Here Are the 10 Best Paint Colors for Your Porch

Dina Cheney
Written by Dina Cheney
Updated March 17, 2022
A light blue porch with wooden chairs
Photo: Robert Keenan / Adobe Stock

Check out these bright ideas for freshening up your outdoor space

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If your porch looks old, tired, and in need of a makeover, there’s an easy and inexpensive solution: give it a fresh coat of paint. A new hue can totally transform your space and increase your curb appeal. So pick a paint color, grab a roller or brush, and you’ll have the perfect porch just in time for summer.

1. White

Not only does a white porch look crisp and clean—it’s also the perfect canvas for almost any decor, like coastal chairs or vibrant pillows. Classic white pairs especially well with dark blue or gray wood, stone, or brick facades, adding an element of contrast. But white can highlight dirt, so you might need to keep a white porch a little more clean than, say, a black porch.

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2. Off-White

An off white porch with a beautiful sunlight
Photo: Jon Lovette / Stone / Getty Images

For a softer, warmer option, ask your local painting company to coat your porch in an off-white paint. Your space will still contrast with bright and colorful furnishings but in a more subtle way. Off-white can also look classic and beautiful with white furnishings and pastel touches.

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3. Light Blue

Follow a common Southern tradition and paint your porch ceiling light blue. As you sit back in your rocking chair and look up, you’ll swear you’re outside viewing the sky. For the remainder of your porch, go with a classic neutral, like white, off-white, or light gray.

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4. Dark Blue

A dark blue porch with a pumpkin on a table
Photo: Joanna McCarthy / The Image Bank / Getty Images

For a rich, nautical look, try navy blue, especially for Cape Cod houses or Craftsman-style homes. Because this is a particularly bold color choice, you might want to only use it for the porch floor and coat the remainder of your porch in gray, white, or a lighter blue. 

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5. Light Green

By painting your porch green, you’ll help it mesh with the surrounding trees and bushes. A light shade will provide a more subtle look. Among different hues, a seafoam green, with its mix of green, blue, and gray, is particularly calming.

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6. Dark Green

A dark green porch with yellow shutters
Photo: maciek / Adobe Stock

A darker green lends your home a more dramatic, formal effect and complement surrounding dark green foliage, like evergreen trees. A dark green porch really pops against a home with a brown or gray façade, such as stained cedar, and gives it a Western, lodge-like feel. 

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7. Gray

This sophisticated neutral works beautifully with modern and contemporary homes. For something a little more different and fun, paint your porch floor in white and gray stripes.

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8. Black and White

A black and white front porch with two rocking chairs
Photo: Ursula Page / Adobe Stock

Try painting your railings and ceiling in black and the other elements on your porch white. Or, paint your floor and shutters black against a white backdrop. To add dynamism, make your porch steps white and the risers black or even try a geometric pattern on your floor. 

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9. Brown

For a classic and formal look, ideal for Colonial or Federal-style homes, use rich dark brown paint for your porch. To complement this hue, stain your balusters, front door, and wood floors in a similar shade. 

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10. Vibrant Shades

A vibrant yellow front porch of a traditional American house
Photo: spiritofamerica / Adobe Stock

If your home is in a tropical location, surrounded by buildings in bold colors, try following suit. You can also experiment with more eye-catching shades if the design of your house is Queen Anne houses or Victorian homes. To avoid an overwhelming effect, paint the porch railing and floor in bright shades (like butter yellow or eggplant) and the remainder in white or another neutral.

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