Whites

• White is a basic, no-fail possibility. It's not too dynamic but no matter what type of brown exterior you have, the white trim will look clean and good. Brilliant white gets dirty faster. If that's a concern, opt rather for an off white. Off whites have a speck of gray or brown blended in. This makes them fine companions for brown and less harsh than pure white.
  
  

Warm Colors

• Brown is warm. It has more of a reddish component, typically, than green. For that reason, warm colors are safe matches for it. Depending on whether you're working with a light brown or dark, you might want a big contrast or something less dynamic. For a lighter brown, pomegranate or magenta are striking companions; for less contrast, select peach or light mauve. For dark browns, provide contrast by going light with colors like bubble gum pink or orange cream. Darker trim hues like burgundy harmonize subtly.
  
  

Earth Colors

• Earth colors are rooted in browns. For this reason they make for good, solid hue pairings. There is a very wide palette of earth tones. Darker ones like chocolate might be too close to a dark brown exterior to use for trim but can give just the right simple contrast for lighter brown. Earth tones with hints of green, like slate green, offset the warm brown exterior.
  
  

Historic Colors

• Historic colors are somewhat tempered. Many are richly hued but have added neutral components so the colors don't blare. They add a classic touch. Nantucket blue, terra cotta and taupe cream bring the color without making the trim the main event.