6 Modern and Trendy Ranch-Style House Exterior Paint Colors

One-story ranch-style homes became popular in the mid-twentieth century. These low-profile homes have lots of retro charm and quirky details, but many are showing their age. Luckily, you can quickly and easily modernize your charming exterior with a ton of different trendy ranch-style house exterior paint colors. The right color will totally transform your home’s look and make it more welcoming for you and your guests. 

There’s a delicate balance you have to strike here, however, as ranch-style houses tend to take up horizontal space, so choosing something too bold may be overwhelming enough to turn away neighbors and potential buyers. With so many exterior paint colors available, how do you narrow down a palette for the outside of your home? To help, we've rounded up some of the most trendy ranch-style house exterior paint colors that are sure to make the right impression.

1. Whites

A light color like white can make a small ranch-style home feel bigger than it is. This visual effect can give the home a more inviting and livable feel. At the same time, white is a clean, traditional color that can create a calm, soothing vibe.

Despite its brightness, white can also take a back seat in your home’s color palette to highlight dark features. Strike a visual balance in your ranch-style home by pairing white siding with a black window trim, shutters, or door for contrast. If you'd prefer a softer look, pair an off-white home with softer black or charcoal gray elements. Natural wood and stone accents also blend right in with a white-painted ranch-style house.

For inspiration: 

• Kelly-Moore Swiss Coffee

• Benjamin Moore® White Dove

• BEHR® Whisper White

• Kelly-Moore Rotunda White

2. Greens

Green exterior paints offer a ton of variety for modern palettes and can pair well with most popular house styles. Any exterior details in black, white, and gray play well with light green and dark green, alike. One less-than-common color to use is olive green. The warm, earthy tone of olive can provide a natural look for a ranch-style home without the need for wood elements. Plus, it pairs nicely with metal roofing for a stylish, modern feel.

Another option is to use a lighter green that stands out against the surrounding lawn and trees. This sort of shade is ideal when you have a large yard or lots of shade trees. On the opposite end of the spectrum is a deep green. Darker colors will blend in with the surrounding nature while offering more contrast with any lighter elements on the exterior of your ranch-style home.

For inspiration: 

• Farrow & Ball Olive

• Benjamin Moore® Cypress Green

• Kelly-Moore Whispering Winds

• Benjamin Moore® Forest Hills Green

3. Earth Tones

Another simple way to connect with natural elements and bring out the best of the landscaping around your ranch-style house is to use earth tones like beige, tan, taupe, and light brown. These pair beautifully with wood trim and a variety of colors to create a warm, cozy aesthetic. Earth tones highlight both the traditional design and the modern features of a ranch-style house.

Softer earth tones may seem plain and conventional on their own. However, when contrasted with dark brown or black trim, shutters, or modern metal roofs, soft earth tones can take on a much more elegant and dramatic feel. Darker earth tones can benefit from white doors or other accents to brighten up their look and make your home more inviting.

For inspiration: 

• BEHR® Mushroom Bisque

• Sherwin-Williams Tony Taupe

• Kelly-Moore Presidio Plaza

• ECOS Bronze Age

4. Grays

Gray is another timeless color for the classic ranch style that manages to be modern at the same time. The sleek, minimalist look of most grays lends itself well to contemporary ranch-style home designs. Grays are often subtle and don't draw much attention. Instead, when you use gray, the architectural features of your ranch-style home and the beautiful landscaping around it have a chance to shine.

Choose a dark gray for the walls of your home and soften the appearance with white trim and accents. Complete the look with a colorful front door in a bold hue of your choice. Another great way to use gray is to select a few different tones, each slightly darker than the last. Use the lightest gray on the body of your home and work the darker grays into your trim.

For inspiration: 

• BEHR® Platinum

• Kelly-Moore Bashful Emu

• BEHR® Dark Pewter

• Kelly-Moore Viking Castle

5. Blues

Blue is an excellent paint color if you want your home to stand out. It brings enough energy to make a traditional ranch-style house seem trendy but is also calm enough to keep things from getting overwhelming. Blue is a cool and inviting color that pairs well with plants and greenery. If your landscaping includes a front garden or a large yard, blue is a great choice.

Balance out the volume of brighter blues with distinct contrasting accents in a neutral white. This palette can make even the smallest ranch-style homes seem a little bigger and bolder. Deeper blues can also benefit from a light trim to keep the façade from looking too dark. For a warm vibe, look for a teal that incorporates gray undertones. Teals pair well with neutral brown roofs and doors.

For inspiration: 

• Valspar® Retro-Colonial Blue

• Sherwin-Williams Poolhouse

• Benjamin Moore® Coat of Arms

• Kelly-Moore Steiglitz Fog

6. Blacks

The traditional exterior of a ranch-style home can look elegant dressed in black. You can opt to balance out the boldness of black with an even distribution of white accents. The right black can have a powerful calming effect.

Some very dark browns or charcoal colors present as a softer black and make excellent exterior house colors for ranch-style homes. They match well with stained wood and stone architectural details depending on the level of warmth or coolness in the undertones of the paint. Black also pairs well with brightly colored front doors, setting a neutral background for just about any hue.

For inspiration: 

• Sherwin-Williams Black Magic

• PPG Starless Sky

• Benjamin Moore® Raccoon Fur

• BEHR® Deep Space