Take a photo tour of our colonial exterior paint colors, with some fun before and after photos. You won’t believe the difference it made to paint our cedar shingles and bricks in Valspar Du Jour and Woodlawn Colonial Gray!
Learn about these pretty, neutral exterior paint colors and why they worked for us. Who doesn’t love a before and after makeover?
Originally shared July 18, 2014, this post was updated with fresh content and details September 29, 2021.
As we start transforming our new home, I have an abundance of things that I am beyond excited to share from our last home. I saved a few gems for these not-so-Pinterest-pretty times!
One that I am particularly excited to share, is how we chose our traditional Colonial exterior paint colors and used it to give the house a completely different facade.
If you’re researching exterior paint palettes, don’t skip this charming White Brick House!
Colonial House Colors
I’ll preface this – I’m a huge fan of shake cedar shingle siding. Unfortunately, I received an estimate for $36,000 to reside the house. Uh, no. I quickly moved onto paint and am so happy we did.
I was conflicted with the brick. Normally, I would refrain from painting a brick exterior (unless whitewashed), however, brown brick just screams dated to me. Okay, let’s get started…
Choosing paint colors can be difficult… or maybe even agonizing! I tend to overthink them and worry until the job is complete. In fact, I ended up selecting a completely different color than I originally intended.
I just couldn’t part from traditional Colonial paint colors. Stark white wouldn’t work in the neighborhood where tan is the norm and gray isn’t a great fit because of the color of the roof.
These are all things to take into consideration when selecting your paint color! To see our current home’s exterior paint colors, check out Tudor Paint, and see the full before and after.
Colonial Exterior Paint Tips
Here are a few more of my favorite tips for selecting exterior paint color:
- Use the special daylight bulbs in the paint department of the store to see how it will look in direct daylight.
- Talk to the paint store staff – they see everything and are extremely knowledgeable
- Always test a few favorites – it can look much different on a shingle than a card. see how they change with sunrise and sunset.
- Have something you love? An outdoor pillow or any other accessory can be color matched. From there, you can go up or down a shade.
- If you find a color you love from a paint store, have a hardware store match it with a store name paint to get the look for less.
Valspar DuJour and Woodlawn Colonial Gray
Through your help on Instagram and using the tips above, I selected Valspar Woodlawn Colonial Gray for the main exterior paint 6004-1B and Valspar Du Jour 7002-6 for the trim. I wanted a soft, creamy white to contrast and these worked beautifully together.
Woodlawn Colonial Gray
This is a soft, greige-toned gray with a slightly green undertone.
- RGB: 187 182 171
- HEX: #BBB6AB
- LRV: 46.92%
If you’re looking for similar options, as it seems this one isn’t included in Valspar’s lineup anymore – check out Accessible Beige, Realist Beige, or Pale Oak.
Valspar Du Jour
For the trim, posts, windows and doors, we chose a soft, creamy white to contrast from the gray of the body.
- Undertone: warm white
- LRV 86.044
- RGB 241, 240, 236
- HEX #f1f0ec
Colonial Exterior Makeover details
A couple more details…the window planter boxes were easy to make and added so much charm!
and this garden entrance created a multipurpose space that feels defined and adds historic character.
My designer was unable to finish job due to a tragic emergency and I have a primed front door and garage door white to be put in and have nom idea about the color. I was actually looking at the exact same color thats how I found these pics. How do you really know as Im scared to choose and struggling
I recommend painting a swatch on each side of your home and seeing how it looks at morning, noon and night to confirm you love it!
We are facing the same dilemma with our lake house. It is an old brown farmhouse/cabin style home with a brown roof and red brick paver patio and walkways leading up to it. The brown cedar siding is in desperate need of a paint job….but just cannot figure out what color for the body. Leaning khaki as it is out in the country overlooking the lake, but part of me loves a lighter color too (just worried about how dirty it will get and how often we will have to power wash the house, which is not ideal).
Khaki sounds beautiful! I highly recommend painting a swatch to see what it looks like in full sun. Chances are it will appear much lighter and brighter than you imagine. I’d love to see when it’s done!
I am sorry but it will not let me email you. It says it is not sn email address. I have tried everything to send the pic of this house to you.
Any other ideas?
Thank you
julieblanner {at} me {dot} com
I just can’t spell it out directly or I’ll be subject to a slew of spam.
How can I send you a photo?
Thanks
Kim Smith
Email – just click contact under my photo to the right on my site. Thanks!
Hi Julie, your house is beautiful! I sent a request asking for your suggestions & as I read above I see I made a mistake. I have a standard rancher with clay vinyl siding only & white trim. Could you suggest a color or colors for doors and shutters please?
I’m out of town this week but send me a couple photos and I’ll be happy to oblige.