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So long Builder Beige. There’s a new palette in town (and it’s about time). Beige, taupe, and brown have dominated the builder color palettes for years. Warm earth tones with accents colors in a similar hue. These homes looked great at the time but now look dated.

The new trending palette is charcoal gray.

Okay, we had a brief spell where Farmhouse white ruled the day – but those days are quickly passing. Afterall, an entire street of all white painted houses gets monotonous.

But what is significant about the new charcoal gray is how it is paired. I’ve seen numerous examples where it is paired with either white windows or a creamy white stone. The contrast is dramatic, modern, and feels fresh.

Unlike the white of the farmhouse craze, there are more than 50 shades of gray. Many of the grays are on the warmer side with undertones of bronze, brown, and even green. This warmth pairs well with natural stone or wood accents.

One 3 story townhome neighborhood in Greenville alternated buildings of white and dark charcoal gray siding. The white buildings had black windows trimmed in black. The black buildings maintained the black windows but introduced areas of brick or wood colored siding. This is a strikingly modern use of contrast – not just on a single building but for the entire community.

I have seen an example of a cold gray blue used. Unfortunately, this house was very monotone without the use of any contrast. To me, the result was cold and unwelcoming.

The cart barn at our golf course is all black with no contrast. I’m sure this was deliberate so the focus would be on the clubhouse house and not the cart barn.

And while all white farmhouse is fading in popularity, the elements of the farmhouse style are still popular – the simple gable forms, welcoming front porch, and the uplifting vertical proportion. A new trend is emerging paring the farmhouse elements with accents of charcoal siding and red front doors.

I realize that picking exterior colors can be intimating, which is why boring beige hung around for so long. It was safe. Admittedly, picking exterior colors from a 3” paint chip takes experience and vision. Picking highly contrasting bold exterior colors is not for the timid at heart. If you need help with your exterior colors, we have a colorist who can help.