Beige is warming up exteriors, according to the 2026 U.S. Houzz Outdoor Trends Study. Beige has overtaken white and gray as the most popular exterior wall color, while material choices remain diverse and homeowners increasingly add architectural details such as beams. Roofing, gutter and exterior door upgrades have become more common, and professional hiring has reached a record high. Here’s a look at the top exterior renovation trends for 2026.
1. Beige Takes the Lead
Beige has surged in popularity as an exterior wall color. It’s now the top choice, with the share of renovating homeowners selecting it more than doubling, from 10% in 2024 to 24% in 2026.
Meanwhile, white and gray have both lost ground. White fell 9 percentage points to 14% in 2026, and gray dropped 7 percentage points to 12%.
Other exterior color preferences have changed little. Green (9%), black (8%), brown (7%) and blue (5%) have remained steady or edged up slightly, while yellow increased 2 percentage points to 5%.
2. Key Exterior Upgrades Increase
The share of renovating homeowners upgrading roofing (51%) and gutters or downspouts (48%) each increased 7 percentage points since 2024, while the share upgrading exterior doors (34%) climbed 8 percentage points.
Windows or skylights remain a common part of exterior renovations, with 41% of renovating homeowners upgrading them. Exterior accents follow at 29%, while solar panels were used in 6% of projects.
Despite a 6-percentage-point decline, wall surfaces remain the most common type of exterior upgrade, at 52%.
Read more: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/7-exterior-remodeling-trends-shaping-2026-stsetivw-vs~185530816