Cedar Shingles & Paint Color Trim

Earthy Browns

• Match the wood of the cedar with earthy colors. You want to find some contrast with the cedar. The easiest way is contrasting value -- or lightness -- of your trim. For lighter cedar, go darker with tones like tobacco. For darker shingles, stay light with the trim. Clay, sand, adobe or malted mild are all light-hued browns for your trim. You can opt for either stain or paint on your earth-color trim.

Classic White

• White is a reliable choice when it comes to matching any color. It's less than scintillating, though, and may be too glaring in its purest form for your taste. Tone it down a bit by substituting an off-white. There is a wide range of off-white shades to choose from. For cedar, stay with warm off-whites. These will lean toward pink or beige in tone.

Easy Harmony

• For easy harmonies, amp up the color a bit, while keeping it in the neutral range. For instance, a soft, light pink with a touch of beige like a heather pink is a good companion to cedar. On the cooler side, either a grey-green mist or a light olive would do well. Color lines designed for historic homes typically employ strong neutral undertones. These will keep the color from getting too wild, so seek them out first if you are in doubt.

Stronger Contrast

• Lively hues are colorful, but they can disrupt the natural feel of the cedar. If you aren't worried about natural authenticity, try bringing out the wood's red undertone with reds or red-oranges like persimmon, poppy or dark marmalade. Again, seek colors that contrast in value unless you want to hide the trim away.