Favorite Whites for Your Home’s Exterior

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There are a million white paints for your home’s exterior; however, not all will work on every home.  Style, sunlight, direction of the house and other fixed elements play a crucial role in the way we see and interpret color.  For max curb appeal, brick&batten has found some tried and true whites that we return to again and again.  These have become a few of our favorite whites for your home’s exterior.

We don’t always expect our clients to know or care how much sunlight their house is exposed to or how much shade is created with the trees and other landscape elements.  Cladding, such as textured stucco and cedar shake can automatically make a color appear darker by creating shadows; therefore, different surfaces play a role in how paint appears.  For example, on stucco homes paint appears darker.  Furthermore, there are undertones at play.  Ignore all  this and find yourself with the wrong white paint on your biggest investment.

Let’s dive into some of brick&batten’s favorite whites and why we love them!  

1. Sea Pearl by Benjamin Moore:  

SeaPearl paint color has an LRV of 77.95.  That indicates its Light Reflective Value.  Sea Pearl and ideal choice in many environments. In addition, SeaPearl has gray undertones, which keep the hue from appearing yellow or washed out.  It pairs amazing with greens and blues while still having enough warmth to live with brick and stone.  Great choice in almost any setting.

SeaPearl
Paint for exterior SeaPearl by Benjamin Moore

2. White Dove by Benjamin Moore:  

This show stopper has a higher LRV at 85, so will appear brighter and warmer than SeaPearl. White Dove is painted on many farmhouses because of its true white appearance.  Adapting well with nature, White Dove pairs with brick and wooden accents beautifully. For paint or trim, White Dove is a brick&batten favorite!

White Dove Benjamin Moore
Paint for exterior White Dove by Benjamin Moore

3. Olympic Mountains by Benjamin Moore:  

Olympic Mountains has neutral undertones with a mix of gray and beige; however, it’s a bit lighter and brighter than the typical “greige.” Depending on the light, Olympic Mountains may take on a more off-white appearance.  This beautiful color has an LRV of 71.6 making it an easy choice if you want to avoid the harsh brightness of some white hues.

We always recommend sampling and testing paint colors before committing. Factors such as natural lighting, undertones, and your property’s fixed elements will have a significant impact on how a color will appear on your exterior. Our friends at Samplize offer extra-large 9 x 14.75 inch peel-and-stick paint samples of the colors we love for exteriors. Order your ‘Real Paint, No Mess’ samples from Samplize here.
Olympic Mountains
Paint for exterior Olympic Mountains by Benjamin Moore

4. Origami White by Sherwin Williams:  

Origami White is a classic choice with an LRV at 76.  It seems to be the perfect neutral white, with a very slight tan undertone.  Pairing well with gray stone and warm brick, it is often one we recommend.  Origami White will not appear sterile and cold or too bright.  If you’re looking for a true neutral inside or outside, Origami White is the match.

Paint testing is essential when working with whites.  And by test, I mean throw up big swatches and live with them for a few days.  Different shades of white show up differently on different materials.  Not to mention, white is very susceptible to picking up color from all the fixed elements around your home.  Do you have a brick base?  Do you have a brown roof?  What color are your soffits? Neighbors’ homes? All of this has an impact.  The trick is identifying the undertones in the paint color and picking colors with undertones that can live harmoniously in YOUR space.  To read more about the best way to test paint colors, click here.

After you have driven yourself crazy, stared at a thousand paint chips, been all through Pinterest and Houzz, save your yourself time, money, and your sanity by partnering with brick&batten on a virtual exterior design.  Working together, we will find the perfect white for you and take the guesswork out of the equation.

Author

Cassie co-founded brick&batten in 2017 with her sister, Alli, but her love of home design was born years earlier. Cassie’s passion for design can be traced back to her childhood, when she’d accompany her parents on road trips through small towns in search of inspiration for properties they would buy, fix up, and sell. Prior to launching brick&batten, Cassie worked as a fourth grade teacher, but her love of design, architecture, home renovation, and open houses inspired her to pursue a new career. When writing for brick&batten, Cassie aims to empower homeowners to make the best informed decisions for their property. She knows from experience how challenging home renovation can be, and when she writes, she puts herself in the shoes of every homeowner with similar frustrations. Cassie currently lives in Florida with her four children, an old dog, and her loving husband. When she’s not working, Cassie is most likely checking out a nearby open house or traveling to learn about the latest house trends.