The best exterior colour for your house depends on its style, its roof, its street and the light it gets. Whites, off-whites, pale greys and soft taupes are the most used colours on New Zealand repaints, according to Resene's round-up of colours used outside. Darker colours suit modern homes. Traditional villas and bungalows look good with light bodies with contrasting trims. This page is our inspiration board: colour schemes by North Shore house style, the colours that make a house look expensive, how to use dark colours safely, and how to test before you commit. When you have a shortlist, your painter can help you settle it on site.
Weatherboard villa
A warm white or soft cream body, a deep green or charcoal on the fretwork accents, white window frames. Classic and calm.
Modern plaster
Charcoal or dark grey body, pale grey or white trims, natural timber on the entry and soffits.
Coastal bungalow
Pale sea grey body, navy front door, crisp white trims. Suits the light near the beaches.
Brick and tile
Natural brick left as it is, with warm taupe trims and a deep brown front door to pick up the tiles.
Contemporary weatherboard
Mid grey-blue body, off-white trims, black window frames. Modern without going fully dark.
Cedar and white
Stained cedar boards with white plaster or painted panels and charcoal joinery. Warm and natural.
These schemes are starting points, not rules. Look at the houses on your street, your roof colour and your garden before you choose.
Colour schemes that look expensive
A simple scheme with two or three colours looks the most expensive. A soft white, warm grey or deep charcoal body with crisp, contrasting trims and a strong front door is a common formula. Consistent window frame colours, clean lines and good preparation matter as much as the colour. Too many colours, or a colour that fights the roof, look cheap.
- Start with the roof. It is the biggest fixed colour on the house.
- Pick the body colour. The largest area, so keep it calm.
- Add the trims. Lighter or darker than the body, never close to it.
- Finish with the door. The one place for a bolder colour.
The most used exterior colours in New Zealand
Whites, off-whites, pale greys and light taupes are the most used colours on New Zealand residential repaints, going by Resene's round-up of the colours used outside. Resene names Alabaster, Black White, Sea Fog and Villa White among the whites, and Gull Grey, Concrete and Half Concrete among the greys. Black stains such as Woodsman Pitch Black appear on cladding and fences.
These colours are popular because they suit most streets, reflect heat and make trims look crisp. Heritage homes tend to stay with traditional palettes, and new builds lean darker.
Colour trends for 2026 and 2027
The latest paint makers' forecasts are moving toward warmer neutrals and natural greens. Dulux New Zealand's Colour Forecast 2027 is built around three palettes, with botanical greens and warm neutrals in one, and brighter pairings and deep berry and brown tones in the others. The forecast is written mainly for interiors, but its greens and warm neutrals suit front doors and exteriors.
Inside, the same forecasts show up in feature walls and wallpaper, which is where trend colours are easiest to change later. Forecasts are inspiration, not a rule. A house has to suit its roof, its street and its garden for the next ten years, not just this year's trend.
Dark colours on the outside
A house can be painted a dark colour, with care. Dark colours absorb more of the sun's heat, which can make timber move and shorten the life of the paint. Resene recommends care with dark colours on old previously painted timber and in exposed spots, and its CoolColour range reflects more heat in dark shades. Many cladding makers set limits on how dark you can go, so check first.
The limit is often given as a light reflectance value, or LRV: how much light a colour reflects, from 0 for black to 100 for white. Resene points out that LRV only describes how a colour looks, not how hot it gets.
Testing a colour before you commit
Use testpots or large printed samples on the house itself, in both sun and shade, and look at them at different times of day. Resene sells 60 ml testpots and A4 drawdown swatches for this. Colours almost always look lighter and brighter outside than on a small card, so many people choose a shade darker than they first think.
Paint two or three options side by side, on the sunny side and the shady side. Look at them next to the roof and the window frames, not on their own. The same test works for smaller DIY projects, such as a front door or a letterbox.
FAQs
What is the best colour for a weatherboard house?
Light colours are the safest choice for painted weatherboards: whites, creams, pale greys and soft taupes. They reflect heat, so the timber moves less and the paint lasts longer. Darker colours can work on sound timber with a CoolColour version, but check the cladding and timber limits with your painter first.
What colour is replacing grey?
Warm neutrals, such as soft taupes, mushroom tones and creamy whites, are taking over from cool greys on many new schemes, and natural greens are rising in the paint makers' forecasts. Grey is still common on New Zealand houses, but warmer greys and greige now appear more often than cold blue-greys.
Do I need permission to change my house colour?
Usually not. Some North Shore properties, particularly in Devonport and other historic streets, have heritage controls or sit in special character areas where some colour changes need approval. Auckland Council has an online check for heritage controls on a property. Check before a big change on a heritage home.
Can a painter help me choose colours?
Yes. Your painter has seen how colours look on many local houses and can tell you how a shade will behave on your cladding and in your light. Paint makers also offer colour help in store and online. Bring your shortlist to the quote visit and test the finalists on the house.