6 Beautiful Shutter Colors for Gray Houses That Will Elevate Your Aesthetic

Gray is a timelessly popular exterior paint color, largely due to its versatility. It pairs well with many different shades, allowing you to experiment and play with the colors of your shutters and trim. But if you have a dark or light gray house, what color shutters should you choose for the best effect? A few options stand above the rest, and we’ve rounded them up to present you with the six best shutter colors for gray houses.

As you might imagine, shutters can be difficult to paint cleanly. From their many panels to the fact that some may be on higher stories of your home, we don’t blame you if this is a project you’d rather not tackle alone. If that’s the case, reach out to a local exterior painter who can ensure a job done well, safely, and quickly. Depending on how many shutters you need to paint, you could pay as little as $125 to get a pro’s help, but most people will pay around $350 to change the shutter colors on their gray house.

1. Black

Black shutters on a gray house is a classic but bold combo. The black pops against a lighter gray, and when paired with white or beige trim, black shutters create a stunning contrast. There are many black shades available, some deeper in saturation and others softer and more bluish in tone; choose one that works well with your shade of gray and feels appropriately dramatic for your own personal style.

For inspiration: 

• Farrow & Ball Pitch Black

• Benjamin Moore® Graphite

• Sherwin-Williams Black Magic

• Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black

2. Navy

Navy blue shutters set against a gray house feel delightfully nautical, and it’s a bold choice without the harsher feel of black. The color pairing is soothing, and it works especially well with white trim. To give your home some extra playfulness, you might consider painting your front door a bold color like red. 

For inspiration: 

• Sherwin-Williams Naval

• Benjamin Moore® Polo Blue

• Farrow & Ball Hague Blue

• Clare Goodnight Moon

3. Dark Gray

If your home is light gray, think about painting your shutters a darker shade of gray. Gray-on-gray is a classic choice with a big mood, suggesting the calm after a rainstorm or smoke coming out of a chimney on a cold winter’s night. Look into grays with a touch of green in them to add some depth.

For inspiration: 

• Clare Irony

• Benjamin Moore® Lead Gray

• Sherwin-Williams Wall Street

• Benjamin Moore® Deep River

4. White

White shutters can work with gray homes of nearly any shade, and they help to make your windows look larger. Pay attention to the paint’s undertones to make sure you select the right white paint shade. You can opt for a bright white with cool undertones against a dark gray home or a stark white for a light gray home. The former offers a little more character than a completely monochromatic paint job while maintaining elegance and subtlety. 

For inspiration: 

• Sherwin-Williams Snowbound

• C2 Paint Milk Moustache

• Benjamin Moore® Chantilly Lace

• BEHR® Frost

5. Sage

If you’ve got impressive landscaping, allow your home to highlight it and show it off. Sage green shutters create visual balance between your home and any greenery that surrounds it. Paired with gray, sage shutters give your home a grounded, organic vibe. 

For inspiration: 

• Benjamin Moore® Saybrook Sage

• Benjamin Moore® Texas Sage

• Benjamin Moore® Kennebunkport Green

• Clare All The Sage

6. Teal

If sage or a neutral doesn’t offer the drama you’re after, teal might be the color you need. Choosing teal will give you many of the same effects as sage but with more punch. Teal, because it falls in the blue family, still has a calming effect, but it’s playful and modern. You can opt for more muted teals or something more saturated and bold—both work well with gray, especially ones on the lighter side.

For inspiration: 

• Sherwin-Williams Really Teal

• Sherwin-Williams Cloudburst

• Benjamin Moore® Largo Teal

• PPG Teal We Meet Again