The Best White Exterior Paint Color -

Shades of white for siding, stucco, and trim

When it comes to exterior paint colors, white is the most popular color…for trim, and we’ll hit that. We’re also chatting about the best white paint color for your siding and stucco, garage doors, and more.

Now, if I were to sum it all up with ONE color for the whole shebang, I’d land on Sherwin Williams Pure White (review) as the best white exterior paint color.

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However, I’m sure you didn’t come here for a quickie (wink wink, or if you did, I’m not that kinda girl…anymore).

Now, many people have the same concerns when painting their exterior white, including…

Worries their white exterior will look TOO white and bright (reflective). And it might. There are solutions to that (which you’ll read about shortly).
Concerns about unwelcome undertones, including yellow and gray.
Consideration for resale, as not everyone wants a white home. That said, if it’s the right color on the right house, it’s probably a good idea.
Consideration for trends, as the all-white home isn’t as trendy as it once was (but will ALWAYS suit some homes).
White is a high-maintenance color for exteriors. This relates to seeing stains, splashback from landscaping and driveways, gutter overflow, mildew, bugs, and cobwebs. Yup, you definitely see more of all of those on white – thank GOD for hoses (that middle ‘s’ is important, as without it, well…)

Let’s start with the ‘all-white exterior’ for a hot minute or two – or ten (you know how much I love to talk). This usually includes…

MAIN HOUSE COLOUR: White siding, shakes, painted brick, or stucco
TRIM: White
WINDOWS/GUTTERS: White, black, brown, beige, or taupe

Come sit on my lap, let’s have a little chat…

THE ALL-WHITE EXTERIOR TREND

An all-white exterior can look gorgeous. However, it can also look fugly and drastically out of place, as not every home can pull off the all-white look.

Romabio Limewash on the brick

Generally speaking (with exceptions, so don’t kill the cute lil’ Ginger messenger), white exteriors best suit…

Modern Farmhouse style homes. These are ALWAYS in style on farmland/acreage, but are definitely falling out of favor in the average neighborhood.
Some traditional, Tudor, or colonial-style homes look classic and timeless in white.
While the odd Mediterranean-style home looks good in white, most are better with a bit more depth (off-white can be better).
Coastal-style home in a coastal environment.
Lake-style home in a lake environment.
Cute, cottage-style bungalows in random neighborhoods.

So, assuming you’re still on board…

THE BEST WHITE EXTERIOR SIDING & TRIM COLOR (all-white home)

This section is for those painting their exterior trim and stucco/siding the same shade of white – and yes, they should be the exact same white paint color.
It’s also for those with non-white trim (or paintable wood windows) who still want their main house color to be white.
If you just need a white trim color, keep reading for fun, or MOVE ALONG to your section.

While it’s different for interiors, in exterior palettes a lot more attention is paid to how the windows, trims, and main house color connect… or don’t.

99.5% of the photos in my blog are from my Online Color Consulting clients, readers, talented photographers, & friend’s homes – real homes, real budgets, real people. Maybe they aren’t magazine-perfect, but they’re packed with ideas & proven color choices to help you create a home you love.

IF YOU HAVE WHITE WINDOWS & WANT AN ALL-WHITE HOME

As mentioned earlier, generally speaking, the best white paint color for the exterior of a home is Sherwin Williams Pure White (review)…

Why?

If you try to match the white of your windows, you could end up with a VERY bright white home (which has its place).
While Pure White won’t blend with your windows, the contrast is pretty darn low – noticeable up close, but not from afar.
Pure White has a great balance between warmth and gray, making it a subtle choice.
Pure White’s LRV is 84; so it’s on the LOW end of the white range – it isn’t a bright white.
White reflects light, so the brighter your white is (a higher LRV), the more light it will reflect. Pure White will most definitely show up at the party, but not with the same kinda tassels as a brighter white.

As Lil Jon once said, ‘To the windoowwww, to the WALL – you need the shift to be subtle’. Okay, maybe he said the first part, but we partnered up for the latter. And yes, I love 90s rap.

WHAT IF PURE WHITE ISN’T WARM ENOUGH FOR YOU?

If you REALLY want a bit more warmth (don’t worry, Lil Jon and I forgive you), Sherwin Williams Alabaster (review) or Benjamin Moore White Dove (review) could be warmer alternatives, while still staying in the white range…

Why might these work?

White Dove’s LRV is 83.16 84; Alabaster’s LRV is 82. This means they’re both soft, warm whites – they aren’t bright whites.
Of the three, the happy medium is White Dove, as it snuggles up nicely in the ample bosom between Pure White and Alabaster.

Sherwin Williams Alabaster

Again, when you get more warmth with white, you get more yellow. Sample and compare carefully.

Is White Dove too warm and bright in the sun for your tastes, or is it just right?

Let’s take a closer look…

The above image shows more of the shift between the white windows and the warmth of White Dove.

If you’re not sure what to do, sample and compare 4-6 similar shades of white. See which best blends or complements your window color.

If I had an exterior that suited an all-white palette, my top choice would be Sherwin Williams Pure White, fo sho. Short of that, I’m going to the off-white world. But you do you.

And yes, my inner gangster has clearly shown up for work today.

But what if you don’t want to see that much warmth – what if you really want a bright white exterior, one that blends as closely as possible to your white windows?

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Pure White…

IF YOU WANT NO CONTRAST BETWEEN YOUR WINDOWS & TRIM/SIDING

If you want a bright white home and have white windows, your best siding, stucco, and trim color could very well be a white like Benjamin Moore Super White (review).

Why?

Because ‘window white’ (most brands) is reasonably stark and clean, a soft white with any type of warmth can look a wink yellow or creamy against it.

So, why Super White?

Because it’s not ‘super white’, it’s actually in the middle of bright and soft with an LRV of 87.36. Super White also has a touch of gray, which, on the large scale, reads white. Don’t get me wrong, you’re going to have one daaaamn white home, but that’s what you’re here for…right?

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Super White…

THE BEST WHITE PAINT EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR WITH BLACK, BROWN, OR TAUPE/BEIGE WINDOWS

While I’ll happily throw a few whites at you, I honestly feel like a well-chosen, warm off-white paint color could be the best option with similar intentions.

With this much sun, can you IMAGINE how bright a white painted brick would’ve looked?

When you don’t have white windows to contrast with, some off-whites often ‘act’ like whites – just with some softness.

But, because you don’t always listen, you naughty little bird, and want a white exterior…

I’m back at the previously suggested options: Pure White (review), Alabaster (review), or White Dove (review). I actually like the idea of Alabaster and White Dove more with non-white windows vs. white ones.

If you have wood windows and plan to paint them the same color as the trim, Sherwin Williams Pure White is still my favorite choice.

WHAT ABOUT SHERWIN WILLIAMS SNOWBOUND?

A lot of people talk about Snowbound. It can be a beauty, and passable on trim, but it’s highly unpredictable.

Sometimes it looks like a soft, warm white. Othertimes it picks up a flash of pink or purple. Like that bubble slowly forming in my bowels, I don’t trust it.

Sherwin Williams Snowbound Color Review

Now, do the same colors apply if you’re just painting your trim? Let’s find out.

THE BEST WHITE EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR FOR TRIM

This section applies to those who…

Have a non-white siding or stucco color and want white trim
Their exterior is brick, and they want its best white trim partner
They have a stone exterior and need a fabulous white trim color

If you have a non-white siding color (or brick/stone) and want white trim, a lot of it comes down to your window color. So, like a cardboard box, let’s break it on down…

IF YOU HAVE WHITE WINDOWS & NEED A WHITE TRIM COLOR

It all comes down to what you and your home like…

MINIMAL TO NO CONTRAST

If you DON’T want to see contrast between your windows and your trims, and don’t like the idea of warm, creamy-looking trim, check out Benjamin Moore Super White (review).

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Super White…

While OF COURSE, it depends on your window’s brand, most white windows are whiter than my pasty lil’ freckled legs on a hot summer’s day. Super White has a good shot at blending in. If not, there are other whitey-white alternatives.

MINOR CONTRAST

If you’d rather have a beautiful, soft white trim color than a stark one, sample Sherwin Williams Pure White (review) or Benjamin Moore White Dove (review), depending on which is your fave.

Check out this cute little Cape Cod style exterior…

Before, the blue-green siding color was too clean and colorful, and the trim was too creamy warm (BM Vanilla Ice Cream) – it’s easier to see this mismatch on the dormer windows.

After, thanks to a little KLC, it has a gorgeous blue-green siding color and more suitable trim color, Pure White…

It’s not always about rewriting the whole book. Sometimes, you just need to tweak the cover.

As for White Dove, I chose it for the exterior trim. Even though we have white windows, I didn’t want stark white trim, and knew my home could support a bit of softness.

From a distance, you don’t see any difference – it’s only up close that the shift from soft and warm to bright is noticeable.

THE HAPPY MEDIUM (sponsored by Happy Gilmour)

I’ve found an interesting happy medium between too white and too warm with Sherwin-Williams Extra White (review).

Extra White trim with James Hardie Iron Gray | The Best Dark Gray-Blue Paint Colors

WHAT’S THE BEST NON-YELLOW EXTERIOR WHITE PAINT COLOR?

If you don’t want a wink of warmth (yellow undertone) on your white exterior (siding, trim, etc.), your best white paint color is Benjamin Moore Super White.

Benjamin Moore Super White Color Review

While Super White has a slightly lower LRV (so it’s not a stark, true white), it doesn’t have even a wink of the subtle warmth offered by more popular whites, like Sherwin Williams Pure White (which, if you ask this color cowgirl, is a way better color).

The Best Front Door Paint Colors

SHOULD THE EXTERIOR TRIM BE THE SAME WHITE AS THE HOUSE?

HECK yes, it’s best to keep your whites as consistent as possible by using the same white on all paintable exterior surfaces. If not, you risk clashing of undertones or one white looking cream, cool, or gray compared to another.

SHOULD YOUR GARAGE DOOR MATCH YOUR TRIM OR SIDING?

Because there isn’t a short answer…

WHITE HOUSE & WHITE TRIM

You’d paint your garage door the same shade of white. That is, unless you want your garage door to be a different color/accent color.

James Hardie Arctic White | The 3 Best Black Front Door Paint Colors

WHITE HOUSE & NON-WHITE TRIM

You’ll likely want to paint your garage door the same color as your trim. If you do paint your garage door to match your white house, it can look too graphic/stripey/high contrast with the trim around the garage door.

NON-WHITE HOUSE & WHITE TRIM

If your home is painted a non-white color and you want to know whether your garage door should match the siding/main house color or the trim, the answer is… tricky.

Most homes don’t look good with the garage door’s paint the same color as the house (assuming it’s a non-white home).

I’d much rather see this home with a white garage door – there are way too many vertical and horizontal white lines for me.

While there are exceptions (it’s a long story and particular to each home), most garage doors should match the trim color, or be a different color entirely.

While some get a little anxiety about the white’s reflectivness/glare, in general, white is a timeless, expected color for garage doors (assuming it suits the house’s finishes)

WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE PAINT COLOR FOR A HOME’S EXPOSURE?

Exterior finishes and personal tastes usually determine the best shade of white. However, the front exposure (of most homes) plays a big part, too.

NORTH-FACING EXTERIOR: True and cool whites can look pretty darn stark on homes with northern exposure.

James Hardie Arctic White board and batten and shakes.

For that reason, subtle warm whites are often the best choice; colors like Sherwin Williams Pure White. That said, it depends on what type of white your home suits and whether it needs more/less warmth.

SOUTH-FACING EXTERIOR: Homes with southern exposures get hit with a whack of warm sunshine allllll day long. For this reason, I lean into off-whites rather than whites. Howevr, if you’re inclined, check out subtle warm whites like Sherwin Williams Pure White; at least it has a lower LRV than brighter whites.

EAST-FACING EXTERIOR: A home with eastern exposure gets good natural light in the morning that can come off a bit warm. On the otherhand, the same exposure looks dull and flat in afternoon light.

I might lean into warm whites, those with maybe a touch more warmth than not – starting with Benjamin Moore White Dove but comparing similar shades.

That said, I wouldn’t do white at all, most of the time – I’d shift gears into an off-white.

WEST-FACING EXTERIOR: If your home has western exposure, it’s flat and dull in the morning, but gets hit with sunshine at midday. The temperature of the light gets warmer as the day progresses.

For this reason, I might lean into a moderate white like Sherwin Williams Pure White. But of course, sample and compare similar shades.