US exterior painting trends, color guides, costs per sq ft and HOA-friendly palettes. Articles written by US-based contractors covering Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore and Behr, with region-specific tips for Sun Belt, Pacific Northwest and New England climates.
Exterior painting & siding: cost per square foot across Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, Denver and Seattle. Hardie board vs vinyl siding vs stucco repaint comparisons.
US paint brands in depth: Sherwin-Williams Emerald, Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior, Behr Marquee, PPG Timeless - paint sheen guides and climate durability from Sun Belt heat to Pacific Northwest rain.
HOA, permits & climate: HOA-approved palettes, city permit requirements, and picking exterior colors that hold up in Florida humidity, Arizona sun, or New England winters.
Looking for the Benjamin Moore or Behr equivalent of Realist Beige? Here are the closest matches by LRV and undertone, plus how to test them at home.
Silvermist (SW 7621) has no official twin, but Benjamin Moore Quiet Moments comes closest, with a Behr alternative. See the LRV deltas and test it.
There is no official Benjamin Moore or Behr match for Softened Green. Here are the closest widely recommended options, with LRV deltas and a wall test.
The closest Benjamin Moore equivalent of Westhighland White (SW 7566, LRV 86), plus a Behr match, and why the only real proof is a test on your own wall.
Cascade Green SW 0066 has no official cross-brand twin. Here is the closest Benjamin Moore match, an alternative, and a Behr option, with honest LRV deltas.
The closest Benjamin Moore match for Clary Sage is October Mist 1495, with Sea Haze as a grayer alternative and Behr's Nature's Gift as the Behr pick.
Copen Blue has no official cross-brand twin. Here is the closest Benjamin Moore match (Palladian Blue), the Behr option, and how to confirm it on your wall.
Cyberspace has no cross-brand twin. Here is the closest Benjamin Moore match (Wrought Iron), the best Behr alternative, and how to confirm it on your wall.
There is no official Benjamin Moore or Behr match for Dried Thyme. Here are the closest widely recommended options, with LRV deltas and a wall test.
The closest Benjamin Moore match for Sherwin-Williams Halcyon Green is Sea Haze, with an October Mist alternative and a Behr option. Confirm it on your wall.
Sherwin-Williams In the Navy (SW 9178) has no official cross-brand twin. Here is the closest Benjamin Moore match, one alternative, and a Behr option.
There is no official Benjamin Moore or Behr match for Rosemary. Here are the closest widely recommended options, with LRV deltas and a wall test.
Soft Sage (SW 9647) has no official Benjamin Moore twin. The closest widely recommended match is October Mist 1495, plus a Behr pick and how to confirm it.
Windy Blue has no official cross-brand twin. Here is the closest Benjamin Moore match (Woodlawn Blue), the best Behr option, and how to confirm it on your wall.
The closest Benjamin Moore equivalent of Behr Antique White (PWN-43, LRV 84), plus a second BM option and a Sherwin-Williams match, tested on your own wall.
No brand publishes cross-brand matches. Here is the closest Benjamin Moore equivalent of Behr Dolphin Fin, plus a Sherwin-Williams pick, with LRV deltas.
Behr Dove (PPU18-09, LRV 70) has no official cross-brand twin. Here are the closest Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams matches, with LRV deltas.
Behr Midnight Blue (N480-7) in a paint your store does not carry? Here are the closest Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams matches, with the LRV gaps.
There is no official Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams match for Behr Muted Sage. Here are the closest options, with LRV deltas and a wall test.
The closest Benjamin Moore equivalent of Behr Silky White (PPU7-12), plus a Sherwin-Williams match, each with an LRV delta. Test before you commit.
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