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Candy-Apple Colors
Board & Vellum Architecture and Design; Photo: John Wilbanks Photography
In often-overcast Seattle, this combination of apple green and cherry red clears away the gray skies. Both paints are from Benjamin Moore: Douglas Fir 2028-20 on the clapboards and Blushing Red 2079-20 on detailing. Crisp white railing and trim adds the perfect finishing touch.
A Tropical Treat
Triton Builders; Uneek Images
Serene turquoise is perfectly suited to residences in tropical climates, but it can also bring a relaxed vacation vibe to homes in all parts of the country. Notice how the use of both white and pale straw-yellow adds visual depth to recessed portions of the exterior.
Seaside Stripes
A common sight in the coastal villages of sunny Portugal, these traditional fisherman’s cottages are painted in eye-catching stripes that alternate bright white with deeply saturated hues. Though small in stature, these homes certainly pack a strong visual punch.
Related: 9 Paint Color Rules Worth Breaking
Primary Colors
flickr.com via ugardener
Combining red, yellow and blue on a home’s exterior can be a challenge, but the owners of this Florida bungalow got the mix just right. The trick when working with any trio of colors is to use the lightest shade on the largest section—here, the pale yellow—and reserving the darker ones for detail and trim.
Victorian Flair
flickr.com via alistairas
To make their corner property command attention, these creative homeowners drew on the Victorians’ love of jewel-box tones and over-the-top adornment. Their primary palette and playful shade-on-shade approach—both cream and ocher, for example—even extends to the surrounding balustrade.
Related: 10 Color Mistakes Everyone Makes
A Tiny Gem
Zillow Digs home in Saint Augustine, FL
Who wouldn’t love to call this colorful confection home? Starting with a cheerful grass-green on the clapboards, lavender and tangerine were then added to accentuate the small house’s windows, doorframe, and porch steps. Leftover paint was even used to create coordinating porch furniture!
Purple Haze
Zillow Digs home in Oakland, CA
Purple houses have become a common sight in many communities, and it’s easy to see why: This pretty paint color is the perfect combination of fun and functional. To keep the look sophisticated, pair with meticulous landscaping and a pristinely paved driveway like this.
Blue Heaven
Zillow Digs home in Oakland, CA
Sky blue paint calls to mind all the things we love about summer days and sunny getaways. Used on the home, this shade of blue makes homeowners and passersby want to rest and recharge, and to sip lemonade on the front porch. Lush vegetation adds to this cottage’s laid-back vibe.
Compound Interest
Zillow Digs home in Index, WA
Waterfront homes always look great painted blue, and this particular shade of teal is particularly welcoming. If you’re eager to play with color on your own home, consider coating sheds or outbuildings all the same shade to create your own family compound.
Two-Tone How-To
Zillow Digs home in Seattle, WA
When working with two exterior paints—like this home’s warm yellow and pumpkin—choose one to be the dominant hue then equally distribute the other to guide the eye from top to bottom and side to side, like the pumpkin on the garage door, flower boxes, and upper floor does here.
All The Trimmings
Though the new shingles on this Martha’s Vineyard cottage will eventually weather to match its neighbors, the home’s colorful trim will always make it stand out from the crowd! Combining bright blue with red and lavender accents creates a pleasing, coordinated look.
Related: Hard Sell: 7 Pretty House Colors That Scare Buyers Away