To say we have a love affair with white interiors around here would be a gross understatement, and it turns out our affection for white house exteriors is also through the roof! Let’s explore White House Exterior Paint Colors & Inspiring Images to Help Now with an admiring eye turned toward the clean, pristine, freshened, pale and lovely whites to which so many homeowners turn. Are you thinking of painting your house white? Love collecting curb appeal inspo? Need ideas for paint colors?
White House Exterior Paint Colors & Inspiring Images to Help Now!
When I don’t know an exact white paint color for you, I provide educated guesses – it’s better to start with a handful of samples anyway since your unique geography and exposure dictates how the color will read.
Whether you’re considering painting your home’s exterior white, building a new home, or renovating an existing one, I hope these lovely white houses help on your design journey.
Sherwin-Williams Shoji White
Here’s Shoji White on board and batten…
and here it is on brick:
and traditional siding:
Charcoal Grey Trim
For years now, lots of folks are loving strong contrast for their exterior colors.
Sherwin-Williams Snowbound
Isn’t this a lovely natural combination of colors?
Light Grey Shutters With SW Original White Brick
I’m such a fan of low contrast and subtle accent colors.
Idea for Choosing a White Paint for Brick
While I don’t know the exact paint color for the exterior below, it offers us a clue as a place to start. Find a piece of white siding (existing or new) that appeals to you and bring paint swatches home to find the closest white match.
Denver Brick Tudor Home Painted White
Black against a white backdrop can be jarring so it is helpful to see how to use it in a more understated way:
Right?
Same White Paint on House Exterior Different Times of Day
My best guess for achieving this shade of white for a house exterior is to try Sherwin-Williams Alabaster. Notice how different the white house looks with the time of day!
I mentioned to you recently that I thought Alabaster would be perfect in the entry of our new house, and because of the sunlight, it read much too yellow.
That is why it is so critical to sample and take your time. Don’t feverishly choose your whites while standing under fluorescent lighting in a showroom or warehouse!
Tiny White South Carolina Cottage
I thought this was simple and beautiful with black porch swings and all the symmetry.
See this Tiny Cottage’s Before & After
And isn’t this a modern yet sweet placement of house numbers above the door?
Go Inside This Eclectic White Brick Tudor!
China White Paint on Brick House
Let’s face it, small and simple can pack a huge punch.
Light Grey With White
If you’re looking for a light atmospheric grey with warmth, you might like Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray. Here it is on a traditional exterior:
And how gorgeous is it on cedar shake?
The entry in our new home is also Repose Gray, and I just may keep it even though the only grey walls I have ever lived with were BM Classic Gray (which is actually a greyed-white).
SW Nuance on a Shed
I love the name of this paint color, and seeing the window boxes just makes me wanna build a shed and cover it with blooms!
Young House Love’s SW Moderne White Painted Brick Colonial
I love how classic and gentle the following color combination is:
…and of course I’m going to admire a paint color with a name like Tranquility!
See the Before/After of This Painted Brick Home
Would you, could you, paint your brick house white? Easiest way to see if a paint color will work? Order samples with Samplize and have them delivered straight to your door.
We’ll be moving into a red brick home in a few weeks, and I have no plans to paint the exterior. As much as I love white houses, the tone of the brick on our exterior is beautiful as is.
Then again, maybe I’m feeling just too exhausted to add another project to the long list of tasks in front of us!
*I need an energy boost about now, and these are a healthier way to get it:
White Brick Exterior With Charming Green-Grey Front Door
Another white and gray-green combination! Apparently, it is a well-loved look.
House Design With White Brick & Rustic Wood Accents
A stained wood door against white painted brick…what do you think?
It certainly is a less formal look and popular with country and farmhouse design lovers.
Modern Farmhouse White Exterior With Blue Gray Trim & Door
If you’re looking for a great light blue paint color for a door, be sure to look at the gray swatches first. They often read blue when natural sunlight hits them.
The color above reminds me of BM Boothbay Gray which I used on the shutters and front porch of the tiny house we renovated. I still don’t have an official reveal for that project since our son moved in before its completion.
I’m a fan of the wood tone of the porch ceiling with all of the white (above). And look at the beautiful curb appeal of this:
Not sure the exact blue-gray on these French doors below; however, SW Uncertain Gray is a smart choice to emulate this look:
Look at how these black gooseneck sconces from Rejuvenation pop against white siding!
Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist
Not sure what the color of this stucco exterior is, but Balboa Mist may give you this effect:
Board & Batten Modern Farmhouse
(Carbs are definitely my soul mate right now…I highly recommend carb loading when you are in “moving mode” and are burning so many more calories with all the schlepping of boxes, bags, and the barrage of stuff!)
Black & White in Virginia
Psst. I’m so tired of the modern ways we now communicate digitally. There’s so much misunderstanding and manipulation that can happen when you don’t pick up the phone or discuss important matters in person. (And this from someone who was never a fan of picking up the phone!)
Garden House With Black Metal Roof
Paint colors to get this two-tone look? Try Farrow & Ball All White and Farrow & Ball Railings for the door.
Bear in mind though that F&B Railings can read navy in some lighting conditions.
What is it with Dutch doors!?!
Low Country Board & Batten White Cottage
Outdoor Shower With White Stucco & Arches
Just a little fantasy thrown in for no good reason…
Benjamin Moore Simply White on House Exterior
Hope this finds you safe, cozy, and warm. It’s freezing out right now, and normally I would be in hibernation mode. Instead, it’s full steam ahead. Pray for us as we labor with this new project in the works. And just in case you care to indulge in some cozy things for yourself or your home:
The paint color (No Filter) above is one I am using for walls in a bath that are currently a dark green-brown. I love the ease of ordering paint from CLARE and having it delivered right to my door considering lockdowns, sucky weather, and gas prices!
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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I was so happy to see these white homes as I am about to have my home painted white. However I was unable to see the named colors due to 90% of them being covered by google adds. When I tried to delete them, a blank white space remained, covering the print.
Author
That sounds like a headache. There are often issues with my captions, and I’m going to try to get away from using them at all and will try to incorporate the info in the alt text (which you’ll see when you pin an image) or in the body of the text. As for the presence of ads, here’s the thing: we can’t ask bloggers and content creators to work for free – each post typically demands days of work.
I so agree with you! White is ABSOLUTELY the best color to paint the exterior of a house …especially if you want a timeless look that NEVER ever will look dated or go out of style! We chose Shoji White to paint our exterior, but truly ANY of the whites you have pictured here would have been just as lovely! So if someone is laboring over which white to use (as I did for about a year! Ha!) they can just choose any one of these shades and they will be so happy! We’ve lived in our new home just over a year now and one of the things I’m MOST happy about is that we chose to paint it white & all your posts about white paint colors were a huge help to me in that process! So thanks, Michele!!
Author
Awwww – thank you so much for sharing all of these endorsements. I have always daydreamed about a white farmhouse and love the idea of Shoji White or Chantilly Lace. 🙂
We are looking into exterior paint colors now (brick)! We have to use Sherwin Williams and we are between Shoji White with Iron Ore trim or possibly Snowbound. I am worried Shoji will look on the darker side and that Snowbound will be too bright. Amy, in daylight is your house pretty bright with Shoji?
Hello,
Do you happen to know the color of the trim and shutters on the brick home painted with BENJAMIN MOORE Balboa Mist? – photo: Sherry Hart; design: Ladisic Fine Homes
Thank you!
Author
Hi there! Yes – it is Benjamin Moore Intellectual Gray. Hope this helps – I’ll add it to the post as well. 🙂
Thank you so much!
Author
You bet – hope your design project goes well! 🙂
Your painting contractor should pay attention to the details and extra special attention to the quality of paint you use. I recently painted a statement wall in my master bedroom with interior limewash paint
Author
thanks for sharing and reading!
Thank you so much for sharing this information. It looks beautiful, so far.
Keep up the great work! I find this article very useful and informative.
Author
Thanks for reading.
I really liked the color white on my house, but the problem is I found it that it is easy to get dirt, because of some stained from the leaves fallen from the tree. When I visit your site I take time to wacthed your podcast, I learned so many things about the color white in the house.
Is there anyway to find out the colors used on the house that is shown on the cover of the site? It is a Pinterest picture but links to this site; however, I did not see the house on this page. Thank you! It is a brick house that appears to have the German Smear look to it as well as pretty siding and shutters.
Author
Hmmmmm. Wondering if you are referring to this white house with SW Extra White paint color on a house by CrissyMarieBlog https://www.pinterest.com/pin/568438784219877879/- it is in another post about white paint colors here: https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/2021/04/white-exterior-paint-colors.html. I updated the pin in case this is the one, and I’ll add the home to post too.
Repainted our home’s exterior with BM White Dove – trim in SW Anew Gray. Front door in BM Wythe Blue. We LOVE it & many passers-by have stopped to compliment us.
Author
Thanks so much – can’t wait to check out Anew Gray, and the Wythe Blue is a favorite. Peace to you!
Thank you for the exterior paint color suggestions.
Author
Thanks so much for visiting!
Do you have any suggestions of a white or soft grey that would go with a light grey metal roof? I’m going to try some of the colors listed here but didn’t know if you had any specific recommendations for the light grey roof
Author
If you’re after a greyed-white, I like Benjamin Moore Classic Gray. If you’re going for a bright white, I just painted a tiny house I bought Behr Ultra Pure White. I am not sure you can go wrong with any of the whites with a light grey metal roof – sounds dreamy. 🙂
Hi! I love your site! So many great ideas!
We are getting ready to paint the exterior of our house. We live in South Carolina on the marsh. I am leaning towards SW Original White for the siding.
However, I need help with the shutters. They are very worn looking. I am torn between two ideas and would love your thoughts/help. I am definitely out of my league!
— Painting the shutters black with a pink door. What SW black do you recommend? Should I do high gloss? What is the pink paint color in your first picture on the site?
— Or painting the shutters/door a subtle green — like SW Jogging Path or Privilege Green.
I love neutrals like grey or off white but I think they would only make the house even more tired and worn-looking.
Thank you for your help!
Author
Thanks for visiting! If you decide on black, try Tricorn Black. For a pink like the door in the first image, try Quartz Blush. I don’t paint shutters high gloss, flat or satin exterior paint. If you decide to go in a green direction, Jogging Path looks sophisticated, and a similar color on my radar for a greyed/green/atmospheric neutral is Acacia Haze…see if you like.
Let me know if you have further questions, and best to you as you add curb appeal.
Good morning friend, I hope that you are loading up on the carbs not only for the more, but for the cold and snow. You need to take care of yourself.
I love the look of white painted brick. When we first bought our house that was our thought to paint it white. Now that we have been here a bit we have decided to put our money into the landscaping and so many other projects. and perhaps just paint the trim, etc.
Thank you for all of the tip!
Author
Thanks for reading and for the encouragement, Elizabeth. I’m so glad we only have interiors to address at the new place since the exterior has been done. It’s one of the things that keeps me motivated because soon we’ll be enjoying the outdoors! 🙂
Thank you for all of the ideas that you share!
We are looking to paint the exterior of our home this spring. We currently have a beige house, white trim, navy shutters and door. Our house has 2 large arches around windows on either side of the front door. We have always painted them white with the trim for contrast.
I’m wondering if that look is outdated, and your thoughts on painting everything, including the arches, white. Of course, there would be no contrast then, but we would use cedar shutters and black trim on everything else.
Appreciate your help!
Author
Your plans sound lovely – I have not lived with black trim so am not sure how I would personally like living with that combination of black and white, but I see it everywhere. I think that combo appeals to a lot of folks so if you’re thinking about resale, I get it. But if you are just trying to please yourself, then definitely think about your favorite color and go for a road trip to snap photos of the exterior color combos that speak to you. I used BM Boothbay Gray as an accent color with bright white for our tiny house. (I painted over black since it wasn’t friendly enough for me with the white.) It is more blue than gray to me, but it’s a gorgeous sophisticated gray. Let me know if this helps at all.
This piece is one of the most informative I have found in a very exhaustive search for the right white or pale gray to paint our outdated 20 year-old single level red brick ranch home. You did a brilliant job in your descriptions, overview and selection of a wide variety of colors. Question: Since our neighbor across the street has painted his large single level house what looks like Alabaster with a deep black door and windows, we decided we just shouldn’t paint ours white (to my disappointment). It faces full south/southwest so it gets tons of light. It has a Weatherwood gray roof so I made the decision this morning to go with Gray Owl with Simply White Trim to try and match the vinyl white windows. Now the dilemma is for the front door and shutters. What colors would work other than black with the Gray Owl. Something not to jarring but clean and sophisticated. Thanks so much for answering if you can spare the time from your busy schedule:)
Author
Happy to brainstorm with you. If you wanted to stick to very safe neutrals with lower contrast, maybe BM Desert Twilight for shutters/door – plays nice with Gray Owl. A bit deeper with more green – look at Sherwin-Williams Rosemary. For a wild card color for the front door, peek at BM Palace Ochre – I love warm gold tones with cool greys for a sophisticated look.
Thanks so much, Michele! I would never have thought of your “wild card” but I may just give it a try! Brilliant combo👍🏻
Author
You’re fun! Have a great weekend, friend.
One of these homes is my personal home and the paints listed are all wrong!
Author
So sorry to hear that – so often paint color suggestions are shared to get the look from the color translating in images since there are so many discrepancies with photography, editing, and even across various screens. Let me know if you care to share the actual colors and opinions about your home’s color.
Hi Michelle., we are planning on painting our house white. However, we have brown brick trim on the front (left & right). We have a solid white aluminum wall around the sides and back yard. Not sure of what or where we csn trim. And also what trim color. We have a brown roof and will be getting a new roof. Just not sure what color. Although we like the dark roofs. But unsure of what will work together. Possibly a red door. Please help!
Author
Email me with a photo (michele at hellolovelystudio dot com), and I’ll give it some thought. 🙂
Excellent article. Thank you for your valuable information.
Author
thanks for visiting.
These metal fences are very special, my favorite is the fence for bicycle wheels.
Author
Thanks for reading!
Very amazing post keep posting
Author
🙂
The White House exterior is traditionally painted in a color called “Whisper White” by the original contractor, and it has been a longstanding choice for the iconic residence. The specific paint formula is known as “Whisper White” and has been used for decades to maintain the recognizable appearance of the White House.
Author
Interesting. Makes me curious to go deeper! Thanks so much for visiting.
We are building a home in a neighborhood in a small coastal town (not on beach). We’ll have little shade, alot of natural light and windows. I am leaning toward Alabaster exterior with Iron Ore trim and Pure White interior. Will these 2 whites play well together? Or will the Alabaster make the Pure White yellow?
Author
Sounds absolutely gorgeous – my recommendation is to sample them before the whole shebang is painted out. Watch them at different times of day to see how they work in the unique setting. (My guess is it will be lovely!)
Hi Michelle,
We just finished landscaping our front and back yards. We’ve added black beach rock, which is actually gray unless it’s wet, in the flower beds in the front, back and sides of the house. We also had new fencing built which is pine with a sealer, no stain, and our front door is the same color. We will also be having a new garage door put in that will look like the same wood and color, but made of steel. Our plants consist of lots of green by way of palm trees and plumerias- we live two blocks from the beach. We are getting ready to paint our house and I am having a difficult time narrowing down a color for the trim. We will be painting the house Alabaster and I am considering painting the entire house this color and simply accenting the exterior with black hardware, black outdoor lights, all tied in with the same wood color. Our home is large and my concern is that there will be too much white. I was wanting to paint the rain Domino but they don’t go around the entire perimeter, and I think painting the fascia in Domino would be too much with what we already have going on. Would you be so kind as to offer some suggestions? I would be so appreciative, thank you!
Author
Hi Hilary. Congratulations on all of these decisions already made – it’s a lot, I know! Wondering about the painting process. Would there be a little wiggle room so that everything is painted Alabaster (typically flat finish) and then you can have a day or half day to consider whether it feels too one note? Since the trim may be a different finish of paint anyway, maybe you could consider colors such as BM Revere Pewter or Pale Oak as contenders. Any color I suggest should be sampled anyway in your unique lighting conditions.
Hi Michele ,
I love your posts. We just painted our house all white, both the trim and walls. I am looking for a soft light or medium gray paint color for the front door. I don’t like the black contrast for an exterior door with the white- it takes away the softness of the house. Any paint color suggestions ? I think you showed SW Dorian gray. Any others I should try? It’s so overwhelming with the undertones. Our front door is under a covered front porch so no sun is ever on it. Would love your help.
Thank you
Author
So many suggestions. They will be in tomorrow’s post on bestselling soft blue/grey colors so perfect timing, lovely one!