Shutters/Door Colors

Next, bring in accent colors with trim, shutters, doors, and other details. Contrast your base with darker hues like black, charcoal gray, or chocolate brown. Or complement it with softer accents in sage green, sky blue, brick red, or muted coral.

Add Pops of Color with Landscaping/Furniture

Finally, inject additional color through outdoor decor elements like patio furniture, flowering plants, painted planters, and front door wreaths. Vibrant shades like sunshine yellow, cherry red, and violet blue make great pops of color.

Best Paint Colors for a Farmhouse Exterior

Wondering which specific paint colors work best for achieving a farmhouse exterior aesthetic? Here are some of our top picks to help you narrow down your options.

Whites/Creams for Traditional Feel

• Extra White (Sherwin Williams)
• Swiss Coffee (Behr)
• Navajo White (Benjamin Moore)
• White Dove (Behr)

Grays for More Modern Farmhouse

• Agreeable Gray (Sherwin Williams)
• Cape Cod Gray (Benjamin Moore)
• Gray Matters (Behr)
• Gray Owl (Benjamin Moore)

Historical Color Palette Inspiration

For a truly authentic farmhouse look, reference actual historical color palettes from the late 18th and 19th centuries. Brands like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams offer collections based on these heritage colors.

Farmhouse Exterior Color Schemes by House Style

Tailoring your exterior color scheme to your specific farmhouse architectural style ensures the finished look feels cohesive from roof to foundation.

Traditional Farmhouse Color Schemes

The traditional farmhouse features simple lines, often with board and batten or horizontal lap siding. Stick to an all-white scheme or pair a very light neutral body with black shutters and robin's egg blue doors.

Modern Farmhouse Color Palettes

Contemporary farmhouse designs have more sleek and dramatic lines. Use an airy gray as your base color with bright white trim, slate blue shutters, and a brick red front door for bold contrast.

Country Cottage Exterior Colors

Quaint cottage-style farmhouses shine with soft period-inspired hues. Try a pale sage green exterior with creamy white trim, peach shutters, and a dusty blue door.

Tips for Painting Your Farmhouse Exterior

Achieving exterior color perfection requires diligent prep work and high quality application. Employ these best practices for outstanding long-lasting results when painting your farmhouse's exterior.

Prep Work to Ensure Good Adhesion

Thoroughly clean all surfaces and scrape away any loose, cracked or peeling existing paint. Sand glossy areas to improve paint adhesion. Fill holes and caulk gaps around windows, doors, trim and siding seams.

Use Quality Primer and Paint

Invest in primer specifically formulated for exterior use on your surface material. Apply two coats of top-tier acrylic latex paint for a durable and protective finish.

Consider Ease of Long-Term Maintenance

Darker colors show dirt, stains, and wear more easily than lighter neutrals. Satin finishes withstand weathering better than flat. Place darker accent colors strategically instead of all over.

Hire a Professional Painter for Best Results

Proper set-up, technique, and equipment leads to the highest quality finish. Hiring experienced exterior painters guarantees your paint job checks all the boxes.

Common Farmhouse Exterior Paint Color Mistakes

While planning your color scheme, steer clear of these frequent pitfalls to ensure paint success:

Too Many Competing Colors

Stick to three colors maximum--a light main color, darker accent shade, and vivid pop of color. Too many colors fight for attention, creating a disjointed look.

Colors That Clash with Roof/Landscape

Ensure paint colors complement the existing roof and surrounding landscape environment. The goal is a cohesive, peaceful look.

Forgetting to Highlight Architectural Details

Use white or bright trim to showcase beautiful architectural details like stone foundations, dormers, and columns. Let these special features shine.

Gallery of Farmhouse Exterior Color Scheme Ideas

Still searching for the perfect color combination for your farmhouse? Peruse these stunning exterior paint schemes for a burst of inspiration.

Clean and Bright White Beauty

This pristine white scheme paired with black shutters and brick accents exudes traditional farmhouse charm.

Muted Blue-Green Complexion

Sage green siding, light blue trim and slate gray roofing tiles compose an earthy, harmonious palette.

Cherry Red Statement

Against dark charcoal gray siding, bright white windows and a cherry red door command attention.

Expert Q&A on Farmhouse Exterior Color Trends

Wondering what the hottest exterior color choices are right now? We connected with top designers to get their insights on what's trending.

What are the most popular 2023 farmhouse exterior colors?

"We're seeing lots of requests for timeless, neutral combinations in warm white, light gray, beige and brown for a welcoming look. Accent colors lean green in shades of sage, olive and forest." - Mary S., farmhouse color design expert

What upcoming color trends do you predict gaining traction?

"Vibrant deep blues like navy, cobalt and ultramarine feel fresh and current. I also expect to see more bold black exteriors with bright white trim for striking high-contrast." - David C., farmhouse paint color specialist

Creating a stylish, welcoming farmhouse exterior starts with choosing a cohesive, well-balanced color palette. Traditional combinations in white, black, green and blue make timeless choices. While trending options like lighter grays, deeper blues and sleek black exteriors put a modern spin on the classic farmhouse aesthetic. Whatever your personal style, keep finishes, architecture and surroundings in mind as you plan your exterior color scheme for irresistible curb appeal.