The 7 White Exterior Trim Colors

ByKylie M

While choosing your main house color is a challenge unto itself, many homeowners think they’ve got it easy-peasy when it comes to their trim color – I mean, white is white…right?

HECK NO – and 3 slaps with a wet noodle for anyone who says that. Your exterior trim color is one of the foundation pieces for your palette – choose wisely. 

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That’s why I created this blog post – to hone in on the best white exterior trim colors to get you well on your way. Because while ‘builder’s white’ works sometimes (insert wine HERE) – these are white paint colors that I’ve curated for you…I mean, sure, there are hundreds of thousands of you, but still, let’s pretend it’s personal. 

white exterior trim paint colors on north-facing exterior with blue door and gray siding

Before we get into the colors, you might have questions. Lucky for you, I’ve got answers – Lord knows (so does Buddha), I love to hear myself talk. I’ll cover some more random questions at the end of this blog post, too.

SHOULD WHITE TRIM MATCH WHITE WINDOWS?

No. While some prefer this approach because white windows are often starker and colder than Tim’s ex-girlfriend’s heart, many choose a softer, warmer color for their trim. 

White trim with white windows, K2 exterior stone with Benjamin Moore Silent Night on exterior siding

When doing this, it’s important to note that the white of the windows can enhance the undertones or temperature of the trim color. However, this is normal and accepted on exteriors, so it’s not a huge deal, unless you go TOO creamy/warm. 

exterior painted, Sherwin Williams Aesthetic white darkened, Mineral Deposit, gray, asphalt roof, stone. White windows

WHITE VS. NON-WHITE TRIM – WHAT’S BEST?

Many people get stuck between white trim and non-white trim. And there IS no right answer, as it comes down to what suits your exterior, including its windows, siding color, roof, gutters, stone, brick, etc. 

Generally speaking (meaning there are exceptions…always)…

WHITE WINDOWS: White trims make a ton of sense. Low contrast, simple, and timeless. 

Bella Blue painted front door, Benjamin Moore Half Moon Crest gray-blue-green exterior siding, Pure White trim, flat roof, white gutters and windows - Copy

BEIGE OR TAN WINDOWS: Some whites can work, but you’d better make darn certain your siding/stucco paint color suits your window color – it needs to be brought into the palette somehow (a topic unto itself). 

This next image is a great example of pulling it all together while still working with the roof and stone (it’s like I know what I’m doing or something…)

Almond, bone, beige or tan windows, warm white trim, greige taupe paint color on exterior siding, cedar shake shingle roof, river rock accents

TAUPE, CLAY, OR GREIGE WINDOWS: Again, some whites can work, but your siding/stucco color better play nicely. Also, your home’s other finishes need to support white so it doesn’t look stark or out of place. This is why I wear white socks in the summer: so my pasty white, freckled legs don’t stand out as much.  

On the other hand, if you go for a non-white, make sure it MATCHES or coordinates with the rest. This window/trim combo below doesn’t work, as the trim is too yellow for the taupe windows…

exterior red pink brick with green greige paint color on painted wood siding, tan, beige almond windows, gray roof

BLACK WINDOWS: Yup, white works. However, for today’s average, more modern-looking home, many are painting their trim the same color as the siding (it works for some, but just looks like a trend on others). 

light tan paint color with white trim, black windows, orange, pink, gray stone drivway, white garage door, exterior colors

florida home exterior, fiberglass roof, stone orange pink gray driveway, light tan paint color, white trim, black windows

BROWN WINDOWS: Again, white trim can work, but it comes down to the other finishes on your home and whether a) they help the brown windows feel like part of the palette and b) connect well with white, so it doesn’t come off too harsh. 

Now, while there’s no shortage of whites, there’s a small handful (what Tim fondly calls me) who repeatedly work for my Online Color Consulting clients.

THE BEST WARM WHITE EXTERIOR TRIM COLORS

If you’re okay with a bit of contrast with your white windows, check out these bad boys…

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE 7005

Pure White is one of my favorite white trim colors (both exterior and interior). Whereas some whites are brighter and cleaner and others are cooler or warmer, Pure White sits its balanced lil’ tooshy between all the worlds – not too cold, warm, icy, or bright. 

Exterior siding and shakes painted Benjamin Moore Gray Horse, gray-green paint color, Sherwin Williams Pure White trim and curved gable

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Of course, that can be open to perception, and will need to be sampled carefully with your particular brand of white window. 

If I were to round up the top white paint colors for exteriors, and you made me choose one that was THE best white (overall) for exterior trim, Pure White would be it. 

Sherwin Williams Sea Serpent exterior siding with Pure White trim and Uncertain Gray gables on historical home with golden yellow front door

That isn’t to say it’s foolproof – it’s not, but of the options, it’s one of the very best. 

Sherwin Williams Pure White Paint Color Review

To say Pure White is a warm white is barely a wink in that direction. Sure, it’s warm, but fractionally, which is what makes it a pretty choice. It also has a soft gray backdrop, which calms it and makes it less bright on exterior trim. 

  • If you have creamy or yellow siding, Pure White might not be warm enough.
  • If you have blue, green, or gray siding, Pure White could hit the mommy-daddy button BANG on, providing a nice frame for your windows.
  • Greige and taupe siding colors also look fabulous with Pure White
  • If your house color is a reasonably strong ‘color’ with little gray, Pure White likely isn’t clean enough. 

But is Pure White TOO white for exterior trim?

Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain on exterior siding in sun, possible south-facing, with black windows and white trim. Warm dark gray brown blend paint color

Hellllls no. In fact, it’s a great way to get a ‘white trim look’ without the same sharpness as true white paint colors. 

2. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE OC-17

COME TO MOMMA! If you’ve read my blog for a long time (thanks for drinking the Ginger-infused Kool-Aid), you know I’ve got mad love for White Dove. 

exterior of split-level home with red brick, painted Sherwin Williams Dovetail with white trim and black shutters

Walls, cabinets, trims, exteriors – you name it, this bad boy has it covered – literally and figuratively, in paint. 

Benjamin Moore White Dove Color Review

White Dove is a warm white. It’s warmer than Pure White but still stops shy of being ‘too creamy’ of a white (if you have white windows). Sure, some might disagree, but I have White Dove trim on my home with white windows (Centra brand), and it looks loverly. 

Exterior painted Benjamin Moore White Dove, brick steps and front porch, Weatherwood roof. Kylie M INteriors Edesign. Client photo

This is not my home, but it’s a good example of White Dove in south-facing light.

This is my home (below). I went for a low-contrast between my windows and trims, but high-contrast between my white trim and siding…

Before and after exterior, Sherwin Williams Roycroft Pewter, stone, white trim, dark gray like Iron Gray Hardie. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color consulting

Sherwin Williams Roycroft Pewter Color Review

Exterior siding with stone, white trim, similar to Hardie Iron Gray. Sherwin Williams Roycroft Pewter, black front door. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, virtual DIY advice

Our tan windows had yellowed in the south-facing light (the before is right when we bought our home). We had to choose between white, almond, and black windows – white was the winner, winner, chicken dinner.

  • White Dove is an awesome exterior trim color when paired with a wide range of earth-toned siding/stucco colors. 
  • It’s beautiful with many tans, but watch it with beiges that lean more orange-pink. 
  • If you have almond/taupe/clay/brown windows and find brighter whites too stark, White Dove can be a nice alternative. 
  • If your exterior is considerably colorful (e.g. blue or green without a ton of gray calming it), you might want a brighter white with less gray. However, this can greatly depend on the exact color of your home. 
  • White Dove can be pretty with greiges, taupes, and grays, so long as they aren’t too washed out/light. 

3. BENJAMIN MOORE CLOUD WHITE OC-130

Cloud White is one of the most timeless warm white paint colors. Does this mean it’s the best for exterior trim? 

Heck no. 

James Hardie Rich Espresso dark brown exterior siding on house with Benjamin Moore Cloud White trim and dark black stone, white garage door, black hardware and windows. White soffits match trim

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Don’t get me wrong, it can be amazeballs, but its creamy warmth needs to suit its surrounding finishes. 

Benjamin Moore Cloud White Color Review

  • Cloud White is awesome with a wide range of light-medium or darker paint colors, especially earth tones. 
  • If your windows are a stark, cold white, Cloud White could pop too yellow in contrast.
  • Cloud White can be pretty with the warmth of brown or bronze windows, as long as it’s not a bronze with a green undertone. 
  • A wide range of beige and tan siding colors work well with Cloud White. Just watch those that lean more into orange-pink, as they don’t always love Cloud White’s more yellow-based approach to warmth. 

Benjamin Moore Rockport Gray, exterior siding paint color, Cloud White trim with white windows, best greige beige taupe

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4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS EXTRA WHITE 7006

I love Extra White, but it’s more unpredictable than my IBS.

If you look at it in the fan deck, it looks like a cold white with a wink o’ blue. However, when it’s formulated as trim paint, it tends to look warmer. 

Sherwin Williams Extra White trim, front door, side lights, gray roof, red brick exterior, siding James Hardie Iron Gray, dark green-blue-gray

Sherwin Williams Extra White Color Review

In the image below, notice how the trim looks just a touch softer than the windows. Of course, every window brand has its own white, but this definitely doesn’t look like cold, stark white trim in comparison. 

Sherwin Williams Extra White trim, teal green front door, Riverway, exterior of home painted Intellectual Gray. White windows.

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  • Extra white is gorgeous with a wide range of neutrals, including tans, warm grays, greiges, and taupes. 
  • Earth tones love Extra White’s approach, which comes off as a bit brighter and cleaner than Benjamin Moore’s White Dove or Cloud White.

Sample and compare my favorite whites in this CURATED PEEL & STICK WHITE Color Bundle! 

5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WHITE SNOW

White Snow is one of the newer white paint colors. Sure, it’s been out for several years now, but it can take quite some time for colors to gain traction and popularity. 

While you can’t get White Snow for your exterior siding (yet), you can get it in exterior trim paint, which is awesome, as it’s a wickedly pretty white. 

South-facing exterior with white windows, painted BEnjamin Moore Classic Gray, Asphalt, Charcoal Slate, Sherwin Williams White Snow, asphalt roof (1)

While the windows look non-white, they just have a screen over them.

Sherwin Williams White Snow Color Review

Sherwin Williams Mediterranean blue in the sun on exterior siding with Sherwin Williams Snowbound trim, concrete steps and patio and wood front door, white porch ceiling

Brighter than the previous whites without being stark or cold, White Snow will have a lower contrast with the average white window thanks to its decreased warmth and higher LRV (90). 

THE BEST TRUE OR COOL WHITES FOR EXTERIOR TRIM

When doing my Online Color Consulting, it’s about a 60/40 split. 60% of the time, I recommend one of the previous warm whites, 40% of the time we go for true or cool whites – it just depends on the house, siding colors, windows, roof, and brick/stone. 

That might seem like a big list of finishes to consider, but it’s pretty normal for the average home. 

Sherwin Williams Downing Slate siding, Rookwood Dark Red burgundy front door paitn color, pink brick, white trim, black shutters exterior

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6. BENJAMIN MOORE CHANTILLY LACE

While technically, Chantilly Lace can seem a wee wink warm, its brightness and the fact that it’s Benjamin Moore’s brightest, truest white, had me plunking it in this category. 

Here’s your Peel and Stick sample of Chantilly Lace…

comparing Benjamin Moore Chantily Lace to Sherwin Williams PUre White ,how to find a white's undertones

Now, Chantilly Lace has a bad rap for having bad coverage – and it’s true (along with many other whites). To improve its coverage, ask your paint store to add 1 ounce of titanium dioxide, a more skookum white, to help with coverage. 

  • A white trim color like Chantilly Lace can be gorgeous with gray siding or painted stucco.
  • It can also work with a very wide range of other neutrals, including tan, greige, and taupe – it’s a super versatile white. 
  • If you love Chantilly Lace, compare it to the previously mentioned Sherwin Williams White Snow. Chantilly Lace is just a bit less warm than it.

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace Color Review

7. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE OC-151

I’d love to show you some Sherwin Williams options, but they just don’t have them. Again, while Extra White might think it’s a cool white, it presents warmer. 

Exterior dark gray, similar to Benjamin Moore Dior Gray, gray stacked ledgestone. white trim, black double front door. Kylie M Interiors E-design and online color consulting

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Instead, we’re back at Benjamin Moore with White OC-151 (you need that code to order it, otherwise they’ll say ‘white WHITE do you want?’

  • If your exterior is mostly cool colors (blue/green), White OC-151 could be a great choice. 
  • While many warm whites work with gray siding, lighter gray siding often thrives with brighter or slightly cooler white paint colors like White OC-151. 
  • It offers a crisper, cleaner contrast, and depending on your window brand’s white, it could blend more with the windows. While it has gray in its recipe, on the exterior (thanks to natural light), it can look like a nice, brighter, cleaner white. 

If you like the look of White OC-151, compare it to Benjamin Moore Super White to see which best matches your windows. 

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Whether it’s on my YouTube channel, Instagram, or here on my lil’ ole blog, I get many of the same questions. So, I’m gonna answer a few…

SHOULD EXTERIOR TRIM BE LIGHTER OR DARKER THAN THE SIDING?

There’s no cookie-cutter answer, as it depends on your home’s finishes and the look you want.

  • Those with white windows often choose white trim, which makes it lighter than the siding. 
  • Trim that’s darker than the siding can be nice, especially when creating a tone-on-tone palette. This is popular with non-white or black windows. 

SHOULD THE TRIM MATCH THE WINDOWS OR CONTRAST?

When it comes to clay, beige, taupe, tan, windows (etc.), many choose to match the trim and windows so the window color ‘belongs’, rather than highlighting or framing it with a different shade. 

exterior after painting, stone facade, beige brown, gray, asphalt roof, Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray siding, greige trim, taupe almond windows, wood beam and railing, garage door. Elephant Ear

As for white windows, some choose to match the shade of white, knowing that it’s often a considerably bright, stark, or slightly cool white. 

Black windows often do best with non-matching trims. While there are exceptions…they’re few. 

SHOULD EXTERIOR TRIM BLEND IN OR STAND OUT?

As with many things, there’s no ‘should’, as it depends on what suits your home and the level of contrast you like. Lower-contrast palettes have the trim blend in, creating a softer palette. Higher-contrast palettes frame the windows with considerably lighter or darker trim.

In my Online Color Consulting experience, it spreads more or less into thirds – 1/3 like higher contrast, 1/3 like low contrast, and the rest like something in the middle! 

These days, a popular approach is to blend the trim in with the siding. On this next home, while the black windows are high contrast with the off-white trim and siding, they contrast more when the blinds are shut…

exterior with cream, beige, taupe stone, Sherwin Williams warm off-white taupe exterior paint color, black windows, dark fiberglass roof

The Best Off-White Exterior Paint Colors

This next home offers a low-contrast approach, with its stucco trims painted a gentler shade of off-white…

South-facing Exterior with red tile, terra cotta accent roof, warm off-white beige color on stucco, white windows, pink beige concrete driveway

Or, if your home has a lot of period-related (non-menstrual) or historical trim details, highlighting them thoughtfully can be a gorgeous approach…

Bella Blue, medium toned blue-green on front door, Half Moon Crest gray-green exterior painted siding, white trim, front porch, Kylie M Edesign

On the home above, if the gray siding were darker, the lighter trim would’ve looked too graphic. Instead, the lower-contrast play of colors highlights the trim without going too far. AND LOOK AT THAT FRIGGIN’ FRONT DOOR! 

On the other hand, a high-contrast trim-to-siding combo can be pretty, too…

Red orange brick exterior, mid century modern style home, Sherwin Extra White trim and white front door, Hardie Iron Gray siding.

how does exposure affect exterior paint colours. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color consulting blog and advice

WHY DOES WHITE EXTERIOR TRIM LOOK TOO BRIGHT?

You can thank LRV for that! Every paint color has an LRV (light reflectance value) that roughly indicates how light or dark it is, based on how much light it reflects. White paint colors have the HIGHEST LRVs, which means they reflect the most light. And whereas in interiors, there’s less direct light, exteriors get a TON of direct, non-diffused natural light, putting that LRV to WORK! 

WHAT’S THE MOST TIMELESS EXTERIOR TRIM COLOR?

Generally speaking, white is the most timeless. As for the EXACT white, there is no ‘one exact timeless white’, as it depends on which best suits your home’s finishes. While the odd home’s most timeless trim color is a non-white, those are exceptions, not rules. 

READ MORE

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