The 5 Best Trim Colors for a Dark Brown House

The exterior of your house gives visitors their very first impression of your home. For this reason, many homeowners choose a warm, inviting tone like dark brown as the primary color for their house. Dark browns have an understated elegance that suits anyone craving a traditional look.

Finding the best trim colors for a dark brown house can seem daunting, but that’s only because you have so many great options. Brown is a neutral that coordinates well with a wide range of shades. There are several combinations that can put your personality on full display while retaining the rich, classic look that dark brown creates. 

We've put together a list of the best shades to pair with a dark brown home so you can go to your local exterior painter with confidence in your color palette.

1. White

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White paints contrast well with darker colors like deep brown. Whether you're working with brown siding, brick, shingles, or stone, white makes a great pairing. A brown home with white accents is a simple neutral combination with plenty of traditional charm. The simplicity of this pairing makes it great for a clean, modern home aesthetic.

White lets you show off the full richness of a brown façade without it feeling too dark. Creamy shades of white work to bring out the warmth in the brown while softening it simultaneously. If you live in an environment with bright sunlight, such as one without shade, at a high altitude, or in a southern climate, a soft white will also look less harsh during the day than a stark white.

For inspiration: 

• Sherwin-Williams® Gossamer Veil

• Sherwin-Williams® Oyster White

• Benjamin Moore® White Dove

• Sherwin-Williams® Lotus Pod

2. Light Brown

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Another traditional color technique for modern home designs is to use different shades of the same color for the body and trim. If the body of your exterior is a deep, rich brown, pairing it with a light brown trim can subtly highlight your windows, doors, and roofline.

Many lighter browns carry undertones of yellow, gold, bronze, and even green. These neutrals soften a darker façade while keeping it grounded in nature with strong, earthy hues.

For inspiration: 

• Sherwin-Williams® Roycroft Suede

• Sherwin-Williams® Cardboard

• BEHR® Amber Brew

• Farrow & Ball® Cat’s Paw

3. Red

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Shades of red, burgundy, and orange are often bold and vibrant. They can be overwhelming on their own, but adding them as trim colors to a traditional brown home can help ground them in a more down-to-earth color scheme.

These warm, vivid shades pop against a more subdued brown color, adding some life to home exteriors that can make them more inviting. If you want an eye-catching exterior, the trim on a brown home is a great place to utilize red and orange shades.

For inspiration: 

• Benjamin Moore® Country Redwood

• Sherwin-Williams® Roycroft Copper Red

• Benjamin Moore® Fireball Orange

• Sherwin-Williams® Wild Poppy

4. Pink

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The use of pink is an emerging color trend in exterior home design. It's often a warm color, but can also be much softer than common warm tones like red. Pink can range from muted and powdery to bright and cheerful, giving off some of the confidence of more vibrant shades but with much more restraint.

Pink hues can help soften a home’s facade and provide a nice contrast against deep, dark browns. Brown is a natural color that also provides a nice backdrop for a garden. If you decide on pink paint for your brown home's trim, consider planting pink flowers as well.

For inspiration: 

• Farrow & Ball® Sulking Room Pink

• Sherwin-Williams® Rachel Pink

• PPG® Ballerina

• Benjamin Moore® Pink Starburst

5. Purple

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Purple is a daring color that never fails to turn heads. It's an uncommon exterior color, and for some homeowners, its unexpected nature makes it an appealing accent. It draws the eye to the finer architectural details of a darker brown home such as the window trim. Options for purple shades range from subtle pastels to rich plums.

Purple trim can pair well with a brown home, adding warmth to darker shades and making them more approachable. Browns often carry purple undertones that a purple trim color can bring out. If you want to insert a little whimsy and lightness into an otherwise traditional color palette, purple trim can be a dramatic addition. 

For inspiration: 

• Farrow & Ball® Brinjal

• Valspar® Purple Davenport

• Benjamin Moore® French Lilac

• BEHR® Powdery Mist