2019 Top 4 Exterior White and Off-White Paint Colors

By:

Our brick&batten designers have come up with our 2019, top 4 favorite exterior white and off-white paint colors. While there are a million whites, 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. However, here at brick&batten, we have found some tried and true whites that we return to again and again for max curb appeal. 

We don’t always expect our clients to know or care how much sunlight their house gets or how much shade is created with the trees and other landscape elements.  Siding like textured stucco and cedar shake can automatically make a color appear darker by creating shadows. In addition, different surfaces play a role in how paint is soaked up. Furthermore, there are undertones at play. Ignore all of this and find yourself with the wrong white paint on your biggest investment.

 

So, let’s dive in to some of brick&batten’s 2019 top 4 whites and off-whites paint colors and why we love them!

sea pearl

#1 // Top White or Off-White Paint Color

Seapearl by Benjamin Moore:

One of our top white paint colors is beautiful Seapearl. Seapearl has an LRV of 77.95. That indicates its Light Reflective Value. We try to stay under 85 LRV for all our whites as beyond that, they appear bright in some environments. A 77 LRV makes Seapearl and ideal choice. In addition, it has gray undertones which keep it from going yellow on the exterior. It pairs amazing with greens and blues while still having enough warmth to live with brick and stone; therefore, a great choice in almost any environment. 

#2 // Top White or Off-White Paint Color

White Dove by Benjamin Moore:

This show stopper has a higher LRV at 85 so it will be brighter than Sea Pearl above. For a bright white modern farmhouse, White Dove is an ideal choice. It has more warmth and pairs amazing with stone, brick and other warmer elements. Ranking as one of our 2019, top 4 whites, White Dove stays true to its color. 

Shoji White

#3 // Top White or Off-White Paint Color

Shoji White by Sherwin Williams:

Shoji White’s neutral undertones are a mix of gray and beige, but it’s much lighter and brighter than the typical “greige.” Depending on the light, it can take on a clean white appearance or more of an off white as seen in this photo. With an LRV of 74, Shoji White is an easy choice if you want to avoid the harsh brightness of other whites. 

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

#4 // Top White or Off-White Paint Color

Olympic Mountains by Benjamin Moore:  

This classic white paint choice has an LRV at 71 and is a gorgeous go to of our designers! It remains warm, but without becoming yellow.

 

After you have driven yourself crazy and stared at a thousand paint chips and read everything online…TEST, TEST AND TEST SOME MORE.  And by test, I mean throw up big swatches and live with it for a few days. For tips on how to test your favorite exterior paint colors, read here.

Different shades of white show up differently in different environments. 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 or a brown roof?  What about a black driveway or copper gutters? All these things will have an impact on how white color is perceived.  The trick is identifying the undertones in the paint color and picking colors with undertones that can live harmoniously in YOUR space. 

We’d love to partner with you on this adventure and help take the guess work out by showing you our choice with a virtual exterior design by brick&batten. Let’s get started!  

Author

Alli’s passion for home design began during childhood when she’d accompany her father to various fixer-upper properties he was working on. Years later, Alli received a degree in physical therapy from Indiana University, but her love of design and personal need brought her back to the home design industry. Alli co-founded brick&batten in 2017 with her sister, Cassie, out of necessity. She was looking for a service like brick&batten for her own home, but one didn’t exist. Alli loves designing exteriors that inspire people. She’s also interested in real estate investment and enjoys creating exterior designs that will provide a great return on investment. Alli lives in Atlanta with her partner, three children, and their dogs. She loves to travel and often finds herself looking at houses in the areas she visits for inspiration and ideas.