These Are The Most Popular Gray Paints for Exteriors

When it comes to picking a new exterior paint color, you can’t go wrong with a classic neutral. But if you want to stand out (just a bit!) from block after block of white houses, consider giving your exterior a moody makeover with gray paint. The gray trend of the past few years has made it outside and it turns out that a coat of the hue looks as stylish on wood siding and it does on the living room wall.

Depending on how dark you go, gray paint can exude elegance or make a strong statement. Gray also looks amazing on a number of architectural types, including Shingle Style homes, which have long showcased the color. For Brian Grazer's modern Santa Monica home, architect Mark Rios stained the cedar siding gray to complement the slate roof.

To find the best gray exterior paint for your home, consider the surrounding landscape and nearby architecture. Your home's position in relation to the sun will also impact how the color appears. If you live in a historic or private community, you'll also need to make sure your shade of gray meets the requirements set by the property owner's association or landmark commission. The material of your home can also make a difference in how the color appears. Before you make your final decision and break out the scaffolding, be sure to test the color on the exterior. Paint test areas on the north and south sides of the house so you can see how the shade looks under different lighting conditions. Test out trim at the same time so you can get a feel for the overall finished look (and avoid any potential clashes).

Gray is also an excellent accent color. If you're not quite ready to go totally gray, consider using gray paint on shutters, doors and other trim to add contrast without overwhelming your main color. Not sure which of the best gray exterior paint to choose? We asked to top brands to tell us the shades their customers come back to time and time again.

Taking a cue from its namesake, Storm is strong gray. The Benjamin Moore shade contrasts beautifully with black and softer shades of gray.

Behr's Flannel Gray has depth without being too dark and looks great with soft or deep blues.

Gray Screen was Sherwin-Williams's most popular color of 2016 and it's easy to see why. This versatile gray works as an exterior shade or would look great as an accent on shutters and doors.

PPG Paints's Slate Pebble is a warmer gray that can be accented with beiges and brownish-blacks.

This classic, deep gray by Glidden makes an impact on any style of home.

The soft off-white is one of Farrow & Ball's most popular colors. Named for architectural historian John Cornforth, the shade creates understated exteriors.

Olympic's Swirling Smoke has orange undertones to give it warmth.

This popular hue from Sherwin-Williams coordinates with off-whites that share its warm undertones.

Stonington Gray is part of Benjamin Moore's Historical Collection.

Gravity is a cool gray that was one of the Valspar’s colors of the year for 2016. The company suggests using it in a palette with blue-grays and navy.