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Friday Finds: Accenting the Exterior of Your House

window-box

Springtime is the time when we take a look at what’s going on outside of our homes. How does my home’s curb appeal look from across the street? What needs improving? Lighting? Landscaping? Painting? Here are a few budget-friendly examples of how to incorporate accent colors on the exterior of your home and making your home’s exterior oh-so inviting.

 Garage Doors

Louisburg Green Garage

 

garage remodel
A customer sent this photo and wanted to know if they should leave their garage door the existing color or should they paint it the same color green as the body of their garage

This tip gets top billing.

When you’re painting the exterior of your home, it can be tempting to use an accent color for your garage door. However, Faye from the Minnetonka Hirshfield’s has some expert advice — don’t! “Your garage door is likely not the most interesting thing you can draw attention to,” she says, “and an accent color should highlight the most attractive parts of your home.” Yes, your garage door may be a great place for an accent color, but there’s a catch. You only want to draw attention to your garage door if you have a beautiful garage door. Instead, be sure to remember the accent ratio: 60% should be body color, 30% trim, and 10% accent color.

One more tip — never use an accent color to highlight an access door outside of your garage. For safety reasons, make sure to paint that door the same color as the body of your house.

Front Doors

 

Red-door
DOOR: Red 2000-10 SURROUND: Wrought Iron 2124-10 SIDING: Super White OC-152 TRIM: Twilight Zone 2127-19 DECK: Black HC-190 Benjamin Moore colors

You may have heard this before, but the front door is a great place to use an accent color. You can use a bright color, like red, for a great pop of color. In Feng Shui, a red door is regarded as bringing you good luck and prosperity. In Colonial times a red door meant it was safe place to shelter and rest.

 

Exterior_benjamin-moore
DOOR: Witching Hour 2120-30 | BODY: Storm AF-700 | TRIM: Gray Owl OC-52  | CEILING: Marblehead Gold HC-11

Or, you can never go wrong with a classic like black! Hirshfield’s Carrie B., Exterior Color Call Expert, tells us her west metro customers love their black doors and are less likely to choose a colorful front door.

 

Iron Mountain 2134-30 by Benjamin Moore

Iron Mountain is a popular choice for exteriors — a rich warm gray with a brown undertone.

 

Window Boxes or Shutters

 

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Photo Credit: Van Chaplin | Window Box Design: Tracee Lund

 

green-shutters
Door-styled shutter

This is another popular place to use an accent color, and it works really well with the accent ratio. Be sure to choose a color that goes well with both the body color and the trim, and again, you can’t go wrong with a classic. “Exterior louvered shutters seem to be out of fashion,”  says Carrie,  “if customers still want shutters they are being replaced with a door-style shutter in their trim or accent color.”

 

 A Side Note On Siding Paint Colors

Louisburg Green Benjamin Moore Exterior
BODY: Louisburg Green by Benjamin Moore

Carrie also shared, “Customers are interested in indescript colors, like dark moody green-blacks or muddy browns, greens and deep grays, for the body or accent colors. They want their home to look different from the their neighbor’s home. This year customers are wanting more green exteriors than last year —  everything from soft green grays to deep saturated greens.”

Here’s to your home standing out (in a good way) on the block! If you are interested in finding out more about Hirshfield’s Exterior and Interior Color Consultations here is a link for you. Happy Painting!

 

Southern-Living-magazine
Southern Living Magazine May 2025 | Lisa M Henderson, interior designer and homeowner of this lovely home BODY: Benjamin Moore Gray Mist OC-30 ACCENT: Farrow & Ball Light Blue No. 22

 

The exterior colors of this home made me buy the magazine! Photographers: Alison Gootee @alisongootee and Jimmie Henslee @hensleejimmie | Story by Betsy Cribb Watson @betsycwatson

Since Frank and Elizabeth Hirshfield opened their first store in 1894, it has been our mission to do the best job possible meeting customer needs and solving customer problems. Hirshfield’s. People and products you can trust.