Home Colors for a California Ranch

White

• White is the common color for home exteriors, because it is a neutral shade that works with a variety of trim and detail colors and can blend well with the other houses in a neighborhood. It is an ideal option for a California ranch, because the lighter color helps make the small, squat house appear larger. If you prefer a softer look, try an off-white shade like cream or ivory to warm up your home’s exterior. With a white facade, you can paint your ranch’s trim brown, blue or gray for an attractive, subtle look. However, for an eye-catching look, try red or green trim to add flair to your ranch.

Brick Red

• To give your California ranch a warm, inviting look, consider painting the exterior a brick-red shade. The deep, rich red helps make your home stand out from the neighbors, but because it is a muted red shade, it isn’t too bold or bright for the exterior. Brick red is also a traditional exterior color for mid-century ranch style homes, so it gives your California ranch an authentic look that complements its architectural style. Try painting your trim white or off-white to highlight the rich red color of your exterior. If you prefer a more subtle look, gray or tan trim also works well.

Brown

• Traditional California ranches often feature natural materials like wood shingles and stone facades, which provide an earth-tone color palette that gives the exterior a welcoming look. If your ranch doesn’t feature a wood or stone facade, you can recreate the earth-tone look by choosing a brown shade for the exterior. For a dramatic look, choose a rich, deep brown. You can also opt for a mid-toned shade like taupe or acorn to give your ranch a more subtle appearance. However, choose a light-brown shade like tan or medium beige if you are concerned about the size of your home and want to make it appear larger.

Blue

• Some traditional California ranches feature brighter shades to add a lively look to their exterior. If you prefer a shade other than white or an earth tone for your ranch, blue is an ideal option. You can go subtle with a light blue or a blue gray or go slightly deeper with alpine blue, which usually has a slight turquoise undertone. Pair your blue facade with white, gray or black trim for a simple, classic look.

Green

• Green is another exterior color that can give a California ranch a unique look. You can opt for subtle shades such as sage to give your home a simple, traditional look, or go with bolder options like a cool blue-green color or a rich hunter green. You can paint your trim white, gray, black or brown, but with a light green such as sage, pale yellow accents can make your ranch’s architectural details pop.