My Top 5 Green Exterior Paint Colors by Benjamin Moore… and What I Chose

Green is a classic and beautiful exterior paint color choice for your home. But which color to choose? I tried at least 12 different Benjamin Moore greens in my search for the perfect exterior paint color for my own home. Below, you’ll find my top 5 colors, including the one I chose…

Benjamin Moore Rolling Hills

Benjamin Moore Rolling Hills is a designer favorite for a reason. It works just as well on an old Craftsman like the home above as a new build. It has both gray and brown undertones, which allows it to morph like a chameleon in different lights. For this reason, it’s also a favorite for interiors. However, with a Light Reflective Value (LRV) of 23.41, this shade was simply too dark for my taste. I live in a climate with very hot, sunny summers and wanted a lighter color that would mitigate heat gain. Sadly, Rolling Hills was not a fit for me.

Benjamin Moore Saybrook Sage

Benjamin Moore Saybrook Sage is a stunning true sage gray-green. I’m sure it looks beautiful on an overcast day, but on the Craftsman above, you can see how it looks on a bright sunny day. Unfortunately, with an LRV of 44.91, this color simply wouldn’t work in my sunny climate. In bright sun, it appears light and almost gray. I wanted a true green no matter the lighting, so I continued my search. However, this would be a beautiful option for a home in the Pacific Northwest.

Benjamin Moore Passion Vine

Benjamin Moore Passion Vine is a true olive color and an authentic Craftsman green. While it looks warm and rich in golden hour light like on the home above, in my opinion in direct daylight—especially when viewed next to other greens—it shows up a bit baby puke-y. Also with an LRV of 21.53, it would be far too dark for my home. But if you’re going for a classic Craftsman color palette of olive green, rich cream, and rusty red, this would be a great option for you.

Benjamin Moore Louisburg Green

Benjamin Moore Louisburg Green was a strong contender for me. It’s the perfect LRV of 32.77—light enough to prevent heat gain but dark enough to still hold true in bright light, like on the home above. However, I felt like it was just slightly too cool-toned for my home, which is surrounded by warmer green foliage—including towering pecan trees and the ferns I hang around my front porch. I needed a slightly warmer green that wouldn’t tone-clash with all of my greenery.

Benjamin Moore Creekside Green — my pick!

Benjamin Moore Creekside Green ended up being my perfect shade. It’s in that perfect lightness range with an LRV of 30.68 and has enough gray and brown undertones to hold its own against my warm foliage without blending in or clashing.

Benjamin Moore says, “This richly saturated shade is reminiscent of a stroll alongside a quiet creek bed on a warm summer’s day.”

I love paint color descriptions.

In some lights Creekside Green appears like olive, in other lights like sage, and when it’s overcast like a soft gray-green. It’s the perfect mood ring, chameleon-like shade—my favorite kind of paint color. I find myself stopping and staring at it often, just admiring it. I love how it turned out.

For more of my exterior painting journey, check out How to Paint Old Peeling Wood Siding or my Exterior Paint highlight on Instagram.