These 2026 Exterior Color Trends Will Instantly Boost Your Home’s Curb Appeal

'Tis the season when homeowners tackle more projects and sellers amp up their homes' curb appeal for potential buyers, including putting a fresh coat of paint on their houses.

To help homeowners prep for these improvements, Valspar just released its predictions for the most popular exterior paint colors and stains for 2026.

“Every spring, homeowners look for ways to refresh their exteriors through color, whether for their own enjoyment or to increase real estate value,” Sue Kim, director of color marketing at Valspar, said in a statement. “While classic white and other neutrals remain exterior staples, our data shows some surprising hues gaining significant popularity, including sunny yellow paints and modern black stains.”

If you're looking for inspiration, here are the top paint colors and stains that are popping up right now.

Colorful Paint Choices

Classic white, soft neutrals, and black continue to dominate when it comes to exterior paint colors, but according to Valspar's current data, there's been a significant surge in blues, greens, and even a radiant yellow, too.

Whether for whole home siding or as a vibrant pop of color on front doors and shutters, Kim predicts colors like atmospheric blue Encore (8002-45G) and mid-tone soft green Warm Eucalyptus (8004-28F) will be increasingly prominent on home exteriors. Plus, a joyful yellow like Sunglow (3003-2B) is also growing in popularity.

“Blues and greens have been gaining popularity among consumers over the past few years as DIYers increasingly lean into biophilic hues to inspire a sense of calm and restoration in their spaces, but the increase in requests for yellow has been a surprise,” Kim said. “Bright yellows bring a joyful mood with a playful attitude. When used on the front door, Sunglow instantly turns a house into a warm and welcoming home.”

Valspar's Elephant Gray (4006-2A) and Cream in My Coffee (3003-10C) round out the top five exterior paint colors for the season.

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Warmer Stain Picks

As for the top five stain colors, homeowners are leaning toward warmer and darker hues for wood materials on home exteriors in order to enhance the architectural features and increase curb appeal.

Kim predicts an increased use of stains from the brand like Simply Cedar, Potato Skin (a russet brown), October Brown, Darkest Night (a charcoal grey), and Badlands Red for projects involving decks, fences, pergolas, outdoor furniture, and more.

“Black has been a consistently popular color for house siding, but Darkest Night is a surprising presence in the top five exterior stain colors. Stains are typically used to enhance wood grain, but we’re seeing consumers use dark stains on wood projects as a way to complement other exterior colors and lend a modern design touch to boost curb appeal,” Kim said.

You can also apply these stain hues to concrete accents like flowerpots and stepping stones to tie the overall exterior color scheme of your home together.