Exterior paint color showdown (the winner is…)

We impulsively decided to tackle painting the exterior of our house, thanks to a quote that made us reconsider even though it wasn't initially at the top of our renovation priority list.

I used Photoshop to paint our house in different colors to get inspiration. This was what really got us excited about revamping our home's exterior! Seeing the dramatic transformation with a few clicks in Photoshop sparked our interest in getting a quote for the job. I played around with light beiges, calming grays, and even bolder options. This digital experiment helped narrow our preferences and gave us a solid foundation for choosing colors.

Navigating the color selection journey

While I did some online research to refine our selections, I quickly realized the significant discrepancy between digital color representations and physical paint swatches. This led us to an essential decision: to go to the store, choose paint colors in person, and test them ourselves. So, we abandoned the pre-selected online suggestions and embarked on a joint store visit, searching for colors that resonated with both of us. We finally landed on two Benjamin Moore paints, Baby Fawn (OC-15) and Ice Formations (973). Here's my review of Baby Fawn and Ice Formations. They look very similar, but there are differences.

Benjamin Moore Baby Fawn (OC-15):

This paint color is a warm and inviting neutral between gray and beige. It's really a greige or taupe color, depending on your preference. It belongs to Benjamin Moore's Off-White Color Collection and has a soft and creamy look.

Most greiges pick up a green undertone, whereas taupes favor violet-pink. However, we didn't notice these undertones in our sample test. This paint color was lighter and brighter than Ice Formations, with a slightly warmer yellow and creamy look. This is a good paint choice if you're looking for something inviting, cozy, and sophisticated.

Benjamin Moore Ice Formations (973):

Ice Formations is a warm gray paint color that offers a timeless look. It's noticeably warmer than your typical grays, and while some see a subtle green undertone, we felt it appeared more like a soft, neutral greige with no noticeable undertones in our lighting conditions.

This color creates a calming and relaxing atmosphere. It's slightly moody yet organic, offering a neutral base with a hint of warmth. It's incredibly versatile; Ice Formations works well with cool and warm tones, making it suitable for various design styles. This color also felt like a timeless greige. It strikes a perfect balance between gray and beige. It appears neutral to the eye, ensuring a classic look that won't go out of style.

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The decision

After consideration, we ultimately decided to go with Ice Formations. It's calming, less bright, and more neutral in color than Baby Fawn. This resonated more with our vision for the exterior. We're excited to share the big before-and-after reveal with you soon!