My neighbor's new paint job showed me why trim color matters more than I thought | Exterior Design

Jason Lewis · 2026-03-18T17:45:05.508883+00:00

We both painted our houses in Austin last spring, but I went with a single color while they used a dark charcoal for the trim. After six months, their place looks sharp and defined, but mine just blends together. Has anyone else seen a big change from just adding a second color to the trim?

milabutler6mo ago

Totally get what you mean about clean and simple, @janab87, but I read that contrast actually helps define the house's shape from the curb.

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kai_stone995mo ago

That "clean and simple" look can really depend on your house style. My friend's modern box looked great in one color, but my place with all its little porch details just looked flat until we painted the trim. It's like the house needed its lines drawn in.

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janab876mo ago

Eh, I like the single color look. Feels clean and simple to me. Sometimes all that contrast just looks busy.

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