Best White for Exterior Trim

Whenever I share my favorite exterior paint colors, there is one question I get asked a lot. What’s the best white for exterior trim? There are a handful of whites that I recommend for trim colors because they have nicely-balanced undertones, and they work well with a wide range of body colors. After reading this post, you’ll have a short list of the best exterior white trim paint colors to sample, and hopefully feel more confident about your exterior paint color choices. 

LRV and Why it Matters

First, let’s talk a little bit about LRV (Light Reflectance Value).  LRV is a measure of how light or dark a paint color is on a scale of 0 (darkest)  to 100 (lightest). For exteriors, it’s important to keep the LRV below a certain value, or your paint colors will look overly bright. Like, “I can’t look at your house without sunglasses” bright.

LRV is really important when choosing exterior white paint colors.  A good rule of thumb is that a white exterior trim should have an LRV less than 85.  In some cases, for example if your home gets a ton of shade, you can push the LRV to 85-92. You’ll find the LRV of a paint color on the manufacturers website (often under the Details section/tab).

OK, let’s move on to the best whites for exterior trim…

#1 – Benjamin Moore White Dove

I consider BM White Dove to be the absolute best white for exterior trim, and it’s my number one for a reason.  White Dove has an LRV of 85, so it’s on the lighter side, but not overly bright.. It’s a warm white with greige undertones, and plays well with a wide range of body colors, including cooler grays, blues, and greens. White Dove looks like a neutral, crisp, clean white on exterior trim, and rarely ever reads too harsh or stark. If you need a white trim paint, be sure to put White Dove at the top of your list of whites to sample.

Here’s a mockup showing a cool gray with blue undertones on the body (it’s BM Coventry Gray) and BM White Dove on the trim. You can read more about this versatile white in this blog post about White Dove. Get peel-and-stick a sample of White Dove HERE.

#2 – Sherwin Williams Alabaster

Coming in at number two on my list, Sherwin Williams Alabaster (LRV of 82) is a gorgeous, bright, slightly creamy white. It’s a very popular body color for that trendy white farmhouse exterior look, but it’s also a fantastic choice for exterior trim. For my exterior paint consultation clients, Alabaster is my go-to white when I want just a hint of creaminess on the trim.

When you pair Alabaster with a soft blue or blue-gray shade, it enhances the color and the result is pure magic. It also works well as a trim color for warmer body colors, like tans and greiges. If you want just the slightest hint of creaminess in your exterior white trim paint, give Alabaster a go. Get peel-and-stick a sample of Alabaster HERE.

Here’s an example of SW Alabaster on the trim, paired with SW Granite Peak on the body.

#3 – Sherwin Williams Pure White

SW Pure White has more gray in it than the others on this list. It also has just a hint of warmth, which keeps it from looking too drab and muddy. If you’re painting your exterior a neutral gray, and you don’t want your white trim paint to have any creamy vibes, then Pure White is a great choice for you. It’s also one to consider if your home is west-facing, and you want to neutralize the effects of warm afternoon sun.  Get a peel-and-stick sample of Pure White HERE.

Here’s a picture of SW Pure White on the trim, paired with SW Dorian Gray on the body. 

#4 – Sherwin Williams Dover White

With its soft yellow undertones, SW Dover White is more of a creamy, ivory white. However, it has an LRV of 83, so it’s still quite bright for an exterior trim paint. Dover White is slightly brighter and creamier than SW Alabaster, and looks great with warm body colors (tans, beiges). It also pairs nicely with dark, earthy colors like browns, taupes, and greens, where a creamier white can help soften the transition between body and trim color. Also, if your home is north or east facing, you might benefit from the extra warmth of Dover White. Shop for your sample of SW Dover White HERE.

Here is SW Tavern Taupe paired with SW Dover White trim.

#5 – Sherwin Williams Natural Choice

With an LRV of 73, SW Natural Choice is the darkest of the whites on my list, with a nicely balanced creaminess to it. When should you use an off-white for your exterior trim? If you’re planning to paint the body of your home a dark gray/charcoal, chocolate brown, or a dark green, sometimes a bright white trim is just too drastic of a contrast. In that case, give Natural Choice a try to help smooth the transition. Your exterior trim will still look white, but just a bit softer. Get a peel-and-stick sample of Natural Choice HERE.

Here, I’m showing one of my favorite dark greens (SW Pewter Green) on the body with SW Natural Choice on the exterior trim. 

#6 – Benjamin Moore Simply White

Simply White is a beautiful, bright, warm white that I recommend often for interiors. However, when it comes to exteriors, it’s on the cusp of being too bright with an LRV of almost 92. So, why is it on my list of whites for exterior trim?

As I mentioned in the LRV section, there are situations where you may need a brighter white for your exterior trim. If your home is heavily shaded, or is north facing, you can push the LRV of your white trim color a bit higher. If you fall into that category, Simply White is a fantastic trim option, and is one you should sample. 

Here is a picture of BM Simply White trim paired with BM Revere Pewter on the body. Simply White can also work well if you want to paint your exterior off-white, and want a brighter white trim for a subtle contrast. Get a sample sheet of BM Simply White HERE.

A Few More White Exterior Trim Colors

Here are a few other exterior white trim colors that I also like and recommend, but just didn’t quite make my top 6. Check them out, and grab samples of any you think would work well with your exterior body color. 

• SW Greek Villa
• SW Shoji White – also read more about Shoji White in this blog post.
• BM Swiss Coffee 
• BM Linen White
• BM Dove Wing
• BM Navajo White

How to Sample Your Exterior Paint Colors

I recommend getting 2-3 samples of every color family for your exterior, and evaluating them in different lighting to see which one looks best. For example, if you’re painting your house a medium greige with white trim, choose 2-3 greige colors and 2-3 whites to try. 

When sampling your colors, be sure to test them in different lighting areas of your exterior. For example, view them in the front and back of the house, and in full sun and shade

I absolutely love the peel-and-stick sample sheets from Samplize. They are inexpensive, and super easy to use. For exteriors, I recommend sticking the sample sheets onto poster board or foam board, rather than directly on your exterior. Or, you can just leave them on their backing paper. The reason for this is that they don’t always stick well to exterior surfaces, and the heat from direct sunlight can cause the adhesive to transfer onto your exterior surfaces. However, the generous size of Samplize sheets still make these a great option for viewing and testing color options for your exterior.  

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