How We Chose Our Exterior Paint Color: Swatches, Testing, and the Winner

We decided to test a few paint swatches on our house to see if a new exterior color would unify the siding, trim, and brick. Our home currently has a very light creamy color on the solid wood hardboard siding and matching trim, which made the trim disappear rather than stand out. There are several beautiful houses in our neighborhood with gray hardboard siding paired with brick, and we love that cohesive look, so we wanted to try a few mid-toned options that would blend better with our brick’s gray undertones.

To start, we held up about 25 swatches next to the brick and narrowed the choices to three that looked best in person. We then bought three inexpensive test pots from the hardware store and painted three squares just above the brick so we could see each color where the siding meets the brick. Painting the swatches where the siding contacts the masonry helped us evaluate how the colors interact with the mortar and the brick’s natural tones.

The clear winner was the swatch on the right in the photo: a warm, taupe-gray that shares many undertones with the brick and closely matches the mortar. The color felt balanced — not too cool or icy, and not too dark — which is exactly what we hoped to achieve. Because it reads similarly to the mortar, it helps the brick and siding feel like parts of a single, cohesive house rather than two competing elements.

The selected color is Flagstone by Martha Stewart, which we plan to have color-matched to a high-quality exterior paint formula, ideally with built-in primer for better coverage and durability. The middle swatch was Mushroom by Martha Stewart (too dark for our taste), and the left swatch was Bedford Gray (too cool and icy). Photos don’t always capture the subtle undertones accurately, but seeing the painted squares in natural light next to the brick made our choice confident.

We love dramatic dark exteriors with bright white trim, but for our small ranch with a black roof, existing brick, and a cheerful yellow door, a mid-tone gray seemed like the best compromise. The roof can remain the dark anchor while the new white trim will provide the high-contrast pop. Our aim is a balanced, unified look: gray hardboard siding, gray-toned brick, white trim, and a yellow door that stands out in the best way.

We did realize that the sequence of projects matters. We still need to remove the decorative scallops on the porch and adjust the trim before painting. Painting the siding now and then demoing the scallops could damage fresh paint, creating more touch-up work, so our plan is to demo and frame out the porch first, then paint the siding Flagstone gray and the trim white. We’ll also square off the curvy porch columns so they read as chunky, squared elements that match the new trim and header.

We’re hoping to complete these exterior updates before temperatures drop too low for reliable paint adhesion. We’re also juggling a kitchen renovation, so timing will be the challenge. I can already picture the happy yellow door against the gray siding and white trim—hopefully it will look as good in real life as it does in my head. If not, we’ve got gallons of the current paint in the basement and can always repaint.

Have you ever tested paint swatches on your house before committing to an exterior color? Painting a few small test squares helped us decide quickly and confidently. For anyone considering an exterior paint change: try swatches in real light, compare them directly to brick and mortar if relevant, and think about how trim color will affect the overall composition. We’re excited to move forward and see how the Flagstone color performs once we have the right exterior paint and primer chosen.