If you’re looking for deep, dark, and dramatic exterior look, have you thought about NOT painting your house black? Because there are a world of options that don’t feel quite so trendy right now. Something a bit more timeless.

These colors are deep, dramatic, and intriguing. I like to call them “Interesting Neutrals” when working with clients. Colors that have you asking, is that Black, or…? Dark shades that instantly elevate the exterior of any home – and do it thoughtfully, with purpose.

Because these are not safe, silent colors. These are effortlessly chic, gleefully risk-taking colors that speak with confidence. They’re luxurious, without screaming about it. But they let you know.

So today, I’m going to break down my favorite real life dark exterior colors, and help you decide if this is the right move for you and your home.

How Do I Know If a Dark Exterior Paint Color Is Right for My House?

Not every idea is the right one for every single house, or every single location. Not every color, or every undertone, is going to make sense.

So ask yourself…where is my house located? What is it surrounded by? And then BE HONEST.

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Because a dark house in a neighborhood that’s a sea of white clapboard is going to stick out like a sore thumb (and probably be tougher to sell). A dark house on a lot that’s been stripped of all vegetation out on the prairie is going to feel out of place and weird (in a bad way).

Where does dark look right? Heavily wooded lots, historic neighborhoods with other dark houses (think Salem & New England), or homes with acreage or deep set-backs.

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What Are Undertones and How Do I Choose the Right One for My Exterior?

Undertones are what make color, COLOR. Black is pigment with no other color in it. Navy is black with blue in it. Forest is black with green in it. Brown is black with red or yellow in it. Charcoal is black with any other color + white in it

So the real question you want to ask yourself is what undertone do I need? What undertone does my house want? What am I already working with for roofing, doors, windows – even landscaping?

Don’t think about the paint color in isolation; look at what’s already locked in, too. Your roof, stone, brick, windows, and even your trees are going to tell you whether you need a greener, bluer, warmer, or more neutral dark. Once you nail that undertone, choosing the actual color gets a whole lot easier.

Should I Paint My Entire House One Dark Color or Add Trim?

So at this point, you should know what undertone you’re looking for, and if dark makes sense for your house where it is. Now, think about the details.

Because color drenching, when you paint every single surface on your house the exact same color, can be just the thing for a house with weird details, or funky trim, because it erases all that detail. You see the roofline and the shape of the house, instead of those odd windows and fussy trim.

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Or, if your house is pretty straightforward, and doesn’t have weird little details you want to hide, you can add a subtle trim color, like black or charcoal, and really make those shapes pop.

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What Are Some Trim Colors That Work With Dark House Exteriors?

Here are my fave trim combos with dark exteriors:

What Is LRV and Why Does It Matter for Dark Exterior Paint Colors?

Before you run to the paint store, we need to talk about LRV.

“Light Reflectance Value” is how paint companies measure how much UV heat is either absorbed or reflected by certain pigments. It’s not just about how dark the color is, but about how much of a certain pigment is in each finished color.

Measured on a scale from 0 (zero) to 100 (one-hundred), each color is given a number. Zero is pure black, reflecting no light, and One-Hundred is pure white, reflecting the most light. Any light that isn’t reflected is absorbed into the surface.

LRV isn’t about fading, it’s about UV heat and warping. Expansion and contraction.

So is SUPER important to understand if you have surfaces made from PVC, vinyl or metal that get touched by a single ray of sunshine throughout the day before you paint them. Like, shined on at all. Because the sun is no joke!

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Can I Paint PVC Trim, Vinyl Siding, Vinyl Windows or Garage Doors a Dark Color?

Painting a steel or composite garage door, vinyl siding or soffits, vinyl exterior windows, or pvc trim (like Azek) with a LOW LRV (like below 30), can not only destroy that surface, (we’re talking cracked windows, twisted trim, and garage doors that warp and won’t open) but it’ll also void any warranty that you may have had to fix it. So you have to check the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific surface before proceeding with a low LRV color.

And you might be surprised which colors have low LRVs! Blue pigment, in particular, is really susceptible to heat problems with the sun, so if there’s even a drop of it in your color, watch what surface you’re putting it on.

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Which Paints Can I Use to Paint PVC Trim, Vinyl Siding, or Garage Doors with a Dark Color?

Both Sherwin-Williams & Benjamin Moore make colors that are formulated for use over vinyl siding. However, this isn’t a guarantee that a dark color won’t cause damage. Every situation is totally unique. So buyer VERY beware!

With PVC trim, Azek has a great resource listing the specific colors from a range of manufacturers that they recommend for their product. They also talk about which formulas to use.

The garage door companies, like Clopay & C.H.I, use special industrial paint formulas and baked on powder-coating at the factories to get dark colors that won’t damage your doors if they get touched by the sun. You can custom order these special industrial paints on a new door from the factory in a wide range of colors using Clopay’s ColorBlast palette.

Clopay and C.H.I. also have strict instructions to follow for painting an older door, including which specific doors can take what LRVs. You need to know the material the door is made from, and ideally, the product line name (like Coachman, Modern Steel, Plank, etc.).

But, painting your existing garage door a very dark color is not a DIY situation unless you’re willing to accept the possible destruction of the (very expensive) door! If you’re hiring someone to paint for you, make sure they have experience in prepping and painting a garage door, and that you know what your door is made from. Because it’s not the same as painting siding!

Photo by Getty Images on Unsplash

Is a Dark Exterior Paint Color Hard To Maintain?

If you’ve decided to go with a dark color on your exterior, make sure you also understand what’s involved in keeping it maintained.

Dark colors can show dirt much more easily than light or mid-tone colors. Splash-up from rain, and hard water stains from irrigation can really stand out on a dark color. So there are special formulas like Rain Refresh that can help with that over time.

Photo by Oliver Li on Unsplash

But the biggest maintenance issue with dark tones is fading. You should be prepared to re-paint your house more often with a dark color. Typically the cycle is every 3-5 years instead of every 8-10.

And if you live in a climate that has harsh Southern sun (think Arizona, Texas, etc.), the fading can be almost immediate. It’s often recommended to go with one or two steps DARKER than the color you actually want, so that after a few months it’s the perfect shade. But with the darkest shades, you’ll simply have to repaint more often.

Will a Dark Exterior Paint Color Affect My Energy Bills?

Dark exterior colors with low LRVs can affect your energy costs, both in warm and cold climates. Which can be good or bad, depending! So you want to take your current situation into consideration before you break out the paint sprayer and go to town.

A few questions to ask yourself:

Bottom line: your climate and sun exposure can make a dark color a really smart upgrade, or a ridiculously expensive headache. So be honest about your situation first, then choose your shade with confidence.

Who Makes the Best Dark Exterior Paint Colors?

The best paint company for dark exterior paint colors is the one your painter feels most comfortable with. Because that’s gonna get you the best result!

When it comes to the colors themselves, look for names with a bit of intrigue…Midnight, Night, Nightfall, Shadow, Deep, Deepest or Woods, Forest, Iron, Mount, Sea, Pool, Reservoir, River, Space.

And while each of the big companies has wonderful dark colors to work with, here are my favorite dark exterior paint colors from four of them:

What are the Best Dark Green Exterior Paint Colors?

For Dark Green exterior paint colors, look for names like Forest, Woods, Shade, and Green. These colors all have a bit of neutral earthiness to them, so they don’t immediately read as green. And all would perfectly blend into a wooded lot.

TOP, L TO R:
SW 6126 Jasper by Sherwin-Williams
Waller Green CW-510 by Benjamin Moore
Black Evergreen MQ6-44 by Behr
DEA181 Refined Green by Dunn-Edwards

CENTER, L TO R:
SW 7749 Laurel Woods by Sherwin-Williams
Aegean Olive 1491 by Benjamin Moore
Black Bamboo N380-7 by Behr
DEA175 Black Forest by Dunn-Edwards

BOTTOM, L TO R:
SW 6188 Shade-Grown by Sherwin-Williams
Topsoil CC-692 by Benjamin Moore
North Woods N410-7 by Behr
DE6301 Hidden Forest by Dunn-Edwards

What are the Best Dark Blue Exterior Paint Colors?

For Dark Blue exterior paint colors, look for names like Deep, Deepest, Sea, Midnight, Night, and Metal. These colors all have a bit of grey to them, so they don’t immediately read as blue. These colors look great with grays and blacks as accents.

TOP, L TO R:
SW 6251 Outerspace by Sherwin-Williams
Brush Blue CW-675 by Benjamin Moore
Blue Metal HDC-AC-25 by Behr
DE5825 Deepest Sea by Dunn-Edwards

CENTER, L TO R:
SW 7625 Mount Etna by Sherwin-Williams
Midnight Blue 1638 by Benjamin Moore
Poppy Seed PPU15-20 by Behr
DE5874 Deep Reservoir by Dunn-Edwards

BOTTOM, L TO R:
SW 6992 Inkwell by Sherwin-Williams
Hale Navy HC-154 by Benjamin Moore
Midnight Blue N480-7 by Behr
DEA184 Parisian Night by Dunn-Edwards

What are The Best Dark Charcoal Gray Exterior Paint Colors?

For Dark Charcoal exterior paint colors, look for names like Iron, Gray, Shadow, Pepper and well, Charcoal. And you can have a warm, or a cool Charcoal Gray. Either way, these colors all look great with bold pops of color as accents, as well as true black.

TOP, L TO R:
SW 7068 Grizzle Gray by Sherwin-Williams
Amherst Gray HC-157 by Benjamin Moore
Shadow Mountain PPU24-22 by Behr
DE6384 Iron Fixture by Dunn-Edwards

CENTER, L TO R:
SW 7019 Gauntlet Gray by Sherwin-Williams
Kendall Charcoal HC-166 by Benjamin Moore
Asphalt Gray N520-6 by Behr
DE6378 Jet by Dunn-Edwards

BOTTOM, L TO R:
SW 7674 Peppercorn by Sherwin-Williams
Randolph Gray CW-85 by Benjamin Moore
Peppery MQ2-62 by Behr
DE6370 Charcoal Smudge by Dunn-Edwards

What are the Best Dark Brown Exterior Paint Colors?

With dark brown exterior paint colors, look for names like Espresso, Ground, Earth, and Soil. These colors all are as bitter as the darkest chocolate, with lots and lots of dark grey in them. You should be asking yourself… is that grey or brown? These colors look great with true blacks as accents.

TOP, L TO R:
SW 6251 Sealskin by Sherwin-Williams
Deep Caviar 2130-20 by Benjamin Moore
Gardener’s Soil MQ2-54 by Behr
DET630 Renwick Brown by Dunn-Edwards

CENTER, L TO R:
SW 7510 Chateau Brown by Sherwin-Williams
Rural Earth 1239 by Benjamin Moore
Underground N200-7 by Behr
DET634 Downing to Earth by Dunn-Edwards

BOTTOM, L TO R:
SW 7020 Black Fox by Sherwin-Williams
Night Horizon 2134-10 by Benjamin Moore
Espresso Beans PPU5-01 by Behr
DET680 Espresso Macchiato by Dunn-Edwards

Is a Dark Exterior Paint Color Right For Me?

Choosing a dark exterior color is a big decision, right? It’s bold, everyone can see it, and it can damage your house if you do it wrong. It’s not something you want to second-guess halfway through the project.

But when you pick the right undertone, respect the realities of your surfaces and sunlight, and totally commit to the look, it’s absolutely worth it. Trust your instincts, trust your house, and go dark with confidence.

And if you need a little help or a confidence boost, I’m always here.