Looking for a timeless gray house exterior color scheme? Look no further than this Benjamin Moore Willow Creek exterior, featuring gray siding, dark blue accents and a red front door.
The project we’re featuring today is one of my favorite exteriors that we have ever done. I love the combination of a cool, violet-gray with warm, navy blue accents. In fact, we use this project as the cover of our All-In Exterior Color Consultation page.
This historic home in the Colorado Front Range was built in 1927, and the homeowners renovated the complete home from the inside out. Read the post on the complete interior color palette in A Simply White Color Palette for a Cottage (article).
The addition of a red front door is a gorgeous pop of color that adds to the timeless look of this exterior color palette.
Keep reading to learn more about Benjamin Moore Willow Creek and explore the full gray and blue exterior color scheme.
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Is Gray Exterior Paint Out of Style?
While homeowners are beginning to move away from gray for interiors and choose warmer hues like beige (Article), taupe (Article), and cream, gray is still a classic hue. And it’s still very much popular as an exterior paint color.
Some might say that gray is overdone these days, but as with anything, if a palette is well-designed it can be timeless. I’ve seen gray and blue exterior color schemes like the one we’re showcasing today on older New England homes and more modern homes.
This home will look as current as it does today even in 20 or 30 years – it’s that classic.
Project Spotlight: Benjamin Moore Willow Creek Exterior Color Scheme
This lovely home has a timeless cottage feel and we knew we wanted an exterior color palette that would feel just as timeless. By combining cool gray siding with warm accent colors, we created a color scheme that feels modern but won’t be going out of style any time soon.
Benjamin Moore Willow Creek Siding
BM Willow Creek (Sample) is a mid-toned gray exterior paint. The Benjamin Moore Willow Creek undertones are cool violet. This is the kind of gray I describe as being the color of elephants. This is what most people see as a typical gray paint color.
Indoors, this color would look very light. But using Benjamin Moore Willow Creek exterior paint is just perfect. It’s not too dark and not too light.
Benjamin Moore Hale Navy
Benjamin Moore Hale Navy (Color Review Article) is an iconic navy blue paint color with warm green undertones. We’ve written about it as a whole-house exterior color (which we love!). But in this case, it looks perfect as an accent color.
We wove this gorgeous navy blue color into the palette as a garage door paint color as well as a back door paint color. We could have painted the garage door with our white trim color, but I loved the way the dark blue garage door color adds interest and balance to the property.
Benjamin Moore Classic Gray
Benjamin Moore Classic Gray (Color Review Article) is a light gray paint color with subtle green undertones that keep it looking warm, even in bright sunlight. It is soft and lovely inside, but outside looks like a crisp white exterior trim (Article) paint color.
While Classic Gray (Sample) has green undertones, they are nearly invisible and can sometimes flash violet in certain lights. It’s truly the perfect hue to bring together the cool Benjamin Moore Willow Creek and warm Benjamin Moore Hale Navy.
Sherwin-Williams Stolen Kiss
A red front door is such a classic look. And Sherwin-Williams Stolen Kiss (Sample) is one of my favorite red front door paint colors (Article). Of course, I love the name. But better yet, this color is rich and bright, but not too bright. It is perfect. It also looks amazing with earthy red brick (Article).
I once recommended Stolen Kiss to a client, and her mom and sister tried to talk her out of it because it looked so bright. When she tested it, they loved it! And they called the next week for consultations for their own homes.
Sample This BM Willow Creek Exterior Color Palette
- Benjamin Moore Willow Creek: Siding, downspouts
- Benjamin Moore Hale Navy: Architectural shingles/gables, garage door, back door
- Benjamin Moore Classic Gray: Roofline (Fascia, soffits, gutters), window trim, door trim, gable trim, garage door trim
- Sherwin-Williams Stolen Kiss: Front Door
Create a Similar Gray and Blue Exterior Color Scheme with Sherwin-Williams Paint
You can create a very similar palette with all Sherwin-Williams paints. The colors aren’t exactly the same, but this palette will give you the same look. Use the links below to sample all four paint colors:
- Sherwin-Williams Acier: Siding, downspouts
- Sherwin-Williams Sea Serpent: Architectural shingles/gables, garage door, back door
- Sherwin-Williams Pearly White: Roofline (Fascia, soffits, gutters), window trim, door trim, gable trim, garage door trim
- SW Stolen Kiss: Front Door
Key Learning Points
Cool gray might not be the most popular choice for interior paint colors in 2024, but it’s still a timeless hue for exterior color palettes!
- Benjamin Moore Willow Creek is a beautiful violet-gray color that pairs well with warm and cool paints.
- Pairing Willow Creek with warm navy blue accents and warm white trim create a lovely, timeless palette that will look gorgeous for many years to come.
- Adding a pop of color with a red front door (painted with SW Stolen Kiss) is a great way to make your home stand out while still looking classic.
Remember: NEVER, EVER use paint matches from a different brand than the one specified. Results are poor and there are no standards for the sheens. Even though your painter may truly believe it can be done, don’t do it. See results in our paint matching guide.
No matter what, always test your paint colors. It’s a standard best practice. Whenever I test my paint colors, they are perfect, and when I don’t test they turn out wrong. Learn how to test your paint colors in our color testing guide.
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Related Posts
- Best Front Door Paint Colors
- Best Exterior White Trim Paint
- Benjamin Moore Hale Navy Color Review
- Benjamin Moore Classic Gray Color Review
- New Build Home Exterior Color Palettes
- How to Choose Victorian Exterior Color Palettes
- A Simply White Interior Color Palette for a Cottage (same house)
About the Author
Hi, I’m Michelle Marceny, founder, owner, and Principal Color Designer at The Color Concierge. I believe a fresh coat of paint can completely transform a space. The Color Concierge was born out of my drive to help clients fall back in love with their homes. My clients trust me to help them find the perfect paint color for their home – whether it’s a whole-house paint color scheme or ideas for a single room.
Since The Color Concierge was founded in 2017, we have completed over 3000 color consultations, both online and in-person. I am a Certified Color Expert with 7 years of experience creating interior and exterior color palettes throughout North America.
We love your comments! Please note that the blog is meant as general advice, and it is not possible to give out specific answers to your paint questions. If you want more specific advice, please consider purchasing a color consultation. Thank you for your understanding.
