Bringing historic Tudor style homes (or in our case, a vintage 70s Tudor) up to date isn’t easy! You’ll of course want to preserve the charm of your home, but give it a fresh new look with the perfect Tudor paint colors.
Learn how to bring that old world style into the modern world with tudor home exterior colors that are fresh, subtle and fabulous!
Take a photo tour of our updated English Tudor home exterior with a soft new exterior paint color palette.
Originally published October 27, 2014 and updated with fresh content and inspiration April 21, 2021.
I had it all backwards. I’ll admit it… I’m not always right, and in fact, I’m always learning. When we painted our Colonial, it completely changed my perspective of the entire home. It was so wonderful to pull up to a house we felt proud of.
We waited over two years to paint it, focusing on the inside first. I don’t regret doing so, because we spent countless hours inside those walls, but I always felt myself apologizing for the exterior.
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Tudor Home
As they say, “first impressions are everything” and there wasn’t anything impressive about the exterior of our old colonial home – before we painted it. When it was complete, I felt complete.
We had a sense of pride and accomplishment. I loved driving home and pulling into our driveway, and I wanted that same feeling for our Tudor here in St. Louis. To see the full before and after of this home, come take the full tour!
When we purchased our yellow and brown Tudor, I felt that same feeling in my gut. Seeing an exterior that needed so much work, I was immediately overwhelmed every time I entered our home. We decided to do it a little different this time, painting the exterior first.
Okay, we painted the interior first, but we committed to painting the exterior before we did any major renovations inside and I’m thankful we did!
Taking care of the exterior issues and painting it to a pristine and neutral color palette set the tone for inside our home – similar to an invitation. It lets guests know what to expect on the inside and creates a sense of calm from the outside in.
Choosing Exterior Paint
I do not take color palettes lightly. It’s a huge commitment that takes a lot of consideration. Tudor paint colors are tricky because the trim is equally as important as the base color.
I may have tested seven combinations, putting something like 12 paint colors onto our home before finally making a decision. Combined with yelling at woodpeckers all day, I’m sure our neighbors think the new people from Kansas are one flew over the cuckoo’s nest.
What color did we decide on? Paint combo #2… you know, the colors we selected the first of four times to the store.
Exterior paint colors vary significantly with the time of day, depending on how the light hits it and the colors above and below it were too gray, which originally made it stand out in a negative way.
I worried, I texted, phone a friend and finally decided before Chris gave up on me. I wanted to retain the original character of the brick, but also had to tie in the grey roof with green undertones.
When I pulled in the driveway last night, I realized it was exactly the color palette I had hoped for. Whew! What a sigh of relief!
Traditional Tudor Paint
Historically, an English Tudor will feature traditionally light and dark contrast with wood timbers being dark and paneling or stucco a light, neutral color.
With dramatically pitched rooflines, asymmetrical style, diamond windows and half-timbering as the identifying features, Tudor-style homes often feature a combination of brick or stone, plus stucco and wood trim.
Tudor homes built during the Tudor era in England (generally considered between 1485 – 1603) were traditionally black and white. In the 70s, Tudor style experienced a resurgence in the US, and often the color scheme was more of a yellowed cream with brown timbers.
Modern Tudors are often light in color or utilize two lighter colors with a hint of contrast.
Tudor House Colors
For a soft and subtle Tudor home paint palette, consider one of these color combinations.
- Sherwin Williams Realist Beige and Sherwin Williams Everyday White
- Benjamin Moore Lafayette Green and Benjamin Moore Going to the Chapel
- Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter and Sherwin Williams Extra White
- Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray and Sherwin Williams Extra White
- Benjamin Moore Victorian Garden and Benjamin Moore Going to the Chapel
Tips for Choosing Exterior Paint Colors
First, take some deep breaths. I know choosing paint can be a huge investment and you don’t want to get it wrong. Here’s a few ways to narrow down the perfect exterior paint palette for your home.
- An easy method? Find a house you LOVE the colors of, and ask the delightful neighbors for their colors. This is the best way to visualize an exterior paint palette: see it on someone else’s home.
- Get help from a specialist at your local paint store.
- Research! Start pinning on Pinterest and save your favorite looks. You might quickly identify a palette you are drawn to.
- Consider roof color. For example, you might not want to paint your house black and white if you’re dealing with a muddy brown roof tone.
- Consider the lighting. This is where things get tricky… just because you love a neighbor’s west facing home color palette, doesn’t mean you’ll love it for your north facing home. Yes, lighting really can make that much of a difference!
- Get samples. In my case, maybe get 12 samples. View them at different times of the day and on different sides of your home.
Our Tudor Paint Color Palette
To make the Tudor a little more timeless and charming, we chose base and trim colors that were only slightly different.
In the end, we selected Sherwin Williams Everyday White and Sherwin Williams Realist Beige. We’re so happy with the results!
To save money, I had Lowe’s make them with Valspar’s satin exterior paint. Read more about Eggshell Paint here.
Of course there’s always plenty to do, but I feel more at ease knowing that our home reflects the care and thought that we put into it.
I can’t wait to add a new front door very soon… we are planning on a soft, white oak door with windows. Something classic and timeless to match the style of our home, with a Brass Door Knob, of course.
Since painting our home several years ago, we’ve added all new landscaping, Copper Light Fixtures and Planters. Since updating the exterior, we’ve focused on the interior step by step, one project at a time.
Often, it’s the dated appearance of very dark wood that can hold a Tudor home back. While these cottage style homes can ooze character, they need a fresh paint palette to get with the modern times. Consider a soft, subtle palette of beiges or greens for a less stark contrast from the stucco paneling of your Tudor home.
In another way, many people are bringing their Tudor homes into the modern era with a bold black and white look! This is an exterior home color palette that feels fresh and contemporary – it’s varies from the original style because the dark trim is focused in different areas.
If you’re getting ready to paint your home to sell it, you’ll want to appeal to the widest range of buyers that you can. Neutral paint colors like beige, gray, and white are the most popular options, no matter the style of your home.
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Your house is beautifully done! We have a Tudor as well but the sides and back of our home is cedar. I think the lighter colors might look weird on cedar. Do you have vinyl siding or cedar. Thank you!
We have wood siding as well.
Hi! Your home looks great! We are house hunting and looking at a Tudor. The exterior needs a bit of work so I’d like to brighten it up if we purchase it. The roof is brown and the brick also has some brown (I’m going back tomorrow to take pics so I have a better idea) Did you replace your gutters or paint them? They are brown on the home we are considering.
Hi! We painted them, but are hoping to integrate some copper this year. With brown you may prefer painting the brick and the exterior, we just painted the stucco and trim. I hope that’s helpful!
Love the colors! What do you think of painting the brick? I have a similar house and am thinking of painting the brick the same color as the field color on the second floor.
I love brick – it has to be unmanageable for me to paint over the character and charm brick provides. That’s why I worked to find a color that would compliment it rather than compete with it…but it can look beautiful painted.
You did a beautiful job with your house! I love the colors you used. I have a similar house and I’m thinking of painting the bricks the same color as the field color you used on the second floor. May I ask why you didn’t paint the brick? Do you think it would look strange or okay? I’m having a hard time imagining it. Thank you!
Love the outside colors. My house is brick but would like to consider this trim color. I also have window shutters, what color would you recommend?
I love going 2 shades darker for shutters or a soft, dusty green, or even natural wood. Enjoy!
Well, we are FIVE years into owning our home and I am still in this crisis of WHAT COLORS DO I GO WITH!? We currently have an off-white base and ugly green trim. The stone on the bottom is a mix of neutral brick colors. We replaced all our windows last fall and went with white because the cost to “upgrade” to a colored vinyl was just too much. I love the windows (we stuck with casement for the character) but it has made the color choice even harder. You’d think it would be easy to match with white but I’m not finding it to be! I’m sure our neighbors think I’m nuts because I have various paint colors all over so I can see them in all different lights. I will need to try your base color. It doesn’t look white in the pictures but it may go better with our windows. Why oh why does this have to be so hard??!!
Send me a photo! I’m happy to make suggestions.
Julie,
Your article was very comforting to me. We live in a Tudor style cape cod. Too many different areas to match. The faux stucco is the worst. Long story short, we painted the trim Buff and stucco Dover White. First coat we used a brick color on the trim and it was too bold. I was afraid this would be too pale and bland. Then I saw your house. It’s beautiful and stately. A new twist on Tudor . Thanks for sharing.
Sounds beautiful, thank you Rob!
You have made amazing changes to the exterior of your home. I love the paint color and the landscaping is maturing beautifully, Just something that I like to see. Great work.
Love the colours. My husband and I would love to know what the paint and codes are for the two tones…
thanks from Canada
I don’t know the codes, but the brand and color is within the post. You should be able to have them made anywhere.
Oh my, Julie! I started reading this post and it’s like you were talking about me!! lol! This is our story through and through except that we haven’t made it to the painting part yet. 🙁 One day though! I love your new colors! Great job!!!
Thanks, Lauren! I’m so thankful we did. I feel less overwhelmed with the exterior polished. What’s the saying? 12th time is the charm?
I love it. I just love it. I know everyone is entitled to do what they want with their home, but I am NOT a fan of Tudors that have contrasting trim colors. I love how yours is just a hint of a difference shade. An accent. Not overwhelming. It looks very rich, very stately. Can’t wait to see the porch. Well done my friend! Blessings!
Thank you, Robbin! I clearly am not a fan of dramatic differences either. I appreciate your kind words! Have a great weekend!
It’s amazing what a little paint can do! Looks great!