Are you looking to change up the exterior of your ranch-style home? We have found the most popularly used colors and unique design elements to add to the beauty of your home's exterior.
Ranch-style homes are some of the most versatile on the market. You can dress up a one-story ranch's exterior with a number of colors and styles. Ranch homes come in a wide variety of architectural designs, showcasing a plain and simple layout, a more sprawling estate with interesting features and characteristics, or somewhere in between.
The broad range of ranch-style homes allows owners plenty of room for creative expression when it comes to styling their home's exterior and surrounding landscape. The following colors and some of their unique uses can be helpful when looking to update your ranch home's exterior.
White
1. All White
This home's white exterior creates a crisp clean look that blends well into nature without overpowering it. An all-white home looks clean and tidy and can be dressed up with small pops of color and intricate landscaping. Simple and elegant, white looks great all by itself.
2. White Washed Wood
This home is traditional, colonial, and timeless. A covered porch and stone chimney add to the simple beauty of this house. The siding appears to be white-painted wood paneling and looks natural yet refined. Some people choose to let a bit of the natural wood texture peak through by using a whitewash versus an opaque paint to create a functional and quaint look that maintains a classic charm.
3. Black and White
A black metal roof with black window frames pairs beautifully with this home's white exterior walls. The outdoor fireplace and large patio doors give this home an indoor/outdoor feel that is traditional of ranch-style homes. Black and white create a timeless look that is relatively low maintenance.
4. Light and Bright
White works well on stucco homes in tropical regions. This color can help to keep the home cooler and also appears light and bright, which suits its sunny surroundings. The trees and lush grass around this home complement the white color and the darker roof makes for an interesting contrast. Spanish-style homes also look awesome with red, orange, or brown clay roofing materials.
Blue
5. A Pop of Blue
This home is mainly white, but the bright blue garage door surely steals the show. Bold blue hues like this one stick out and capture attention. They are memorable, but not too overwhelming when used as an accent color on garages, entryway doors, and trim pieces.
6. Cape Cod Smoky Blues
Traditional New England homes don a deep blue or blue-gray, with white and wood trim and accents. Blue-grey is a sophisticated color and this home pulls it off quite nicely. The wood accents on the peaks and door of this home warm up the cooler nature of the blue-grey siding. This home looks comfortable and inviting while keeping with modern times.
7. Baby Blue
Baby blue is a classic home color. It can be found all around the world and for good reason. It is easy on the eyes and can be a calming color to add to your home's exterior. Pair baby blue with black and white for a look that doesn't age.
Brown
8. Prominent Wood Features
A great way to use brown on your home's exterior is to add wood accents. This modern abode is a crisp clean white, with beautiful wood accents. The wood gives this blank canvas some character. The chestnut hue of the wood complements white nicely and keeps with the sleek design of the home. The planks vary in hue, which is an easy way to add more dimension to a wood-paneled accent area.
9. Warm Neutral Brown
Warmer neutral browns look great in open landscapes and blend well with their natural surroundings. The stone base and amber-colored trim pieces give this home an interesting, yet cohesive look. Multiple shades and tones of brown come together nicely, creating a rich exterior full of warmth and depth.
10. Dark Wood Tones
This home's deep-toned, dark brown finish also blends beautifully into the surrounding landscape. Dark brown is complemented nicely by natural elements such as trees or beach fronts. Dark brown or wood finishes are unimposing, allowing them to feel more like part of the landscape than other colors not found in nature.
11. Rustic Brown
Medium and rustic brown woods or paints also look great outdoors and have long since been used for cabins and ranch home exteriors due to their ability to blend seamlessly into nature's design. They mix well with stone, seen in use on this home's large chimney and circle drive, and appear comfortable and utilitarian making them a great fit for small or working homesteads.
Yellow
12. Muted or Pale Yellow
A muted or paler yellow borders beige, but it has a very subtle yellow tone that adds to the overall warmth of the home. This color is used to add interest and tone without being overbearing. It blends nicely in just about any neighborhood and looks warm and inviting. It can be used on small and large homes alike and appears quaint and homey.
13. Bright Yellow
This home looks great in bright yellow paint. The yellow pairs nicely with the stone patio and even better with the bright blue pieces and flowers positioned around the home. This color yellow works well in bright, sunny areas and does a beautiful job of brightening up the entire home and surrounding area.
14. Dusty Yellow-Green
A mix of green and yellow makes a dusty yellow that can look either green, yellow, or grey in certain lighting. This exterior color is versatile and looks nice with homes with a lot of character like the one pictured. There's a lot going on with this home's exterior, but the off-yellow color ties it all together nicely. The pop of red is an unexpected, yet intriguing touch.
Gray
15. Stone Gray
It goes without saying that stone is a popular grey siding option. This home has stone mixed with vinyl for a more distinguished look and it really pulls it off. Stone has a lot of depth and texture, so it works well to pair it with basic white trim as the owners of this home have chosen to do.
16. Light Gray
Lighter greys look fantastic on shingled home exteriors, like the one shown above. Again, the homeowner's stuck with a simple white trim, but this color also looks great with black and even bright reds or blues. This home looks expensive, but not imposing, appearing relaxed and calm.
17. Steel Gray
This newer build showcases a sleek, steel grey on its exterior. Cold, darker greys look best on modern architecture and go great with black, metal, and glass, as seen here. The sheet metal roofing assists this cool grey in adding an industrial feel to the home's exterior design.
18. Mixed Grays
The best part of using grays to style your home's exterior is that you don't have to stick to just one shade for a cohesive look. Warm grays can be paired with warm grays and cool grays can be paired with cool grays. This home uses stone and two different tones of gray to create more visual interest. The muted yellow door is also a nice way to add a touch of color to an overwhelmingly neutral color palette.
Beige
19. Light Brick
This light brick ranch is typical of suburban neighborhoods. The neutral colors can be easily dressed up for any season and work well with just about any type of landscaping. These homeowners even kept with the brick's beige undertones when choosing their trim and accent colors, creating a seamlessly clean and upscale monochromatic look.
20. Neutral Tan
This sprawling ranch blends into the surroundings with a neutral color palette. The black and white trim, accents, and roofing add a classic and elegant look that will age gracefully. You can't go wrong with neutrals, they will always be in style and can be dressed up in several different ways to change the overall appearance over the years as needed.
21. Sandy Beige
This home's color resembles sand and contains more yellow tint than a standard beige. Sand color is a great way to add some extra warmth and natural tones to your home's exterior. It works well with other warm colors like red brick, wood tones, and yellows or oranges.
Get Creative With Your Ranch Home's Exterior Color
Ranch homes look great in just about any color. These were just a few of the most commonly used colors and design elements, but don't be scared to get creative and make your very own version of one of these classic looks. If you need more inspiration, feel free to check out some of our other home exterior guides:
Stucco Versus Siding - What You Need To Know