White is the most popular exterior paint color today thanks to its versatility, timelessness and clean look. But which paint color is right for you home? In this post, we’ll take a look at the ten most popular white exterior paint colors, with real life examples and side by side comparisons!
The paint colors in this guide are the most common whites used by designers, builders and homeowners on exteriors. This doesn’t necessarily make them the best choice for your home, but there are plenty of examples online to give you a good idea of how they will look, so you can be confident in your decision. I selected the top five paints from the two most widely used paint brands: Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore. Let’s dive in!
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LRV Explained
LRV, or light reflectance value, refers to how light or dark a paint color will look on a scale of 0 (black) to 100 (white). The darker the paint color, the lower the LRV number. The lighter the paint color, the higher the LRV number. This number is helpful when comparing paint colors, as photos can be deceiving.
Sherwin Williams Exterior Whites
Here are Sherwin Williams most commonly used exterior white colors, from darkest to lightest:
Sherwin Williams Shoji White SW 7042 / LRV: 74
Sherwin Williams Shoji White is a soft, neutral paint color with warm undertones. It belongs to Sherwin Williams’ off-white collection and is known for its versatility and timeless appeal.
Shoji White is described as a creamy off-white with subtle undertones of beige or gray. It’s not a stark white but rather a warmer, more inviting shade. You’ll notice how much lighter it looks in the photo below—proof that you can’t judge a color by an individual photo online!
Sherwin Williams White Duck SW 7010 / LRV: 74
Sherwin Williams White Duck is a soft, creamy off-white paint color with beige or taupe undertones.
It’s a popular choice for classic exteriors to create a warm, inviting feel.
Sherwin Williams Alabaster SW 7008 / LRV: 82
Sherwin Williams Alabaster is a warm, creamy white paint with yellow-beige undertones. It’s a personal favorite of mine, and the color I used throughout the interior of our last two homes, as well as the back exterior of the Hacienda Hideaway.
It’s also one of Sherwin Williams most popular colors of all time, for both interior and exterior applications.
Sherwin Williams Snowbound SW 7004 / LRV: 83
Sherwin Williams Snowbound is a crisp and clean white with a slight gray undertone.
This color is a great choice if you want a true white that isn’t too bright or stark.
Sherwin Williams Pure White SW 7005 / LRV: 84
This versatile, bright white has the slightest yellow undertone that keeps it from appearing too stark.
It’s a popular choice as an interior trim color, but also works as a true bright exterior white ideal for modern home styles.
Benjamin Moore Exterior Whites
Let’s take a closer look at Benjamin Moore’s five most popular white exterior paint colors, from darkest to lightest:
Benjamin Moore China White OC-141 / LRV: 76.4
China White is a warm off-white with subtle undertones of beige or taupe.
It is a great choice for more traditional homes, as the lower LRV and warm undertones give it timeless appeal.
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee OC-45 / LRV: 81.9
Swiss Coffee is a classic, creamy off-white and one of Benjamin Moore’s original popular colors.
It has warm, barely-there green undertones that can lean toward yellow in certain lighting.
Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17 / LRV: 83
White Dove is a classic white, and Benjamin Moore’s best selling color.
It’s a soft and crisp off-white, with slight gray undertones. The LRV of 83 prevents it from looking too stark on an exterior surface.
Benjamin Moore Simply White OC-117 / LRV: 89.5
Simply White is a popular and versatile white paint color celebrated for its bright and neutral appearance.
With a high LRV, it’s best suited for modern style homes as it provides a crisp, clean white appearance.
Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65 / LRV: 90
If you’re looking for the brightest white, look no further than Chantilly Lace. With an LRV of 90, it’s Benjamin Moore’s brightest white available. It’s a clean and pure white with minimal undertones.
Some would argue that Chantilly Lace is too stark for a home’s exterior. You be the judge!
Side by Side Comparisons
When selecting a paint color, I always find it most helpful to see similar options side by side. I ordered peel and stick samples of all 10 colors and photographed them side by side on our house! For reference, our stucco color is Sherwin Williams Oyster White (another very popular “white” but didn’t make the cut for this list).
Here’s how they look in direct sunlight—no filters or editing:
And here’s how they look in the shade:
I also found a couple more real-life comparisons online. Here are a handful of popular whites painted on brick:
The best way to choose an exterior paint
Finding the right paint for your home’s exterior requires extra attention, as it is a big decision you’ll be living with for a long time. Here’s the process I use and recommend to choose an exterior paint color:
- Find inspiration online (Pinterest, Instagram)
- Research paint names and narrow down the options
- Order peel and stick samples to test
- Paint swatch final contenders
Typically for interior spaces, peel and stick samples are sufficient enough to make a decision, but this is not the case for exteriors. Exterior surfaces have different textures that can alter the appearance of the color, so it’s important to see how real paint will look on it before committing. It’s also easier to visualize the overall effect of the color with a larger swatch area.
As a rule of thumb, I recommend ordering around 10 peel and stick samples to test, and narrowing those down to 3-5 paint samples to swatch.
Samplize is one of my all-time favorite designer resources, and a company I recommend to everyone. You can save time and order samples of all ten colors on this list through the link below (with two free samples + overnight shipping!)
Want to sample them all?
Get the ten most popular exterior whites in one bundle, delivered overnight to you.
Considerations when choosing an exterior white paint color
- Existing trim/accent colors: It’s important to choose a color that will coordinate with your homes existing features such as brick, stone, gutters, roof, landscaping, etc.
- Surface material: The appearance of the color may change slightly depending on the surface texture (stucco, brick, siding, etc).
- Sheen: Satin and eggshell paint sheens are recommended for most applications as they are matte enough to hide imperfections, but easier to clean than gloss/semi-gloss.
- Sun exposure: Colors look very different in the sun compared to the shade. Consider your home’s natural lighting and surroundings.
- Climate: Dark paint colors absorb heat and are better suited for cooler climates, while light colors reflect the sun and are ideal for warmer climates.
White Exterior vs Interior Paint
White paint reflects light, so it’s a popular choice to brighten up interior rooms. However, bright white can be too harsh in direct sunlight. For that reason, it’s generally advised to choose a creamier white with a lower LRV (light reflective value) on exteriors.
Lighting conditions can change exterior paint colors drastically depending on time of day, direction of sun exposure, shade, and the surrounding landscape. This makes it critical to take your time and sample paint swatches carefully.
Looking for white interior paint recommendations? Discover the top 10 interior white paint colors as chosen by designers!
What’s the best exterior paint to use?
Benjamin Moore recommends their Aura, Regal or Element Guard formulas depending on your specific needs. Sherwin Williams Duration and Emerald lines are top choices for long lasting results on exterior surfaces.
More popular exterior white paint colors
There are many more popular white exterior paint colors to consider: Sherwin Williams Oyster White, Sherwin Williams Natural Choice, Sherwin Williams Greek Villa, Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White, Benjamin Moore Cloud White. Our own house color, Oyster White, didn’t make the cut because it’s slightly too dark for me to consider it a true white. The hue can also change pretty drastically depending on the lighting conditions—from gray to beige to a strong yellow undertone—that may not be desirable for many people.
Do you have a favorite white paint for exteriors that should be on this list? Do tell in the comments below!
Margaret says
This post is a wonderful resource! Thank you.
Alex says
Nice Post! I’m debating between two Kelly Moore Whites for Stucco exterior in CA and will have to convert the codes to Sherwin Williams. I like KM Swiss Coffee LRV 86.46 vs. KM Acoustic White LRV 83.40 with dark gray trim. I prefer flat sheen then eggshell because I don’t want any shine off wall. What do you think of these two? I can’t find anytime online to compare.
Laura says
Love this post. Very informative. We will be painting our house next year and this really helps with deciding which white to use. Thank you!!!
Michelle says
My HOA had very specific requirements in regards to white for our house. I was able to use Extra White on the trim, but the body of the house had to have an LRV of less than 75. It was a tough choice to meet those requirements, but we went with SW Moderne White and we absolutely love it. During the day it’s a nice white house that doesn’t blind you to look at because the LRV is 74 and at dusk it’s just the faintest hint of the lightest gray making you wonder if it’s gray or white.
Cici Haus says
We’ve been debating between black and white for our exterior and I think this post pushed me over the edge into white! Our house is a contemporary style (but from 1978) set up on its own little hill surrounded by woods and overlooking a lake, so we thought making it “disappear” with a dark color would be nice, but white is so fresh and clean!
Jenna Sue says
Black can be dramatic and stunning but white is timeless!
Hilary call says
Love this post as we are painting our home soon. I live in Arizona and have a Spanish feeling home. It is adobe brick and we are looking for a warm white. What paint color did you use on your home?
Jenna Sue says
Ours is SW Oyster White! Check out the last paragraph of the post for my thoughts on the color and why it didn’t make my list 🙂
Melinda says
Great article, Jenna Sue! If you could do it all over again, would you still choose SW Oyster White for your house? Like you and Hilary, we have red-tiled roof and stucco exterior and our current color (Navajo White) is a bit too beige. In my head, I was leaning towards Swiss Coffee or White Dove, but haven’t tested any colors out yet. Our house gets a lot of bright sun so don’t want it to blinding. 🙂
Jenna Sue says
Hi Melinda, knowing what I know now, I would test out a few other similar shades. It is a bit too yellow for me in certain lighting conditions.