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.
Pewter Green and Rosemary both sit at LRV 12. The tiebreaker is the lean: warm olive-gray versus cool gray-green. Test both on your photo.
Dried Thyme (LRV 21) is the livable everyday earthy sage; Pewter Green (LRV 12) is the deeper, saturated statement green. The tiebreaker is depth and drama.
Clary Sage (LRV 41) is the deeper, grounded mid sage; Softened Green (LRV 53) is the lighter, airier one. The tiebreaker is your room's light, not undertone.
October Mist (LRV 47) is the deeper, silvery sage; Sea Salt (LRV 63) is the lighter, airier coastal sage. Cross-brand, same family, depth decides.
Sea Salt (LRV 63) and Quiet Moments (LRV about 61) sit at the same depth. The tiebreaker is the lean: coastal green-blue versus calming blue-gray.
Halcyon Green (LRV 41) is the deeper, serene blue-green; Sea Salt (LRV 63) is the lighter, airier coastal green-blue. The tiebreaker is your room's light.
Evergreen Fog (LRV 30) is the deeper, moodier sage; Acacia Haze (LRV about 38) is the slightly lighter, quieter green-gray. Cross-brand, depth decides.
Repose Gray (LRV 58) and Gray Owl (LRV 61) sit at almost the same depth. The tiebreaker is the lean: lavender-prone cool gray versus green-leaning chameleon.
Accessible Beige (LRV 58) is the deeper warm beige; Manchester Tan (LRV about 64) is the lighter, flexible tan. Cross-brand, depth and a small lean decide.
Agreeable Gray (LRV 60) is the lighter, warmer best-selling greige; Worldly Gray (LRV 57) is the slightly deeper, grayer one. Strip neighbors, lean decides.
Mindful Gray (LRV 48) is the livable mid gray; Chelsea Gray (LRV about 23) is the deep, architectural warm gray. Cross-brand, depth and drama decide.
Creamy (LRV 81) is the warmer, creamier soft white; White Dove (LRV about 85) is the softer, cleaner white. Cross-brand, the creamier-vs-cleaner lean decides.
Chantilly Lace (LRV 90) is the crisper, brightest white; Pure White (LRV 84) is the versatile in-between. Cross-brand, the crisp-versus-versatile lean decides.
White Dove (LRV about 85) is the softer warm white; Swiss Coffee (LRV about 82) is the creamier, slightly more yellow warm white. Same brand, the lean decides.
Urbane Bronze (LRV 9) is the warm brown-bronze; Iron Ore (LRV about 6) is the neutral soft black. Both very dark, the warm-versus-neutral lean decides.
Naval (LRV about 5) is the navy blue; Cyberspace (LRV about 6) is the dark blue-gray charcoal. Both very dark, the navy-versus-charcoal lean decides.
See the best navy blue bedroom paint shades with real Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore codes, plus where to use navy and what to pair with it.
Navy blue living room paint done right: three deep navies with real SW and BM codes, where to put them, what to pair, and how to preview them on your own photo.
The best navy blue bathroom paint shades for 2026, from SW Naval to BM Hale Navy, with how to pair white tile, brass, and marble in a powder room.
Real navy blue dining room paint picks for 2026 (Naval, Hale Navy, Salty Dog) with codes, plus how to use them with white trim, a brass chandelier and wood.
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