Our Review of Oyster White by Sherwin Williams

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Oyster White by Sherwin Williams joins our expanding list of review-worthy off-white paint colors. This soft off-white is perfect for farmhouses and traditional homes in shady or sunny locations. Its versatility and ease of use earned it a spot on our list of the best Sherwin Williams exterior paint colors for 2023. Keep reading to learn more about Oyster White by Sherwin Williams and why it may be the perfect exterior paint color for your home.

Choosing the perfect white exterior paint color — or any exterior paint color — can be daunting. Let us help! Our design experts at brick&batten can narrow down the choices and will even show you how they look on your home. From exterior paint colors to lighting options, we’re here to guide your decision-making process. Learn more about what we do.
Multi-level urban home with black staircase and wood accents

Sherwin Williams’ Oyster White: The Specs

With an LRV of 72, Oyster White is considered a neutral off-white, and some even argue it is a light greige. (Curious about LRV? Learn more here, including why LRV is so important to keep in mind when choosing the perfect paint color for your home.)

In sunnier environments, this hue will look brighter without being a stark white, and the undertones will not be as noticeable. In shaded or wooded settings, Oyster White can appear much softer, and its light green undertones may show. Fear not, though — this paint color is beautiful in any setting.

Recommended Applications for Oyster White

The softness of Oyster White creates a cozy and welcoming vibe for home exteriors. Our designers love Oyster White on traditional homes, but we are confident it’s a great choice for many different styles, including cottages and farmhouses. We’ve also used Oyster White as the accent hue on homes rather than the field color, and would argue that it works equally well in a supporting role.

Oyster White Color Pairings

In the design above, our designers created a beautiful tone-on-tone look for this classic home. Dover White by Sherwin Williams on the fascia and trim perfectly complements Oyster White as the main paint color. A black roof, shutters, and windows complete this popular color scheme.

Two-story black and white farmhouse with outdoor seating and copper gutters

Oyster White by Sherwin Williams pairs beautifully with dark colors, like black and near-black hues. The farmhouse above shows Oyster White on the first floor siding, fascia, and porch columns. Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams is rendered on the James Hardie siding and the Dutch front door. Copper gutters bring warmth to the design, as do the stained wood lintels above the windows. We also suggested black shutters for the second story windows for a subtle contrast that’s not distracting.

Another gorgeous example of black and Oyster White is featured above. Here, Abyss by Benjamin Moore, a beautiful and modern black with deep blue undertones, is the field color. To keep the black soft, Oyster White is used on the portico, fascia, gutters, and eaves. A brighter white would provide a more traditional look, but the contrast shown here is enough to create a modernized-yet-timeless color combination. Walnut-stained wood on the lintels, doors, garage door, and second-story window shutters brings warmth and an inviting vibe.

Finally, the above rendering shows Oyster White on the accents paired with Rockport Gray by Benjamin Moore on the siding as well as brick. The softness of Oyster White, the warmth of the brick and wood elements, and the earthy muted tone of Rockport Gray make for a cozy and welcoming home. Complete with the modern porch lighting and outdoor lounging, this is a great setup for a lovely evening outside.

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.

Pros and Cons of Oyster White by Sherwin Williams

PROS:

  • Its versatility allows it to be an excellent main color or accent hue
  • Can be used on many home styles
  • Works on homes in direct sun without looking like a stark white

CONS:

  • Because of its mid-range LRV, Oyster White may be a bit too soft or dark if you’re hoping for your exterior to read ‘white’ and your property is heavily shaded
  • Color casting from environments, especially green, could highlight the green undertones

Alternatives to Oyster White

As we’ve said before, white paint can be overwhelming to navigate. One paint color normally has multiple alternatives with similar profiles. Because we love to provide our blog readers with more options and choices, here are a few alternatives to Sherwin Williams’ Oyster White.

Sherwin Williams’ Dover White

Dover White by Sherwin Williams is a great choice if you’re looking for a warm, lighter exterior paint color with yellow undertones. At an LRV of 83, it has a higher reflective value than Oyster White. Dover White is also just as flexible and able to be paired with some cooler hues along with the warmer tones. It can also be used on a variety of home styles and with similar color schemes, just like Oyster White. Our designers often suggest Dover White for Southwestern, Mediterranean or Spanish-style, and stucco homes.

Benjamin Moore’s Gray Mist

This creamy soft white looks very similar to Oyster White; however, it has yellow undertones. The LRV of Gray Mist is close to Oyster White at 72.83, so the two colors read similarly whether used in sunny or shady locations. The difference is that, for some, Gray Mist may look a bit too yellow in shaded areas. Shown in the design above, pairing Gray Mist with Sherwin Williams’ Revere Pewter creates a perfect tone-on-tone look. Similar to Oyster White, Gray Mist also pairs well with wood and black accents and fixtures.

Benjamin Moore’s Olympic Mountains

Another light greige, Benjamin Moore’s Olympic Mountains has an LRV of 70.15, a couple points lower than Oyster White. This means that Olympic Mountains is a great choice for sunny environments, where it won’t look washed out. On the other hand, it will read more strongly greige (vs. off-white) in the shade. Our designers like to use Olympic Mountains on modern homes with interesting angles and features, but the more traditional home design above shows it has flexibility.

The Bottom Line on Oyster White by Sherwin William

Oyster White by Sherwin Williams is a great neutral off-white, or light greige, to use as a central color or accent hue on your home. It pairs well with blacks, blues, and greens, and can also be beautiful with coordinating colors that are just a shade or two lighter or darker for a tone-on-tone effect. The versatility of Oyster White has already made it a favorite of ours at brick&batten. Maybe it will be your favorite, too.

White paint colors are so similar on swatches, yet so different in execution. Our designers at brick&batten are experts at recommending the right color choices for your home and its environment. We take into account the amount of natural light you get, your desired style, preferred/existing accent colors, and more to ensure the perfect hue for your home. The process is easy. Answers to a few short questions and photos of your home are all we need to get going. With this information we will produce a virtual design of your home with our suggested paint colors. You’ll also receive a clickable resource list that helps you execute the upgrade. What are you waiting for? Let’s make your dream reality. Get started here.

Author

Originally from Tennessee, Ami currently lives in South Carolina, which has been home since leaving the military in 2016. Interior and exterior design has always intrigued Ami, especially the styles and characteristics seen in other countries as an avid traveler and photographer. She lives for the renewal of older or historic homes that maintain their character, and regularly creates her own mood boards and virtual designs for inspiration or to help others with their spaces. Having always had a passion for design and following their work for years prior, Ami was excited to be brought onto brick&batten’s team of writers. Her writing endeavors actually started in an academic/scientific setting, then in a regulatory aspect. Writing about paint colors, emerging or current trends in exterior design, and so much more revolving around something she’s always enjoyed was a fun and welcomed change!