We get frequent requests in our color consulting practice for blue exterior paint colors and they are gorgeous!
I lived across the street from a blue house for 20 years, and I enjoyed the color more than the homeowners did because I saw it every time I looked out the window.
Dark paint colors are having a moment right now, but I still consider them timeless and classic. Keep in mind that exterior paint colors are always 5-10 times lighter and more colorful when you take them outside. It is always critical to test your paint color to see how it behaves in your lighting.
One of the great benefits to blue paint colors is that they look great with red brick, yellow brick, and most warm stone colors.
Best Trim Paint Colors with Blue Paint
The best trim colors paired with dark blues are light neutrals such as Benjamin Moore Classic Gray (OC-23) and Pale Oak (OC-20), Ballet White (OC-9), and Sherwin-Williams Shoji White (SW 7042), Natural Choice (SW 7011), White Duck (SW 7010) and Zurich White (SW 7626).
Resist use of a clean or bright white paint color for trim because it will look too bright and harsh. Creamy whites may look yellowish; if you want a creamy trim color try Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray (HC-173).
Best Front Door Paint Colors for Blue Houses
You can use just about any color for front doors with blue houses. We love red, orange, green, white, black, blue gray and warm wood stains for blue houses. We note each of them in the photos below but these are two of our favorites.
The following Split Pea front door might seem way too bright but check out how that almost-fluorescent green ties in with the foliage, and the light color reveals the beautiful carvings. It looks amazing with SW Cyberspace.
This is one of my favorite doors. The color is BM Redstone with Stormy Sky board and batten siding. Read more about this project here.
Best Blue Paint Colors for Exteriors
BM Hale Navy HC-154
Hale Navy is an iconic navy-blue. It is a complex dark blue with muted gray tones. When you see the paint color on a swatch it looks black and boring but outside it is rich, blue and sophisticated. The house below uses BM Pale Oak for the white trim color and gorgeous BM Caliente for the front door.
SW Cyberspace (SW 7076)
Cyberspace is a blue-black that looks silky dark blue-gray and rich outside. It is darker than Hale Navy and one of our favorites with red brick!
This house was transformed by Cyberspace, with BM Chelsea Gray trim and a bright green BM Split Pea front door. The door ties in with the foliage on the foothill backdrop. Chelsea Gray looks lighter than expected because of the bright high-altitude sun.
Below Cyberspace it is paired with a creamy white, SW Westhighland White (SW 7566) for the trim. Read more about this exterior palette here.
SW Outerspace (SW 6251)
Outerspace is a gorgeous color as seen on the house below. It is one of the colors that looks much more vivid outside than it does on a swatch or inside. White trim color matches to Zurich White (SW 7626) and shingles to SW Safari (SW 7697). Dark blues look amazing with yellow beiges such as Safari. The front door is Grizzle Gray (SW 7068)
SW Slate Tile (SW 6251)
Slate Tile is a rich and vivid mid-toned paint color that looks so beautiful on exteriors. It looks much more muted on the swatch and inside. This home has warm stone and is paired with a warm white vinyl trim that matches to SW White Duck (SW 7010). This exterior is bright and happy.
BM Stormy Sky (1616)
If Hale Navy is too dark for you, then BM Stormy Sky is a great compromise. It is muted enough to stay subtle and sophisticated, but lighter and softer. The sweet little cottage below it is paired with BM Classic Gray as the white trim and BM Storm light blue gray front door. Note that BM Classic Gray (OC-23) looks so much darker inside, and outside it is a lovely soft white because of the bright sunshine.
Stormy Sky is also great as a secondary color when paired with Hale Navy in a monochromatic paint scheme. Stormy Sky is the garage siding color, contrasted with a Hale Navy garage door and main house. The fence was previously painted blue gray.
BM Ocean Floor (1630)
This is one of our favorite blue palettes. Our client already had a white house and they wanted to keep their trim and garage door white. They removed their shutters and painted the siding with BM Ocean Floor and it looks epic! The white is matches to BM White Dove (OC-17).
The Verdict
We love dark blue exterior paint colors – they are beautiful and flexible too! Blues look great in wooded lots and with warm stone or red brick. Consider a colorful front door or a classic wood door with warm undertones.
No matter what, don’t forget to 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 here.
NEVER, EVER use paint matches from a different brand than the one you will use. 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. That’s why it’s best to work with a professional exterior paint color consultant. See results from paint matching here.
Online Color Consulting
If you still need help with paint colors, check out our Online Color Consulting packages or an In-Person Color Consultation in the Denver Metro area.
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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.
14 Responses
I like to see exterior paints, like powder blue, just blue, well Im not quite too good with colours but when I see it I will tell that it is ok
Thank you for your feedback!
What’s a good shutter and front door color when the house color is very dark navy blue? The wood porch and decking will be stained cedar color. Thank you
Hi Deb,
We would need to see your house to make a recommendation. Please consider purchasing one of our online color consulting packages.
Thanks,
Michelle
What is the color of the fist house pictured? I can’t find any info about it.
Hale Navy! Its the guest house/garage for the other Hale Navy House.
The trim is a very creamy white, and that was already in place. I’d say its something like BM Manchester tan. The green color is BM Ashwood Moss, and the purple is BM Tulsa Twilight.
I have navy blue siding with white trim. The roof is black metal. Should the soffit and fascia be black to match the roof, or white to match the window and door trim?
It is difficult for me to tell without seeing the house and the colors. Please consider purchasing an “Ask a Question” consultation.
Thanks,
Michelle
I have a maroon metal roof and wanted to go with a dark grey or grey/blue color trimmed in white?? This is a large house with a very large wrap around porch. My first time picking colors for a house exterior and not sure what I should do.
Hi Carol,
Please consider a color consultation. Its hard to give advice without seeing photos, and that is how we fund the blog and make a living.
Omg, surprised you didn’t include SW Mount Etna! We are painting our house with it now, it’s beautiful. Deciding door color, thinking we will do SW Urbane Bronze, but I have been known to change….. ?
Trim is alabaster!