7 Beige and Tan Exterior House Colors That Are Anything But Basic

When you use them properly, beige and tan can be exciting and fun. And because so many undertones are available for beige and tan exterior house colors, these shades work for both classic and contemporary design styles. 

Beige and tan colors are soft neutrals that create a warm, earthy, tranquil, and classy look, especially when you layer them with the right contrasting colors. But with so many subtle hues available, how do you know which is best for your home? You’ll need to consider your taste, architectural style, available light, and surrounding landscape.

We’ve gathered seven of the best beige and tan exterior house colors to help you decide what’s the right fit for your home.

1. Pale Beige

Opting for a timeless light beige rather than white can turn your home’s exterior from stark to inviting. A light shade like this is a great choice to make your compact home look larger, and it helps reflect light, keeping you cool when summer temperatures soar.

The subtle touches of gray fit contemporary or minimalist designs, and the warm tones help soften the sterile façades of industrial mid-century modern styles. Using light beige on siding and white paint on your home’s trim creates a delicate contrast that adds crisp depth to the design.

Timeless, understated beige tones aren’t likely to go out of fashion anytime soon, meaning you won’t have to worry about the cost of repainting your home’s exterior prematurely.

For inspiration:

• BEHR® Crisp Linen

• Clare No Filter

• Sherwin-Williams Steamed Milk

• Benjamin Moore® Swiss Coffee

2. Sandy Beige

A sandy beige with more pronounced yellow or orange tones offers an even warmer, more comforting vibe. If this is the color you choose for your siding, it will work well with browns and even mid-tone teals and dark blues on trim, doors, and shutters.

For inspiration:

• BEHR® Kombucha

• BEHR® Natural Twine

• Benjamin Moore® Shaker Beige

• Clare Neutral Territory

3. Rosy Beige

Beige exterior house colors with reddish-pink undertones add a softness to your façade. They also offer cohesive harmony with pink or red blooming plants or other rosy exterior decorative elements in your landscape. A subtle dusty rose is the perfect exterior paint color for Colonial homes, adding a playful romance to this timeless, traditional style.

If you’re painting the trim around a brick-fronted home and the blocks have hints of red or pink, a rosy beige can be a perfect complementary color for your brick exterior. It’s also a shade that pairs well with muted, cool greens and blues.

For inspiration:

• Benjamin Moore® Apricot Beige

• Benjamin Moore® San Carlos Tan

• PPG Blush Beige

• Clare Meet Cute

4. Light Tan

Home exteriors often feature three contrasting colors—the dominant siding color, the accent colors on the doors, shutters, and around the windows, and the trim. Combining a light tan, white, and darker brown is a classic combo, but you can also play around with yellows, olives, and sage green. 

Richer tans hide dirt more than pale beiges. So if your home is close to a dusty road or you're looking for an exterior paint color for your big barndominium, tan might be a great low-maintenance option. The yellow tones in tans are a better fit for working as a contrasting shade alongside slate roofs and pair well with homes that have lots of warm wood accents.

Keep in mind that it can be more difficult to get a smooth finish with a lighter color. Call a professional exterior painter near you if you want a neat look. They can help you with color coordination and keep unsightly streaks at bay.

For inspiration:

• Benjamin Moore® Manchester Tan

• Sherwin-Williams Natural Tan

• PPG Casual Elegance

• Sherwin-Williams Gardenia

5. Greige

If you’re worried that a true gray exterior paint might be too bleak for your shady home but you still want a contemporary aesthetic, selecting a beige with soft gray undertones could offer a cheerier appearance. And the understated gray hues can add an extra air of elegance to a traditional home.

When leaning into the modern style, pair this shade of beige with darker grays on shutters, doors, and trim.

For inspiration:

• BEHR® Eiffel For You

• BEHR® Mesa Taupe

• Benjamin Moore® Grant Beige

• Sherwin-Williams Balanced Beige

6. Orange Tan

Do you see a lot of cloudy days in your state? Why not lift your mood and pick an exterior paint color with warm orange undertones? The pop of color against those gray skies creates uplifting, welcoming vibes. 

Saturated orange tans are also ideal cozy exterior paint colors for Craftsman-style homes. If you have a large patio with a fire pit as the focal point, picking a tan with coppery undertones will make the s’mores sessions even cozier.

For inspiration:

• Benjamin Moore® Seville Oranges

• Sherwin-Williams Honeycomb

• Sherwin-Williams Golden Fleece

• BEHR® Sweet Curry

7. Dark Tan

Richer tan shades add depth and elegance to a home, particularly those in sun-soaked spots. These hues also work well alongside elegant red trims. A dark tan siding with light beige trim is another common combo. Flipping this so the trim is darker offers a crisp, contemporary twist.

For inspiration:

• Sherwin-Williams Tatami Tan

• BEHR® Butter Nut

• Sherwin-Williams Bosc Pear

• Benjamin Moore® Golden Retriever