13 Distinctive Ranch House Exterior Colors for Makeover and Remodel Ideas

Ranch houses are known as sturdy buildings. That is why, even in this modern era, many people still prefer to build a ranch house.

When it comes to the exterior, the looks can be various. Your ranch house exterior can basically feature a gorgeous palette color for a wide variety of remodel and makeover ideas.

No matter what your ranch house’s routes are, whether it is a craftsman, mid-century modern, cape cod, stucco, or Victorian, the different new looks can be achieved simply by choosing the right exterior color.

A new color palette for your exterior paint colors can transform the entire look of your curb.

A bold front door or new excellent siding’s color combined with soft colored trim will make you have a better curb appeal.

If you want to update your ranch house, use paint color for the exterior like this:

1. Traditional Ranch House with a Soft Orange Wall

Basically, this traditional ranch house has a common exterior color, which doesn’t really stand out among the neighborhood.

This soft orange wall looks a lot like a common beige color under direct sunlight. Moreover, it is also paired with darker brown trim. The large white windows are meant to give a neutral accent to this soft exterior color.

Moreover, the designer thought that a soft orange wall was not enough to make this exterior look whimsical. That’s why he added a bright orange glass panel door as a pop of color.

This bright orange door looks in contrast to the soft orange wall. Both are in orange shades, yet the difference between light and bold shades like this will give you a flawless look.

This is the color combination you should opt for if you don’t want to entirely use soft colors for your exterior, yet think that bright colors are not really for you. The door here was finished with Benjamin Moore – Oriole.

2. Combination of Gray Wall and White Trim as an Exterior Color for a Ranch House

This is a modern ranch house with a minimalist exterior, which is a key element in any modern look. Yet, the minimalist exterior counteracts the whimsical architectural style.

Both combinations deliver a single-story building with ranch house characteristics that can be used in an urban area.

The exterior features a combination of gray walls and white trim.

Basically, that color combination is not that unusual. Yet, for a minimalist look with a modern vibe, using a non-bold color is recommended. You don’t mean to draw attention to the exterior color. You just want to give a simple yet stylish look.

The darker shade of gray looks incredibly flawless paired with white trim. Especially, the clear window glass also gives a modern vibe to this ranch house.

3. Black Painted Brick Combined with Stained Wood as a Modern Ranch House Exterior

Yes, black is a neutral color. Yet, when used as the main exterior color for a ranch house, with no color combination whatsoever, the black color will look so bold that it will create a unique look.

Basically, this ranch house has a brick exterior. However, the brick was painted to achieve this mysterious look.

The paint color used is Sherwin Williams – Sealskin 7675.

If you want to paint your bricks like this, there is a special preparation that you should do beforehand.

First, make sure that the bricks’ surface is pressure washed and dry clean. It is recommended for you to use a high-quality Acrylic masonry primer.

For a recommendation, you can use Loxxon from Sherwin Williams. After that, all coats should be emulsified, using a thick lambs wood nap to back roll into the surface.

As you can see here, even the trim is in black, along with the front steps. The all-black exterior will make a dark and grim look if you use it for a traditional ranch house located in a suburban area with no neighbors.

If you want to achieve this look, make sure your house has direct sunlight in an open area. This way, even though you have a dark exterior, it won’t make your house look dark and scary.

4. One-story Ranch House with a Retro Colonial Blue Exterior Color

Who said that ranch houses will only look good in lighter shades? This one proves it otherwise.

Instead of using beige, white, or light gray as its exterior color like usual ranch houses, this one-story building features a dark deep blue color. This blue exterior delivers a flawless bold look.

Yet, the designer added white trim around the windows to avoid the house being too dark. This way, the exterior of this ranch house looks cool yet still inviting.

If you are wondering, it seems that the paint color used for the exterior here is Valspar – Retro Colonial Blue 4006-4B. The aluminum standing seam roof serves as a lovely accent to complete the entire look.

5. White, Black, and Gray Exterior Color Combination in a Small Ranch House

This is the complete opposite of the previous picture. This small ranch house features a white brick exterior combined with black shutters and a grey shingle roof.

The combination of white, black, and gray exterior gives a neutral look because those three colors are indeed neutral colors.

The white wall makes the entire house look bright, while the black shutters contrast the white, so it won’t look too sterile. On the other hand, the light gray roof bridges the black and white combination.

This color combination will get an elegant look despite the small house.

To finish the entire look, the designer added natural wood front door along with a natural stone walkway. The neutral color combination and natural elements will never fail to give you a minimalist and elegant appearance.

6. Ranch House with a White Wall and Turquoise Post Exterior Paint Color

This ranch house has a transitional style exterior. It features a private entrance that is combined with a curved driveway.

The great thing about this house’s exterior is its simplicity. The designer and the homeowner decided that it would be best to use white for this one-story ranch house.

However, white can be boring if it’s used too much. That is why, the natural wood front doors were added to make the white exterior less plain.

The designer also added a turquoise post as a pop of color to give a fun element to this all-white design.

Adding a splash of color on one side of the wall or a post like this will deliver a playful look.

A bold accent will make your house stand out among the neighborhood. When choosing the bold accent color, make sure it will blend with the surrounding.

7. Teal Wall and Gray-Green Trim in a Ranch House with Craftsman Exterior

This ranch house has a lovely craftsman style. Even though it doesn’t feature a traditional ranch architecture, which usually has a one-story only, it doesn’t make this house any less ranch, with large windows and an attached garage.

The exterior color overall delivers a warm feeling. It has a perfect combination of gray-green trim and teal walls.

The teal color offers a bold vibe, while the trim softens the boldness of the wall. The gray-green color has a soft look. A light shade like this is meant to deliver a bright look to the whole house.

To top it off, the brown roof matches the brown sliding garage door. The brown color accentuates the green shade’s exterior nicely. As a neutral color, Brown gives a touch of a traditional look to this ranch house.

If you are wondering, the house color is Benjamin Moore – Caribbean Teal 2123-20. The trim is Benjamin Moore – Hazy Skies OC-48, while the garage doors were finished with Benjamin Moore – Iron Mountain 2134-30.

8. Ranch House in a Farmhouse Style with The Redwood Trim Exterior Color

This ranch house has a farmhouse style that looks perfect in a suburban area.

The building has an A3 coat traditional masonry stucco wall with masonry paint. This house was painted in beige color, which looks more light in this picture due to the natural lighting.

Even though beige is a popular color for ranch houses, it will create a plain look if it is used for the entire exterior. That is why the designer used a clear redwood trim.

The redwood trim frames the screened-in porch perfectly, along with the windows in the upper part of the house.

To pair the bright red trim, the galvanized aluminum roof was used. This metal roof has a modern element. A metal roof will deliver a stylish and contemporary appearance when combined with a bright color accent.

9. Ranch House Exterior with a Bold Blue Color

Even though this ranch house is small, the designer managed to make it look pop and eye-catching.

The bold blue color is from James Hardie Lap Siding in ColorPlus Technology Deep Ocean. The white trim is ColorPlus Technology Arctic White. The combination of classic blue with crisp white like this will never fail to draw attention.

The designer used a natural wood single front door to add a natural element to this bright exterior. The door looks majestic framed with the white walls around. The blue-painted fiberboard surround also enhances its elegance.

If you want to use bold colors for your exterior like this, it is recommended to plant a lot of greenery in your front yard. This way, your bold exterior won’t look too bright against the bright sunlight. It is not really a good idea if you use a bold exterior in a desert area.

10. Three-story Ranch House with The Black and White Exterior Color

This ranch house is large and elegant with a traditional exterior.

Even though usually ranch houses only feature one story, this large house proves that modern ranch houses can have more than one story but still have a ranch characteristic.

In order to highlight the elegance of this house, the designer painted the exterior with a black and white color combination.

We all know that black and white is the safest color combo if you want to combine two colors together. Those colors are neutral and can contrast each other. Plus, black and white will never fail to give you a simple yet stylish look.

The black wall of this exterior looks grand against the white trim. The white trim and posts are meant to brighten up the entire look.

White is used for the garage door and the basement wall in the first story. In the second story, white is dominantly used for the wall color and the posts. In the third story, white is simply used as a trim.

The even distribution of black and white in this exterior creates a perfectly balanced appearance. This is an ideal choice if you want to enhance your curb’s appeal with neutral colors.

11. Light Beige Gray Exterior Color for a Contemporary Ranch House

This contemporary ranch house features a brick exterior.

This house has been remodeled. At first, it used to have original red and yellow bricks. After that, the designer changed the paint of the bricks into light beige gray color. It seems that it is a custom-mixed color. This house exterior looks light beige but with a touch of gray color in it.

That unique combination is paired with black shutters to contrast the light shade.

Basically, this ranch house features a dark and light combination for its exterior. This is a common combination if you want to achieve a simple look. A light shade of wall combined with dark trim or shutters will deliver a warm and welcoming look.

There is also a pop of color. Yet, instead of using bold color, the designer used white as a splash of color in this dark and light shades combination. The polished white garage doors managed to brighten up the curb.

12. Olive Painted Cedar Exterior Paint Color in a Spacious Ranch House

This spacious ranch house features vertical shiplap siding made of painted cedar.

The cedar siding was painted in olive color, which is an unusual option for a ranch house. Yet, olive green never fails to give you a trendy look.

Olive green adds more character to this house. Plus, it also makes this house blend with its surrounding. We can see the towering trees in the back of this house.

Those trees match the exterior of this house. However, the designer didn’t want to camouflage this house with its surrounding. That is why he used a different shade of green with the surrounding trees.

If you want to add a natural element to your house exterior but don’t really like wood, you can use one of the earthy tones like this.

The metal roof accents the exterior nicely. Metal shade adds a modern vibe to this traditional-looking ranch house. Therefore, this one is more contemporary than traditional.

Mixing earthy tones with metal elements like this will give you a stylish and modern look. You can combine it with a gravel driveway to enhance the modern appearance.

13. Dark Gray Wall with White Trim in a Classic Ranch House Exterior

This classic ranch house is basically a large building.

Before the renovation, it was a 1960’s ranch-style house. After being remodeled, this house still maintains its ranch style, but with a touch of modern look. It features a concrete fiberboard exterior that was painted in timeless gray color.

We can’t deny that dark gray exterior wall color like this is timeless, which can never be out of style. This is the safest option if you want to achieve a simple and modern look, yet don’t know what color that should be chosen.

The white trim and the garage doors in this exterior create a contrast. Yet, somehow they all blend with its gray surrounding too. It is because gray and white are both neutral colors.

If you are wondering, the wall here is painted in Kelly More Paints – Meadowbrook KM3948-2. The trim is Kelly More Paints – Columbia KM3921-1. The dark-colored door, last, gives a perfect finishing touch to this color combination.

14. Tips for Choosing the Exterior Colors for Your Ranch House

After looking at the pictures above, you might get confused about how to choose the right exterior paint colors for your ranch house.

Well, basically you’re free to choose anything you like. However, make sure you follow these basic rules:

a. Paint for the Setting

Before deciding the paint color, walk around your neighborhood first.

Think, which color will look nicest from the road?

Which color schemes stand out?

This helps you visualize how your ranch house might look in various color combinations. It is recommended to opt for exterior colors that enhance other homes in your neighborhood.

No need to pick the exact same colors as your neighbors, but make sure not to choose colors that are possibly unacceptable or garish to future buyers.

b. Match the Roof

Unless you intend to change your roof in the future, make sure you choose the exterior colors that match your roof.

However, keep in mind that your roof may look to be a bit lighter or deeper when you add a new trim shade along the gables and roofline.

c. Never Use Stark White on a Small Ranch House

A bright white color used for the siding or the trim on a small ranch house will emphasize its small size.

The exceptions to this rule are beach-type ranch houses and artsy neighborhoods where white brick or siding is trimmed in bright colors like pink or turquoise.

For the brick exterior, pale brown or peach trim will look perfect when combined with reddish-brown bricks. Dark brown, dark blue, and sage green are suitable for lighter-colored bricks.

If you want to paint the bricks too, the popular exterior colors for small ranch houses are off-white trim, dark-colored shutters, and graphite-gray bricks.

To brighten up the entire color scheme, use a bold color for the door, like red or turquoise.

d. Enjoy the Retro Colors

The incredible thing about ranch houses is that they look nice when painted in various colors.

The ‘60s and mid-century ranch houses were originally painted with bold colors, like aquamarine siding, bright red doors, and other colorful accents.

You can use such a color combination to give a new unique look to your ranch house.

Get inspiration by asking a professional painter about the retro color collections provided by available paint manufacturers.

Good luck with your project!