White Exteriors: Balboa Mist OC-27 + Trustworthy Contenders to Sample

White Exteriors: BALBOA MIST OC-27 & Trustworthy Contenders to Sample shares a photo gallery of exteriors where the exact paint color or educated guess is provided. Judging from the popularity of BM Balboa Mist (also known as BM 1549), this pale gray may be a safe bet when you’re after an off-white with grey undertones. Remember natural light is going to wash out the color so that even if you want a white house, a gray color may be your best friend. In addition to Balboa Mist, find additional ideas to sample for exterior paint colors.

White Exteriors: BM Balboa Mist

Will BALBOA MIST Feel Like a Warm or Cool White?

The brand (Benjamin Moore) calls the color slightly warm, and even though it is a pale gray, additional undertones keep it from feeling sterile.

Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist painted brick house exterior - Ladisic Fine Homes & Sherry Hart. #balboamist #paintcolors #houseexteriors
Ladisic Fine Homes – Sherry Hart chose BM Balboa Mist for the exterior paint color paired with Amazing Gray for trim.

Maybe that’s why it is such a perfect exterior white color when you’re after an off-white that won’t feel blinding. When the sun hits it, the color feels even more gentle.

Is This Paint Color Very Light?

The light reflectance value (LRV) of Balboa Mist is 65.53. LRV is the percentage of visible or usable light reflected from a paint surface. Hence, this color reflects 65.53%. Brighter whites have LRVs in the 80s, but this off-white still lands on the lighter end of the spectrum.

Balboa Mist (Benjamin Moore) on brick exterior of a lovely home with arches (Ladisic Fine Homes) - Sherry Hart. #balboamist #benjaminmoorebalboamist #paintcolors #housecolors
Ladisic Fine Homes/Sherry Hart – brick is painted Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist and the trim is SW Amazing Gray.

BM 1549 is a Designer Pick for Exterior Paint Colors

What a boon when a great designer shares the name of her favorite paint colors for projects!

Atlanta-based interior designer Sherry Hart loves the color for client projects, and it’s easy to understand why. Across a range of eclectic homes in various contexts, it sings.

For a renovated Tudor-style Atlanta home by Ladisic Fine Homes, the Balboa Mist painted brick is paired with darker gray trim as well as warm coppery accents and dark iron. Another home exterior with the color paired with mid-tone grey trim?

Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist painted brick house exterior - Ladisic Fine Homes & Sherry Hart. #balboamist #paintcolors #houseexteriors
Brick exterior: Balboa Mist/Photo: Sherry Hart

For the home below, we also know the cool gray exterior color of garage doors (BM Coventry Gray):

BM Coventry Gray painted garage doors - Ladisic Fine Homes & Sherry Hart. #coventrygray #paintcolors
BM Balboa Mist painted white house exterior with BM Coventry Gray on garage doors.

This next exterior features a harmonious combination of BM Balboa Mist with Sherwin-Williams Intellectual Gray. The trim color feels very Parisian greige and chic:

Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist painted brick house exterior - Ladisic Fine Homes & Sherry Hart. #balboamist #intellectualgray #paintcolors #houseexteriors
SW Intellectual Gray trim on a beautiful Ladisic Fine Homes exterior.

What I find especially helpful is seeing a bunch of photos of an exterior color at different times of day.

The way a color is perceived is always dependent on the lighting at a particular time.

Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist painted brick house exterior - Ladisic Fine Homes & Sherry Hart. #balboamist #paintcolors #houseexteriors
Balboa Mist painted home with SW Intellectual Gray painted trim.

What’s the Easiest Way to Sample Balboa Mist?

Sample pots work, but they can be messy and involve a paintbrush, posterboard, etc. An easier way is to order peel and stick samples with Samplize and have them delivered straight to your door.

Care to see the tone in two different interiors with high and low lighting conditions? First, with natural light:

And then here it is with dimmed light in a bedroom:

Balboa Mist paint color in a bedroom - @glimanthbow. #balboamist #serenepaintcolors
BM Balboa Mist – @glimanthbow

Another color from Benjamin Moore that is quite similar to Balboa Mist is Athena 858.

What Paint Colors Look Great With Balboa Mist?

In addition to the designer-picked accent colors above (Amazing Gray, Coventry Gray, Intellectual Gray), Benjamin Moore suggests these contenders:

Cloud Cover OC-25, Rock Gray 1615, Flint AF-560, and Barista AF-175)

White brick home with arched entrance and light gray trim and shutters - Ladisic Fine Homes & Sherry Hart.. #balboamist #intellectualgray #houseexterior #paintcolors
Sherry Hart (Photo: Rustic White Interiors; Builder: Ladisic Fine Homes); Brick color: BENJAMIN MOORE Balboa Mist

Should you need an idea for a lighter exterior trim color to provide contrast with Balboa Mist, here’s how it appears with BM White Dove:

BM 1549 Balboa Mist on a house exterior with White Dove trim - @lottemeister. #balboamist #houseexteriors
@lottemeister – Balboa Mist on siding with BM White Dove for trim

White Exteriors: A Collection of More Paint Possibilities

Benjamin Moore WHITE DOVE

White Dove is a trustworthy paint color choice for white exteriors (snag a sample right here) if you are going for a brighter effect like this:

BM White Dove on a beautiful brick house exterior with fall window box - @theprettypinktulips. #bmwhitedove
BM White DovePretty Pink Tulips

It’s an off-white so is not likely to feel like a too bright white. I’m partial to it for traditional style exteriors and interiors.

Thinking of White Dove for trim? Wise move. I have often painted trim and doors this hue and find it doesn’t change much throughout the day.

Benjamin Moore White Dove painted house exterior - @riverwoodbuildingcompany. #bmwhitedove
Riverwood Building Co

The same cannot be said for plenty of other whites. For example, our painter confused White Dove with Dove Wing (he should have known better!) and painted all of our trim and doors the wrong white. Dove Wing is much more grey and just wasn’t as fresh looking.

That said, Dove Wing is a fine choice for exteriors since the yellow sunlight warms it. What a nuisance that the names of those two whites are easily mixed up! Let’s face it. Choosing a white paint is nerve wracking enough.

Gorgeous Southern plantation style home with front porches - Southern Living Magazine. Charming inspiration if you love white painted house exteriors! #whitehouses #housedesign #exteriors #designinspiration
Southern Living – White Homes As well as a Few Bright White Exterior Paint Colors (try Benjamin Moore White Dove for a similar effect)

Another Benjamin Moore color to consider for traditional and French country projects? Benjamin Moore Gray Mist. Here it is on a gorgeous Canadian home:

Exterior of beautiful French country home with interior design by Jenny Martin Design. #houseexteriors #frenchcountryhome #interiordesign
Exact white used on this brick: Benjamin Moore GRAY MIST…see THIS to see inside this home.

If you admire the contrasting shutter color above, it is Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter (has a natural warm linen yet still taupe-y greige look).

You could also peek at Sherwin Williams Repose Gray (a slightly warm gray with blue undertones) for trim.

Breathtaking lovely curb appeal with amaazing floral covered arbor and blue shutters - Pineapples Design Group. Charming inspiration if you love white painted house exteriors! #whitehouses #housedesign #exteriors #curbappeal #shutters #arbor
Pineapples Design Group – while we don’t know the exact color, BM OC-151 is an educated guess, and more info for that color is HERE.

BM White OC-151

Not long after we painted all of our interiors OC-151 White in our former home, I noticed a board and batten cottage (below) designed by Lisa Furey. She used this white on both the exterior and interior. Benjamin Moore White OC-151 with its blue undertones feels like a bright modern white, perfect for modern farmhouse and coastal design styles.

BM OC-151 white on coastal cottage white board and batten exterior with interior design by Lisa Furey. #coastalcottage #houseexterior
See more of this board and batten low country cottage by Lisa Furey. Paint color is BENJAMIN MOORE White OC-151.

Need reinforcement for using the same white inside and out? I suppose this seals it! Nothing wrong with going for a cohesive feel. However, just because it worked in this situation doesn’t mean you’ll be equally pleased. Always sample at least three similar colors. What other whites could you try? Ideas ahead,

Sherwin-Williams EXTRA WHITE

Similar to OC-151, here are more board and batten style homes with SW Extra White:

What sorts of questions do I ask when selecting the proper white? Does it appear too yellow? What undertones are coming through the white? In what ways does the white change when light washes it?

Extra White (Sherwin Williams) paint color on board and batten siding of a modern farmhouse by @thewhitehouseonpineridge #extrawhite #paintcolors #exteriorcolors #housecolors
@thewhitehouseonpineridge SW Extra White…in case you need ideas for white exterior paint colors.

As you compare different white samples, you’ll notice the light reflectance value (LRV) number varies and will be able to take that under advisement too.

White farmhouse with gorgeous arched double doors and metal roof. Charming inspiration if you love white painted house exteriors! #whitehouses #housedesign #exteriors #whitefarmhouse
Chrissy Marie Blog – paint color on home is SHERWIN WILLIAMS Extra White…certainly lovely indeed.

The higher that LRV number, the more light it reflects, and the lighter the color.

Holiday wreaths on front doors of white farmhouse with gorgeous metal roof. Charming inspiration if you love white painted house exteriors! #whitehouses #housedesign #exteriors #whitefarmhouse #holidaydecor #frontdoordecor #christmaswreaths
Chrissy Marie Blog – White brick, white stucco, and white board and batten as well as white painted siding on beautiful homes.

Years ago, interior designers consistently recommended choosing paint colors for walls in the 50’s – the mid range for LRV. However, in recent years, homeowners have preferred lighter colors and lots more light reflectance inside and out.

Breathtaking historic white modern farmhouse in Barrington, IL, has all the charm inside and out you might expect! Hello Lovely Studio. Come discover White Homes + A Few Bright White Exterior Paint Colors
Hello Lovely Studio – This historic farmhouse restoration and addition includes a metal roof – for a similar paint color for siding, try SW Extra White.

I imagine this exterior’s color to be close if not exactly SW Extra White:

Charming white traditional home by M House Development. Paint color is Farrow & Ball All White. Charming inspiration if you love white painted house exteriors! #whitehouses #housedesign #exteriors #farrowandballallwhite
M House Development – Photo Gallery of Lovely White Exteriors in Case You Admire Painted White Homes (try SW Extra White for a similar effect!)
House Exterior White Paint Ideas - Hello Lovely Studio. #paintcolors #houseexteriors #bestwhitepaint #whitepaintcolors
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Stately white painted Victorian home has breathtaking architecture and curb appeal in the lower Garden District of New Orleans. #houseexterior #victorianhouses #beautifulwhitehouse #historichome #curbappeal #frontporch
A New Orleans home from Tara Shaw’s SOUL OF THE HOME (Abrams, 2020)

SW Alabaster

Alabaster is now iconic. One of those warm whites that exploded on the modern farmhouse scene a few years back (at the dawn of HGTV’s Fixer Upper), Joanna Gaines was a huge fan who used it for countless projects.

Alabaster is also great for exteriors where you want a creamy, not too bright (but truly light), white for your home’s siding or brick.

Beautiful white brick cottage painted Sherwin Williams Alabaster - Huff Harrington, Ladisic. #whitecottage #sherwinwilliamsalabaster #houseexterior #paintcolors
Atlanta Homes. 1930’s Brookhaven cottage – Architect: Linda MacArthur; Builder: Ladisic Fine Homes. House exterior paint color: SHERWIN WILLIAMS Alabaster; Shutters: SHERWIN WILILAMS Pavestone; Front Door: BENJAMIN MOORE Wythe Blue.

I admire the color story for this stunning Atlanta project where a deep gray was chosen for shutters…

and this gorgeous, cheery yet sophisticated hue Wythe Blue is on the front door:

Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue front door on a beautiful white (SW Alabaster) brick home - built by Michael Ladisic. #benjaminmoorewytheblue #paintcolors #frontdoor
Atlanta Homes – Architect: Linda MacArthur; Builder: Ladisic Fine Homes. Paint color on front door: BENJAMIN MOORE Wythe Blue.

The front door is critical to curb appeal and certainly deserves thoughtful consideration. That said, the color you choose for the exterior door and shutters doesn’t have to be a forever sort of decision. Have fun with it. Try a new color on a whim or for a particular season.

Funny quote about the economy, inflation, and expensive groceries on Hello Lovely Studio.

Alabaster is also a great choice for trim:

Repose Gray (Sherwin-Williams) paint color on house exterior with trim painted Alabaster White and shutters/door Dorian Gray - @bellsheepstudio.
@bellsheepstudio – Sherwin-Williams paint colors: Repose Gray (siding), Alabaster (trim), Dorian Gray (shutters/door)

While we may not know the exact white paint color used on this brick home (in my neck of the woods), it reminds me of Alabaster:

Gorgeous white painted brick exterior on a traditional farmhouse with design by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. #whitebrick #houseexteriors #katemarker
Kate Marker – Photo Gallery of Lovely White House Exteriors in Case You Admire Painted White Homes (try SHERWIN WILLIAMS Alabaster and Benjamin Moore Boothbay Gray for a color like this front door.
Encouragement quote by Michele of Hello Lovely Studio. #encouragementquotes #strugglequotes

BM Simply White

BM Simply White is wildly popular like SW Alabaster. Its popularity may be a result of how often it seems to work in a variety of contexts.

Pretty perfect for modern farmhouse homes, it also works for European inspired homes.

Traditional white home exterior of house designed by The Fox Group. Come discover White Homes + A Few Bright White Exterior Paint Colors.
The Fox Group – White brick, white stucco, and white board and batten as well as white painted siding on beautiful homes (exterior is likely BM Simply White.)

I’m guessing the homes above and below were painted Simply White since The Fox Group tends to rely on it often for interiors.

White painted brick beautiful home exterior by The Fox Group. Come discover White Homes + A Few Bright White Exterior Paint Colors
The Fox Group – Charming farmhouses, country homes, and stately traditional houses with lovely curb appeal as well as white exteriors (brick is likely painted BM Simply White).

Don’t forget though how the color will look different across scenarios, according to the time of day the photo was snapped, geographic location of home, and even editing.

This lovely country farmhouse design features black trim - Design Sixty Five. Charming inspiration if you love white painted house exteriors! #whitehouses #housedesign #exteriors #designinspiration
Design Sixty Five – Charming farmhouses, country homes, and stately traditional houses with lovely curb appeal as well as white exteriors. Try Simply White for a similar house exterior color.
Funny quote about moon on Hello Lovely Studio. #funnyquote #moonquotes #cleverquote #naturequotes

White Exteriors: Paint Ideas

If you need a few more names of paint colors worth sampling, consider these:

Funny quote about not trying to please everyone. #funnyquotes #tacoquote #whimsicalquotes #humor
Breathtaking front door and entry to traditional style white stucco mansion in Buckhead. The 2020 Southeastern Designer Showhouse 'Villa Flora' is painted Benjamin Moore Seapearl and trim is Benjamin Moore Pashmina. #paintcolors #seapearl #benjaminmooreseapearl #pashmina #benjaminmoorepashmina #houseexteriors #housecolors
Southeastern Designer Showhouse 2020 Villa Flora’s exterior is painted BENJAMIN MOORE Seapearl – trim is Pashmina
This charming home exterior in Charlotte, NC, boasts curb appeal, traditional design, and inspiring architectural details - Hello Lovely Studio. Try BM Revere Pewter for a comparable exterior color. White Homes + A Few Bright White Exterior Paint Colors
See my post about homes I admired in Charlotte, NC…certainly a charmer, and try Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter for a similar effect.
Traditional white house with shutters - T S Adams Architect. Charming inspiration if you love white painted house exteriors! #whitehouses #housedesign #exteriors #traditionalhome #traditionalarchitecture
T. S. Adams Studio (Photo: Emily Followill) – Traditional homes with lovely white interiors as well as best white paint colors to try (BM Revere Pewter may be the right white to get this effect).
Kim Thai healing quote on Hello Lovely Studio. #healingquotes #inspirationalquotes #newyearquotes

Close to the Custom Paint Color of Our Former Exterior

Our former home’s exterior color was pretty close to perfect for my taste – not too warm, not too cool, and a nice contrast with the white trim. It was a soft greyed-white close similar to Farrow & Ball’s Cornforth White.

Our European country style cottage's exterior with rustic alder front door and stone walled courtyard - Hello Lovely Studio. #frenchcourtyard #cottageexterior #frenchcountry #hellolovelystudio
Hello Lovely Studio

In fact, I got a nearly exact match when I mixed equal parts Cornforth White and Hardwick White.

Do PIN this graphic for future reference!

House Exterior White Paint Ideas - Hello Lovely Studio. #paintcolors #houseexteriors #bestwhitepaint #whitepaintcolors
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Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

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White Slipcovered Sofa
SHOP MY HOME!
29″ Whitewashed Table Lamp Set of 2
White Matelasse Quilt on MY BED
SHOP MY BATH!
Trees White Wallpaper Mural
Round Farmhouse Table
Myla Slipcover Sofa
Deconstructed Wingback Bed
French Farmhouse Dining Table
Milagro Heart
Slipcovered Dining Chair
Rustic Farmhouse Stool
Edgecombe End Table
Parisian Style Iron Table Lamp  33.5″
Black or Bronze Accent Table
French Stripe Basket Set
White Cotton Crochet Bed Skirt
French Country Rattan Basket Set
Marble Subway Mosaic Tile
Rattan Basket With Lid
White Ruffle Bedding
Seagrass Basket Set
Schumacher Wild Things Wallpaper
Slipcovered Sofa
Upholstered Dining Arm Chair
Shop My Breakfast Nook
White Matelasse Quilt
Tree Mural Wallpaper
Faux Potted French Lavender
Shaw Daybed
Distressed White French Country Chandelier
French Country Headboard
Oval Back Counter Stool, Set of 2
Antique Brass Pharmacy Floor Lamp
Round French Tufted Ottoman
Kinston Wood Bench
Italian Candelabra Chandelier
Slipcovered Linen Chair
Warner Upholstered Bench
Rustic Country French Dresser
Laurel Wreath Mirror
Round Farmhouse Dining Table
Reclaimed Wood Dresser
Louis Upholstered Bench
Pardon My French Doormat
Stripe Turkish Towel Throw
Pamela Arm Chair
Sweater Weave Basket
French Carved Wood Chandelier
Terracotta Pots & Basket
French Country Wood Chandelier
French Linen Dining Chair
Gustavian Cabinet
French Farmhouse Dining Table
Bar Stool
Beachy White Slipcovered Sofa
Rattan Armchair
Diptyque Oyedo Candle
Cross Back Dining Chair
French Country Candle Holder
French Industrial Metal Chairs (4)
Designer Favorite Wall Mirror
Holborn Lantern Pendant
French Country 6-Light Chandelier
Tray Side Table
French Country Upholstered Arm Chair
Wicker Trunk Set
French Ticking Stripe Pillow
Jute Area Rug
Mohair Throw
Rustic Industrial Farmhouse Shelves
Belgian Linen Sofa
White Duvet & Bedding
Rustic Wood Candlestick Set
French Market Basket
Linen Modern Wing Chair
French Country Farmhouse Baskets
Concrete Pillar Table Lamp
Boheme Madera Bench
Belgian Style Lamp
Kendall Skirted Dining Chair
White Charleston Sofa
Scrubbed Wood 5-Light Chandelier
Arched Champagne Wall Mirror
Moravian Star 1-Light Pendant
Highback Armchair
Mini Pendant Light
White Vase Set
Round Woven Placemat Set
Cashmere Throw With Fringe
Wreath Doormat
Fireclay Farm Sink (Reinhard, 30″)
White Waffle Coverlet
Light Grey Vienna Quilt
Boheme Madera Bench
Belgian Linen Duvet Set
Round Marble Side Table
Rustic Pedestal Farm Table
Rattan Hanging Chair Swing