Ranch-style homes are part of the history of momentus growth in Atlanta. If you are lucky enough to own one, do it justice with an exterior health check-up and fresh paint from Kimberly Painting.
The benefits of exterior paint on a ranch style home offer more than just aesthetics. Quality paint protects your home from Atlanta's wet soaking rainfalls and scorching sunny days.



Best Exterior Paint Colors for Ranch Homes
The features that made them popular from the 1940s to the 1970s are the same ones that keep them popular today–lots of streamlined floor space with an open concept.
Over the years, generations of families remodeled these homes, added on to them and customized them. They've stood the test of time.
So, what are the best colors to paint your ranch style home in Atlanta?
Red Brick Neutrals
We classically pair red brick with soft neutral colors such as whites, grays or beiges. Classic White from Sherwin-Williams is a perfect neutral choice for your ranch home. Pair this with accents of Iron Gate, a warm and rich brown-black that is a beautiful backdrop against the lush green Atlanta landscape.
Gray, Blue, or Grayish-Blue
If you prefer cooler tones, Benjamin Moore’s Platinum Gray is a cool neutral that provides a pleasant contrast to your deep, red brick. Pair this with the popular deep rich blue of Hale Navy for a look that is soothing and classic.
Neutral Siding with Colorful Accents
On ranch architecture, accent colors of blue, brown, green or black are used to highlight features like shutters and front doors. For some great exterior paint color choices, check out the historic Suburban Modern collection from Sherwin-Williams. You'll find some fun classics like Avocado, Harvest Gold and Powder Blue.



History of the Atlanta Ranch and Raised Ranch Home Style
Did you know the ranch style home was once the most prolific and iconic style of home built in Georgia?
From the 1940s to the 1970s, builders created many ranch and raised ranch subdivisions, like the historic Collier Heights Estates, around the state.
Affordable Housing for Young Families
The ranch, and later raised ranch, style became popular because of how well these homes fit into the budget and lifestyle of postwar families. Everyone dreamed of a home of their own, and these homes were perfect for young families.
They typically ranged in size from around 1,200 to 1,600 square feet and featured not only attached garages, but three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open concept kitchen, dining room, and living room.
Original Ranch homes featured single story options for construction on smaller planned neighborhood lots. This was a time when many families were looking to purchase their first home, so they built entire subdivisions we see across Atlanta today.

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Characteristics of Ranch-Style Homes
Ranch homes were unlike homes built in previous eras. The focus was functionality for family living. They were much more informal and casual than the architecture of eras gone by and people loved their streamlined, clean and simple features.
With the popular goal of a car in every driveway, ranch style-homes included a built-in garage or carport in their design. The homes also featured large windows to bring in natural light and often included a large deck or patio on the back exterior for outdoor entertaining space.
In Atlanta, the building material of choice for many communities was brick, and incorporated white upper siding and trim around windows. These original ranch homes often featured shutters flanking the windows painted shades of black, blue, brown, red, or green.
Ranch homes feature:
- Open concept space for living room, dining room, kitchen
- 3 bedrooms
- 2 bathrooms
- Attached garage or carport
- Low roofline with overhanging eaves
- Exteriors of brick, stucco or wood
Ranch home floor plans also make them easy to expand by adding bedrooms, larger kitchens or by converting a garage into living space.
The Raised Ranch
The raised ranch expanded on the practical ranch home floor plan by adding a second level. The bottom floor typically features an attached garage and basement level that is used for a kid’s playroom, workout space or studio. This basement level is not usually completely under ground and features small windows along the top of the walls to let in light.
In a raised ranch home, the front door enters a raised ranch at a split level and features stairs that proceed up to the main level or down to the lower level. The main living floor is raised up and includes many large windows, giving the space a bright and airy feel. The living room opens to a dining room and kitchen area, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms down a hallway off the entryway.
Get a Free Exterior Painting Estimate Consultation
Kimberly Painting is ready to transform your mid-century iconic home with modern exterior painting colors. We paint wood, brick, stucco, aluminum and vinyl siding, and all popular styles of homes from Victorian, Craftsman and Colonial to Cape Cod and Ranch.
Call today for your free estimate and find out why our clients love us.
Our service areas include Alpharetta, Atlanta, Brookhaven, Buford, Cumming, Duluth, Dunwoody, Johns Creek, Marietta, Norcross, North Druid Hills, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Smyrna, Suwanee, and Vinings, Georgia.