By popular demand, (*Drum roll please!*) I give you my favorite white paint colors for the exterior! Now white paint, especially for your exterior house color, is tricky. I think it might be the trickiest of all colors because it can change the most drastically depending on the lighting.  And, besides the lighting, there are just so many shades, tones, and undertones that can give your white exterior paint color a hint of blue or yellow or even purple! 

I mean,  picking a white paint color can be VERY tricky! So I decided to write a post to help you navigate white exterior paint color options.  And I’ll share my top five choices for the best white exterior paint colors! 

Tips & Tricks to Picking the Right White Exterior Paint Color

The struggle is real, right? Picking the right white paint color is just hard.  So here are my top tips for selecting the right white paint for house exteriors.

Tip #1

Just try some! I usually never know until I try. I would recommend painting some swatches on different parts of the house and looking at it throughout the day to see what you think. Even better, try two white paint colors next to each other on the same wall. You will really be able to see undertones better that way.  Do this on several sides of your house because the direction of your home can really matter.  (See tip #2!)

Tip #2

Pay attention to which direction your home faces.  If your home faces North, that lighting will magnify cool tones, so I would pick a softer white.  Conversely, if your home faces South, pick a white with blue or green undertones that can downplay the brightness of the sun.  This will  avoid your home looking a creamy yellow white.

Tip #3

Take your time. Really think of what style you are going for. Every white paint color really does tell a different story. Some are soft and give you more of a Martha’s Vineyard kind of vibe, and others have cooler tones that would translate better to a little surf bungalow. I have rushed through the process before and really regretted it.

Now, without further ado, here are my top 5 white exterior paint colors!

Hardie Arctic White

Now, in all honesty, I don’t think this is my favorite, but it is what we use the most on our home builds and renovations. If you are building a house, chances are high you are using Hardie Plank – which is of excellent quality and durability.  And if you are, there are stock colors for you to choose from.  So for budgeting purposes, I would suggest going with Arctic White for your plank exterior.  It’s a very neutral white, and I think it really transcends different styles. It works for homes with a coastal or low country aesthetic, homes with traditional architectural elements and homes with a modern vibe.  You really can’t go wrong with Arctic White.  You can see it here on our Modern Farmhouse Project.  So if you are trying to save cash somewhere, choose Hardie Plank Arctic White and do something really fun like this backyard!

Benjamin Moore- Simply White

This is probably my favorite white paint for exteriors.  It is a warm white with a very subtle yellow undertone.  You can see that we  used it inside a home we built here. I do think that I have other favorites for interior white paint, but for an exterior, this paint color is just perfection to me.  It looks great on this exterior by Avenue B – especially with that green blue front door! 

Benjamin Moore- White Dove

This white is the perfect creamy white exterior paint color. It softens a house without making it seem yellow. I would say it has a grey, beige (or greige!) undertone.  We used this on the interior of the Barton Ave. home and LOVED it!  White Dove is a designer go-to for an exterior white paint color.  And, to me, a white dove exterior is just classic.

Benjamin Moore- China White

I think this is the perfect white if you are wanting to use browns and copper or if you have a northerly facing home.  It’s a very creamy and warm white.  It has deeper greige undertones that White Dove.  I would say that, sometimes in the winter, you can see more of a yellow, or brown,  undertone.  I am not a huge fan of that, but if you don’t mind it, China White is a great choice for a warm white exterior paint color.

Sherwin Williams- Pure White

This one is probably my new favorite. It’s so pretty! It is truly a classic, “pure” white and looks great on homes with a coastal vibe.  It is crisp and clean.  I especially love it here in this exterior from Barrow Building Group with the French Blue shutters and warm wood doors.

There are so many white paint colors that picking one for your home exterior can feel a bit overwhelming! But, don’t worry.  And don’t rush it!  You might find that there is one that is not on this list that suits your fancy.  Share with me in the comments the colors you’ve chosen and love! And if you are currently in the process of choosing your exterior paint color, follow my tips–  try swatches on several different walls of your exterior and live with them for a few days.  You will naturally gravitate towards one.  And as the saying goes, you’ll know when you know!

Xx, Amanda