5 Exterior House Accents that Will Boost Curb Appeal

1. Exterior House Accents and Colours for Shutters

Painted shutters are an easy way to add an accent colour to your home’s exterior. Create dimension with monochromatic hues—or go even bolder with complementary colours that sit across from each other on the colour wheel.

For visual interest, try using analogous colours, selecting hues for the siding and shutters that sit next to each other on the colour wheel. Here, Shore House Green 2047-50 shutters cool things off against Flawless AF-320 stucco exterior, with bountiful greenery acting as the bridge to the blue-green-yellow colour scheme.

If you don’t have shutters, try a pop of colour on the exterior window trim or the front door.

2. Exterior House Accents and Colour Combinations for Shutters and Front Doors

Create a harmonious exterior colour scheme with front door paint colours that go perfectly with your shutters and other exterior accents.

If you’re looking to paint your shutters a different colour than the front door, consider using hues with a similar undertone. Combinations we love:

• Siding in Wedgewood Gray HC-146, trim and shutters in Hazy Skies OC-48, and front door in Hawthorne Yellow HC-4.
• Siding in Dove Wing OC-18, trim in White Dove OC-17, shutters in Collingwood OC-28, and front door in Iron Mountain 2134-30.

Monochromatic Shutter and Home Exterior Colours

A monochromatic exterior colour scheme creates a modern and eye-catching look. You can choose to paint your home’s exterior a single hue or experiment with different shades of the same colour.

For shutter and front door combinations, consider painting them a few shades lighter or darker than the rest of your home’s exterior.

Here are a few monochromatic colour combinations we love:

• Siding in Somerville Red HC-62 and accents in Odessa Pink HC-59.
• Siding in Yarmouth Blue HC-150 and accents in Hale Navy HC-154.
• Siding in Flora AF-470 and accents in Lush AF-475.

Analogous Shutter and Front Door Colour Combinations

If you want to add the illusion of depth to your home’s exterior, consider an analogous shutter and front door colour combination.

Analogous colour combinations showcase colours that sit next to each other on the colour wheel.

By choosing analogous colours for your home’s exterior and accents, you can create a multi-hued colour scheme that enhances your surroundings. We recommend these combinations:

• Siding in Wedgewood Gray HC-146, accents in Kittery Point Green HC-119, and front door in Weston Flax HC-5.
• Siding in Pristine OC-75, accents in Cotton Balls OC-122, and front door in Ansonia Peach HC-52.

Matching Shutter and Front Door Colours

Painting the front door and shutters the same colour is a popular choice among homeowners. Try these exterior colour combinations where the front door and shutters are the same:

• Siding in Edgecomb Gray HC-173, trim in Chantilly Lace OC-65, and shutters and front door in Sea Star 2123-30.
• Siding in Soft Fern 2144-40, trim in Swiss Coffee OC-45, and shutters and front door in Mysterious AF-565.

Want to add more definition and tie the whole colour palette together? Try a bright white paint colour on your exterior window or door trim.

3. Coastal-Inspired Exterior Home Accents

Rooted in casual coastal design, brightly painted shutters against an otherwise neutral exterior can bring charming warmth to any home—even if you don’t live in a beachside cottage. Taking inspiration from the Southeast and tropical regions, aqua blues and rich greens are popular choices for this relaxed but playful look.

Here, we paired sparkling White Diamond OC-61 with the bold and breezy Bahaman Sea Blue 2055-40. Take the look one step further with painted furniture and linens in similar hues.

Other saturated hues we love for shutters:

• Caliente AF-290
• Deep Ocean 2058-30
• Florida Keys Blue 2050-40

A Pop of Colour on Your Home’s Exterior

A home with a white or neutral painted exterior provides an excellent opportunity to add eye-catching accent colours. Adding a pop of colour can help your home coordinate with your landscape or create focal points that complement your home’s exterior.

Here, Chantilly Lace OC-65 adds a classic off-white to Weston Flax HC-5 siding with a Stuart Gold HC-10 front door.

Other colours we love for exterior accents:

• Regent Green 2136-20
• Schooner AF-520
• Soleil AF-330

4. Exterior Home Accents: Garage Door Colours and More

When selecting paint colours for your garage doors and the rest of your home’s exterior, think about the more permanent elements such as landscaping, stone or brickwork, and roof colour, then choose a central hue and go from there. No matter what you pick, you’ll be sure to have a balanced, cohesive colour scheme.

Here, garage doors in rich Wolf Gray 2127-40 are a striking presence against Moonshine OC-56 siding and Simply White OC-117 trim. For a more neutral take on this look, pair Thunder AF-685 siding with Steam AF-15 exterior window trim, and use Sparrow AF-720 on the garage door and front door.

Deep Garage Door Colours

Can you use dark paint colours on a home’s exterior? Absolutely. If you don’t want to commit to painting your entire home, try adding them to accents like garage doors or shutters. We love these earthy, darker paint colours:

• Gravel Gray 2127-30
• Black HC-190
• Castle Peak Gray 1561

If you don’t have garage doors but still want to add a bit of dramatic curb appeal, you can get the look by choosing a deeper hue for the front door, porch, or exterior window trim. Make sure you choose the right paint colour by sampling your choice or visiting your locally owned store for help with your project.

Navy Blue or Black Garage Door Paint Colours

Painting a garage door navy blue or black creates a sophisticated aesthetic, especially when paired with neutral exterior hues. For a touch of less drama, look to shades of charcoal for a softer but still impactful pop of colour.

To get the look, we recommend these colours:

• Kendall Charcoal HC-166
• Ashwood Moss 1484
• Midnight Oil 1631

White Garage Doors: A Classic House Accent

A longtime homeowner favourite, white garage doors owe their popularity to their ability to blend in with other exterior colour schemes—and the neighborhood as a whole.

Some of our favourite white paint colours for garage doors:

• White Wisp OC-54
• Cloud White OC-130
• Atrium White OC-145

5. Look to Your Surroundings When Choosing House Exterior Accents

Need the perfect colour for your trim and shutters? Look around. Painting with colours that contrast your surroundings can make a powerful statement that boosts your home’s curb appeal.

If your house is surrounded by greenery, go bold with eye-catching red shutters, or use another shade of green for an earthy, nature-inspired look.

For extra charm, tap into the breezy blues and soft grays of coastal landscapes. Versatile hues like Woodlawn Blue HC-147, Wind’s Breath OC-24, and Boothbay Gray HC-165, shown here, complement regional flora without overwhelming.

As exterior accent colours can look vastly different as the light changes throughout the day, we strongly suggest using colour samples to help narrow down your options. Shop online or visit your locally owned store to browse colours, and be sure to view your favourites at different times of the day to ensure you’re making the right choice.