Painting your home is a sure way to add impact and charm, enhance architectural character, and complement the landscape, yet it’s not something most homeowners want to update on a regular basis. Not only is painting labor-intensive, but it can be costly, so it’s important to make sure the palette you choose is one you’ll love for the long term. It should feel right for your home, your lot, and your personal style.
How To Choose Cabin Exterior Paint Colors
Cabins, whether nestled in a pine forest, tucked within a mountain ridge, or perched on the edge of a crystal-clear lake, often look best with a palette rooted in nature. Earthy greens, rich browns, muted neutrals, and deep blues let a cabin harmonize with its surroundings, while an unexpected accent color, such as a rust red or golden yellow, introduces a touch of fairytale-esque whimsy.
We asked designers across the South to share their tried-and-true hues. Whether you’re restoring a family retreat or painting a newly built getaway, these classic combinations will help your cabin feel perfectly grounded in place.
Creamy White and Muted Plum
Designer Choices
Exterior Siding and Trim: Pointing by Farrow & Ball and London Clay by Farrow & Ball
Nashville designer Lovey Edge also reaches for all-natural colors when it comes to planning for a cabin renovation. She recommends Pointing, “a warm, creamy white that brings light into darker cabins without feeling stark.” Her other pick, London Clay, “a rich, muted brownish-plum tone,” is a solid choice for trim or even inside for built-ins and cabinetry.
Evergreen and Off White
Designer Choices
Exterior Siding and Trim: Black Forest Green by Benjamin Moore
Door: Caliente by Benjamin Moore or India Yellow by Farrow & Ball
“Black Forest Green is a deep evergreen that connects a cabin to its surrounding woods like no other color can. It creates a backdrop that feels classic and inviting whether placed on the interior or exterior,” says designer Laure of saab.
For a door, Caliente, a classic barn red, carries the history and charm of countryside homes and cabins. “It adds boldness and personality without ever feeling out of place. Whether on a front door or eye-catching shutters, this color instantly brings warmth and character,” she adds. “If you’re looking for a color that feels like a ray of sun, India Yellow is a golden wheat shade that adds just enough warmth and color to a cabin without overwhelming a neutral palette.”
Olive and Burgundy
Designer Choices
Exterior Siding and Trim: Dark Olive by Benjamin Moore
Door: Mahogany by Benjamin Moore or Townsend Harbor Brown by Benjamin Moore
For Austin designer Jill Bradshawcabins evoke a sense of comfort and naturally call for moody paint picks. “I always gravitate toward warm, earthy hues for exterior colors and a darker olive green. For the trim, I would paint it in the same hue and try to utilize large wood windows that allow you to take in the natural environment around you. I prefer a dark wood front door to offset the saturated color of the exterior, but I also like the idea of rich burgundy,” she says.
All the Blues
Designer Choices
Exterior Siding: Barrow Blue by Farrow & Ball
“When designing a cabin, I think mainly about the season it will be used. There’s something magical about winter light and muted colors with gray undertones,” says designer Russell Goldman. “Colors in the slate family, like Farrow & Ball’s Barrow Blue, keep things cool and grounded, pair well with a lot of accent colors, and are also great for hiding dirt and scuff marks.”
Texas designer Ali Ames of Lark Interiors is also a fan of blue. Evening Dove by Benjamin Moore and Van Deusen Blue by Benjamin Moore are her go-tos.
Rich Brown
Designer Choices
Exterior Siding: Mouse’s Back by Farrow & Ball or Van Dyke Brown by Sherwin-Williams
In addition to deep greens and rich navies, warm browns “feel just right,” Ames adds.
Buttercup and Pine
Southern Living
Designer Choices
Exterior Siding and Trim: Isle of Pines by Sherwin-Williams and Vernazza Yellow by Benjamin Moore
Porch Floor: Evergreen Fog by Sherwin-Williams
Atlanta designer Jenny Warner loves Southern cabins as places to retreat, enjoy family, and connect with the outdoors. “Cabin colors are meant to work with their natural surroundings—think rich forest greens, browns, deep muted reds, taupes, and shades of blue.
Colors that have an earthy undertone and accents that highlight the architectural features make the cabin feel at home in the woods, mountains, or lakes. Cabins also provide a chance to use a color scheme you wouldn’t use on your primary home,” she says.
