10 Gorgeous Exterior White Paint Colors You’ll Love for Years

If you though choosing a white paint color was hard, try choosing one for 2,000 square feet of home that directly faces your entire neighborhood. Kidding. Choosing between exterior white paint colors can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be overcomplicated.

There are a few general guidelines to follow based on your personal style, the architecture of your home, and the direction your home faces. There’s also a shortlist of really good white paints that just work, both indoors and out. Once you combine the two, you’ll end up with a pretty good idea about the best exterior white paint color for your house.

Ready to pick a color? Let’s go.

What to know about choosing an exterior white paint

Before you grab a fan deck and start holding paint chips up to your siding, it helps to understand a few things. First, light hits exterior surfaces very differently than interior walls. You’re dealing with direct sun, shade, reflected light from landscaping and pavement, and the ever-changing sky. A color that looks clean and crisp inside can turn yellow, blue or downright dingy outside. So, if you’re leaning toward one of your favorite interior white paints by default, sample it before you commit! It may look totally different outside. (I love Samplize peel-and-stick paint samples!)

Second, think about your home’s undertones, and I don’t just mean the paint that’s already there. Your roof color, brick, stone, wood trim and even your driveway all have undertones that your white needs to coordinate with. A warm beige roof paired with a cool, bluish white can make the whole exterior feel a little off, even if you can’t quite put your finger on why.

Finally, consider your home’s architecture. A farmhouse, a mid-century modern ranch and a colonial all have different features and character, and the right white should feel like it enhances the whole thing.

The best exterior white paints

Bright whites

I tend to prefer warm whites inside the home, but I actually really love a crisp, bright white on home exteriors, especially on farmhouses and colonials. There’s something about a clean, sharp white that feels timeless and polished, like the Father of the Bride house. These are my favorites in this category.

1. Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

The gold standard of bright whites, and for good reason. It’s clean without being harsh. If you want a white that looks like a white, this is it. Also note, lots of pro painters choose Benjamin Moore paint and request brand-specific colors, so this is a great choice.

2. Behr Bit of Sugar

I found Behr Bit of Sugar sort of by accident when I was trying to match a paint color to the PVC window trim on our house (we have wood railings and arches that needed to be painted and I wanted it all to coordinate). I went to Home Depot and held a piece of the PVC against a bunch of different Behr swatches, and Bit of Sugar was almost a perfect match (and ended up looking that way on the house, too).

It has just enough depth to avoid looking stark, but still reads as a true bright white in most lighting.

3. Sherwin Williams Pure White

Pure White is similar to Chantilly Lace in that it’s a bright clean white. The sutble difference is that Pure White has a hint of warmth.

4. Benjamin Moore Simply White

Benjamin Moore Simply White is technically an off-white, but it’s so light (with an LRV of almost 90) that it often looks like a bright white on exteriors, especially on south-facing homes or in bright daylight. In dimmer light, it’s oh-so-subtle creamy undertones pull through. I love it in either instance.

Warm whites

There’s still plenty of times warm whites win on the exterior of a home. I especially love them for adding charm to smaller, traditional homes, like Capes or cottages. Warm whites are also a better choice if your home has lots of brick or warm woods (like a cedar roof), because they won’t create as stark of a contrast as a bright white.

5. Benjamin Moore White Dove

White Dove is just shy of being a bright white. It’s a beautiful choice because it feels warm without pulling too yellow. Its neutral undertones make it feel soft and inviting rather than stark. It works on almost every architectural style.

6. Benjamin Moore Cloud White

Cloud White is a touch brighter and creamier than White Dove. It’s warm, but never heavy. A great choice if you want something inviting without committing to a full cream.

7. Sherwin Williams Alabaster

Alabaster is a touch darker and warmer than White Dove and Cloud White. It suits craftsman and cottage-style homes especially well, particularly if there’s wood accenting. It’s warm without veering into yellow territory.

8. Sherwin Williams Oyster White

And finally for the warm whites, Oyster White has more depth than some of the other colors listed here, meaning it borders on a creamy-beige tone. I love how it pairs with the brick and rustic wood door on the home above. A bright white here would feel too stark.

Cool Whites

If your home has lots of stonework or a cool-toned roof that’s black or slate-colored, bright whites can create too much contrast. This is where cool-toned whites come in. For our house, we ended up with cool-toned white siding (we used James Hardie and the standard white, Arctic White, had gray undertones). I originally wanted something that was more of a true white, but the color ended up working out well because our home has a lot of slate and stone on the outside.

Here are some lovely cool-whites to try.

9. Benjamin Moore China White

China White is a gorgeous color for exteriors. It has a soft gray undertone that makes it feel cool without being cold.

10. Sherwin Williams Extra White

Extra White is a classic cool white with just enough gray to keep it from feeling stark. It’s a safe choice for modern farmhouses and transitional homes, and it pairs really well with dark gray or black trim.

Shop peel-and-stick samples of my top exterior white paints here!