Using Exterior Paint Colours
Nothing transforms outdoor areas more than a paint refresh. A change of season is the perfect time to begin any exterior decoration project. Painting outside areas is satisfying and almost instantly gratifying, which is ideal if you’re an impatient gardener who wants to add colour without waiting for the plants to grow!
Providing the perfect backdrop for planting schemes and entertaining areas, paint works in harmony with outdoor spaces to create an extension of your home. When choosing outdoor paint, look for colours associated with the earth, sky, sea and sun for inspiration that is guaranteed to work.
Serene Green: Outdoor Paint Colours Straight from Nature
For harmony and tranquillity, green paint colours are the obvious choice for the garden. They seamlessly blend in with luscious foliage in both contemporary and country settings.
Ho Ho Green is perfect for use both within the home and to provide a warm welcome on the exterior of a property. Use Ho Ho Green when choosing exterior wood paint for front doors, to provide a contrast against red brick. The shade was originally depicted within the mythical Ho Ho birds in the hand-painted Chinese wallpaper at Nostell Priory.
Concrete walls painted in Puck or Mid Azure Green offer a contemporary and convivial look for outdoor dining areas. For a smaller project, paint a pergola in Harley Green and let the tendrils of plants wrap themselves around the painted wood.
Door: Ho Ho Green
Pergola: Harley Green
Earthy Hues: Neutral Exterior Paint Shades
For a grounded scheme, look to introduce earthy paint colours in your garden. Potting sheds painted in Stone-Dark-Warm will sit harmoniously amongst greenery.
A complex colour but a simple choice for garage doors, Dolphin is a strong grey with red and orange pigments - combined with Rubine Ashes, it creates a gentle look.
Alternatively, paint a wide ‘skirting’ stripe around the outside of your house in Attic II to make a patio area feel like an interior room. Paint the walls and back door in Down.
Garage Door: Dolphin
Wall: Rubine Ashes
Country Living: A Traditional Finish
Pale blues combined with delicate blooms create a nostalgic look in both country and town gardens. For front doors and window frames against red brick, choose the intriguing Celestial Blue and watch it change blue, green and grey throughout the day.
For a contemporary alternative for garden railings, Lead Colour is a strong option. When painting primed metal, use the durable Intelligent Gloss or Intelligent Exterior Eggshell finish.
Paint: Door and window frame: Celestial Blue
Bench: French Grey
Birdhouse: Shirting
Watering can: Slaked Lime
Coastal Living: Utilising Blue Shades
Air Force Blue is an unashamed blue that has an inherent warmth. It can stand on its own ground against livelier colours in the garden and the deep greens of nearby foliage.
Characterful blue-black Basalt sets the tone for a sophisticated coastal look, combined with the crisp Loft White on window surrounds.
Back Wall: Air Force Blue
Table: Mister David
Hello Sunshine: Bold Yellow Paints for Outdoor Woodwork
Captivating and warm, Mister David is a yellow that brightens any gloomy spot of your outside space and is ideal for creating the warmest of welcomes when painted on front doors.
For a more mellow hue, earthy Yellow Pink is seductive and inherently warm. For a contemporary sun-kissed look, paint this joyful colour alongside Scree and Lamp Black.
Front Door: Mister David
Woodwork: Loft White
Natural Light: Exterior Colour Schemes for Shaded Areas
For shady spots, choose hues close to white to bring light to the darker areas of your outside space. Fresh Linen Wash is ideal for large expanses of exterior walls or weatherboarding in the garden. Its warmth is amplified when used alongside white window frames.
For a Mediterranean-style outside space, create a covered dining area with bamboo canes painted in Loft White and watch the organic shadows move throughout the day. Paint front doors in Shirting, exterior walls in warm Hammock and add terracotta pots to create a faraway feel.
Wall: Linen Wash
Window Frame: Loft White
Table: Smalt
Chair: Bone China Blue
Painted Bamboo Wall & Ceiling: Loft White
Kitchen Unit: Lamp Black & Loft White
Colour Highlights: Using Accent Colours Outdoors
Inject energy and vibrancy into your outdoor space with bright hues. This can be a fabulous way to add interest to your garden without the use of plants!
Bright exterior paint colours in the garden can also be the perfect choice for those who want to create an al fresco dining room. The intense Tuscan Red is ideal for a Mediterranean look or Orange Aurora for a more playful scheme.
For a cooler alternative, paint the summerhouse in Juniper Ash and combine it with Atomic Red on furniture.
Garden Gate: Orange Aurora
Walls: Hollyhock
Table and Plant Pot: Joanna
Back Wall: Tuscan Red
Plant Pot: Grey Teal
Backdrop Black: Disguise your Shed, Fence, or Outdoor Walls with Dark Colours
Using black paint outdoors has been an enduring favourite amongst garden designers, because it provides the perfect backdrop to vibrant plants. Green foliage and blooming flowers pop when placed in front of black - and fences and garden rooms recede into the shadows when painted in the darkest of colours.
Choose an alternative to true black for painting outdoor areas. Lamp Black still has intensity but is slightly softer than Jack Black and useful in gardens for creating depth. Or use Obsidian Green, an off-black with green undertones.
Wall: Obsidian Green
Grey Day
Not only does grey continue to be a favourite inside our home, but it features more and more in our outdoor spaces. Greys like Grey Teal or Dark Lead Colour can be painted across whole exterior walls as they are gentle on the eye and especially good for reducing glare on walls that receive direct sunlight.
Alternatively, use grey in small proportions such as painting outdoor woodwork in Pompeiian Ash and combining this mysterious colour with exterior walls in the peaceful Boringdon Green.
Wall: Grey Teal
Colour Block: Marine Blue
To find the perfect paint for your outside walls and woodwork, explore our range of exterior finishes.
Alternatively, find more exterior colour inspiration amongst our inspiration gallery.