Color for Shutters and Garage Door

Today’s Color Dilemma:

My house is the L-shaped ranch style. Therefore, my garage is out front. My brick has orange, browns, and cream. My roof is brown. My front door is a maple wood. My shutters are currently black and I think it is okay, but too much contrast. My garage and trim is currently cream. I have found a pretty dark brown that I thought about painting my shutters, should I paint my garage door that color too?  Should I paint the trim the cream or the dark brown around the garage? –Kristi

Kate Suggests:

I think that from what you share about the colors in your brick that brown is a good choice. If you think that the brown shutters will look great than certainly make the change from black.

I think I would also use the same brown the garage door and if the trim on the rest of the house is cream, I’d go with the cream around the garage also.

If you are repainting the trim here’s a tip to help you find the right color. Whenever a home has brick or stone work I look at the color of the grout and then find a trim color that has the same undertones and a similar value (darkness or lightness).

For example I would bet that with your brick color the grout may have more of warm undertone that matches the color cast of the bricks. If this is the case your trim color will look best if it too has the yellow undertones and is a bit more muted similar to the grout rather than a bright, clear cream.