Apart from the colors of each room, another part of home renovations is the exterior. Exterior paint jobs are often very costly, so you are stuck with the color of your choice for a few years.
The same shades are also subjected to the natural elements, meaning you have a lot to consider. So, while choosing the right combination of colors for the exterior of a house, people often select white.
Modern white house exterior paint colors are often the most popular choice because of their versatility. A simple white looks beautiful, notwithstanding the condition of the structure.
They also match most aesthetics to create enchanting and pristine visuals. However, the question is, which shades of white do you get? There are different types of white paints available in the market.
In this article, we outline the best of them.
1. Benjamin Moore: Dove White
This shade of white is guaranteed to give your house a fresh look while creating a warm environment. Dove White is such a versatile color that it can be used anywhere for optimum effects. There is a certain creaminess to the white, which makes it glowy under natural light.
Dove White also has a Light Reflective Value(LRV) of 83.16, putting it between white and off-white. This shade may have warm undertones, but it is created with a mixture of colors, making it rich and complex. Your house exterior will surely never look dingy with this hue.
2. Sherwin Williams: Pure White
Another white that has made a name for itself in the world of interior decor is Pure White. But despite its popularity indoors, it works remarkably well as one of the best modern white house exterior paint colors. The color also lacks certain creaminess, making it perfect for those who love true white.
Pure White is much lighter than the other off-white paints. It has a mixture of gray and cream in it but gives off the effect of a true white color. However, this shade is not for those who want softer undertones.
3. Behr: Swiss Coffee
An off-white paint that will make you get your money’s worth is Behr’s Swiss Coffee. The paint is incredibly soft and muted, making it much less creamy than the other off-whites available. The hue has yellow undertones that make it much more comfortable on the eyes. But with Swiss Coffee, the wall is to look on the beige side.
There are often concerns about off-whites, especially those that look too yellowish. But even though Swiss Coffee has warm undertones, it radiates a beautiful glow under natural light. It also performs well when accented with black.
4. Sherwin Williams: Oyster White
All white paint may look the same to the untrained eye, but they are indeed different. If you are looking for luxurious paint that would elevate the entire exterior of your house, get Oyster White. This creation of Sherwin-Williams is one of the best modern white house exterior paint colors available.
Oyster White is creamy, lying in the orange family of colors. But at the same time, it has the appropriate amount of gray in it. The result, therefore, toes the line between white beige and greige. However, It is warm enough to make the house seem cozy and accessible.
5. Benjamin Moore: Simply White
Stark white is bright, but designers often choose off-whites like Benjamin Moore’s Simply White for their warmth. The paint has a distinct yet very subtle warmth that provides all the brightness of pure white without being sterile. Its crispy freshness makes it one of the most popular paints on the roster.
Simply white is a bright white, having the light reflective value of 89.52. It also has a warm undertone that can be mistaken for white under the right light. However, you can be sure that it would not look too yellowish on the exterior of a house.
6. Sherwin Williams: Snowbound
Unlike the name Snowbound, Sherwin William’s paint is not as bright white as the snow. The color of pristine snow is nothing compared to the soft glow of the paint that is snowbound. And if you look at the swatches, you might even think it is greige. But if used on large surfaces like an exterior wall, the color attains its true stature.
As a modern white house exterior paint color, Snowbound has garnered much popularity. Due to the gray undertones of the paint, it will look much cooler than the usual yellow-based creams.
7. Benjamin Moore: Chantilly Lace
When people think of white, they may just think of one single shade. But there is a reason so many kinds of white paint are old in the market. All of these have different undertones that make them unique. On that note, Chantilly Lace can be considered quite white.
The color is very light and would make your house look much bigger. Chantilly Lace also falls in the middle of the spectrum, being a very crisp white. It has neither too much warmth nor is it too cool. So you can influence it with accent colors.
8. Behr: Whisper White
Another bright color that looks anything but stark and sterile is Behr’s Whisper White. It is perfect for those who want to make their house look big and luxurious without going for a basic shade. It is usually used to make a clear contrast against other shades of cream because of its crispiness.
This modern white house exterior paint color ranks high on the LRV scale. With a value of 89, it is considered quite bright. But even with no yellow in the mix, the brown and cream perform well to make the exterior look amazing.
9. Sherwin Williams: Extra White
One of the most popular white paints that are used all the time is Extra White by Sherwin Williams. This paint is mainly used as a trim but can look stunning on the exterior of a house. Compared to other white paints on this list, Extra White is a little darker, with an LRV of 86. But its undertones still make it look very bright and crisp.
Unlike off-whites that give off a subtle cream finish, Extra White has blue undertones. This means even when it acts as a mirror, the result will be decidedly on the cooler side.
10. Benjamin Moore: China White
Another unique white color that influenced a lot of designers is China White. This off-white shade from Benjamin Moore is known for being light and warm without any yellow undertones. It can also be considered an almost white greige, but truly, the result depends on the surroundings.
As one of the most popular modern white house exterior paint color of the year, China White is incomparable. This color also has a low chroma score of 0.65, just like other off-whites. But it is technically too dark to be a true white.
11. Sherwin Williams: Alabaster
If you are looking for paint that looks good under any light, Sherwin William’s Alabaster is bound to win you over. It is a neutral that is extremely versatile and shines as the true star of the show. The subtle greige undertones ensure that the exterior of your house will look bright without blinding others.
The problem with off-whites is dealing with yellow undertones in the creams. But with Alabaster, the walls are warmed up without any yellow. It is a soft and mild off-white that is barely bright enough to be called white.
12. Benjamin Moore: Sea Pearl
Sometimes, it is hard to establish just how different each shade of the color white is. Sure, there is pure white, a color hard to look at under bright light. But the off-whites, greige, and creams create the most unique of rainbows. One such color is Benjamin Moore’s Sea Pearl.
This modern white house exterior paint color is the embodiment of warm off-white that is forever versatile. The slight gray undertones keep it on the greige side, but it still manages to look creamy and inviting. The shade is the perfect mixture of modernity and traditionalism.
13. Sherwin Williams: White Heron
One of the most uniquely white and off-white, yet neither color is Sherwin William’s White Heron. The shade falls under the category of Light Near Neutral and is colorfully dark. But once used on the exterior of a house, the result would be astounding. However, it should not be confused with the Benjamin Moore shade of the same name.
White Heron holds itself apart from other shades of cream and greige. But some can always see the undertones of gray in it.
14. Sherwin Williams: Creamy
If you are looking for the perfect shade of cream among the modern white house exterior paint color, Creamy is the answer. It is considered to be neutral but will make your space look warm yet bright and cozy. The paint is in the off-white family but has a Light Reflective Value of 81. This makes it almost pure white compared to other creams.
As the name suggests, Sherwin William’s Creamy makes the walls look warm. It also lacks any gray whatsoever. On the exterior of the house, the paint would look like it switches color during day and night.
15. Sherwin Williams: White Duck
The last color among the modern white house exterior paint color is White Duck. It is also a pretty shade of light, warm, neutral white that you can use anywhere. But when put on the exterior of a house, it makes the entire space shine.
The color is a unique mixture of greige and cream that does not lean towards yellow. Every kind of paint has undertones, and it is better to work out the swatches before committing. With White Duck, the neutral shows off with the barest hint of cream.
Wrapping Up
There are too many white shades of paint available in the market that can overwhelm an ordinary buyer. From cool undertone whites to creamy ones, each one results in different outlooks. All of them are pretty; only a few perfectly suit the exterior of a house. The trick to selecting the right modern white house exterior paint color is to not get the extremely bright ones.
The tricky undertones often throw off people. But if you were to go for a simple Dove White, you would be guaranteed amazing results. A more unique perspective would be using Behr’s Swiss Coffee for the entire exterior. All of these shades are classic and fresh and make the task of choosing exterior paint quite easy.
Comment below and let us know about your favorite white shade of paint!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is White a Good Exterior House Color?
Different types of whites are available to paint your house’s exterior, as it is the most common choice. However, many people do not want whites that are stark and too bright. These whites may look nice on paper but are blindingly bright during the day. So, an off-white or something creamy is often chosen within the wheelhouse of white.
Which Color is Best for The Exterior of a House?
The choice of color when it comes to home decor always depends on the owner’s personality. But there are a few popular choices that are always in vogue. Apart from whites and grays, there are also excellent combinations like Grey and Orange, Brown, White, and Red. Light Terracotta is also a popular choice for a house’s exterior that pairs well with modern white house exterior paint color.
What Exterior Colors Make a House Look Bigger?
There are many ways to make a house look bigger from the outside, the most effective one being light paint. Choosing lighter colors for the house’s exterior not only makes it look bigger but also lighter and more inviting. The best choices that reflect more light are white, ivory, pale gray, and sage green.
With a Master’s in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, Alexander Martin has dedicated the last 18 years to enhancing outdoor living through thoughtful and robust structure design. His career kicked off in urban planning, giving him a unique perspective on integrating structures into diverse environments. In 2019, Alexander brought his expertise to our website, offering insights into creating versatile outdoor spaces. Since then, he has been the lead advisor for our outdoor design projects and is known for his ability to merge functionality with environmental consciousness. Alexander enjoys rock climbing outside of work and participates in community development projects, activities that reflect his passion for the outdoors and sustainable design.
