White Exterior House Paint Reveal
It’s time for my White Exterior House Paint Reveal! Drum roll, please. 🙂
The siding will finally be done this week and the siding guy was correct. It took a month for the cement board and batten siding to go up.
I have to tell you that these guys know their stuff and I’m so impressed with the finished product.
Oftentimes, it seems like we complain when a job isn’t done to our satisfaction. So I like to give shoutouts when crews go above and beyond and the siding crew was amazing.
Because the siding guys (and girls!) had to drive over an hour and a half one way, they parked the truck with the trailer full of ladders at my current house (same area) every night.
So Many Shades Of White Exterior Paint
I’ve lived in a beige house for years and I knew I wanted to go white with the new build. But as you know, there are so many shades of white.
I have amassed quite the collection of Samplize paint samples. These peel-and-stick paint samples have been a lifesaver. You simply peel and stick real paint on the wall.
Tip: Do not stick these samples to interior drywall that hasn’t been primed yet. Don’t even ask! I don’t know what I was thinking.
When I removed the sample, it stuck to the drywall and pulled some of it off. Oops.
White Exterior House Paint – Alabaster?
I thought I had my exterior paint color picked out months ago. After ordering all of my favorite colors (Alabaster, White Dove, Snowbound, Chantilly Lace, Simply White, Pure White, etc.) I initially decided to go with Alabaster.
I don’t want a bright put-on-your-sunglasses white. But I also don’t want a white to read yellow. Since all paint colors have an undertone, it’s important to stick some samples up on the exterior siding and look at it in a different light.
So that’s what I did. And I’m so glad. I didn’t put the samples real close together. And on my house, the beige undertone of Alabaster looked yellow. Real yellow.
Now, I’ve read that Alabaster never, ever looks yellow. That it always reads white. I totally disagree.
It does read white most of the time. But sometimes, in the right light, you can see the hint of yellow.
However, I have seen houses painted Alabaster that are simply beautiful and it looks like a soft white – no yellow in sight. That’s why it’s so important to see a sample up on your house before making the decision.
Then I read a comment by someone who painted their house Alabaster and regretted it because you guessed it, it looked creamy yellow.
Alabaster is considered a soft, creamy warm white. It has an LRV (Light Reflectance Value) of 82 which means it’s light and bright.
LRV is the measure of how light or dark a paint color is on a scale of 0 (being the darkest) to 100 (lightest).
White Exterior House Paint Reveal
I’ve decided to go with Pure White by Sherwin Williams! It has an LRV of 84. Pure White is a bright, clean white without being stark or cold.
Update: Now that we’ve been in our house for a few weeks, (8 to be exact!) I’m so glad I went with Pure White for the inside and outside.
We’re still waiting on landscaping (yep, they are behind and it may be September before we have sod and landscaping done!).
Pure White has just a hint of gray undertones but it doesn’t read gray. This paint color also works well for walls, trim, and cabinets.
As a matter of fact, my interior walls, trim, and kitchen perimeter cabinets will be pure white. I had already chosen Pure White for the inside. Trust me, I’ll add pops of color to the decor.
Update: Below is a photo of the inside.
The kitchen island will be painted Naval by Sherwin Williams. Blue and White are my favorite colors – with a little gray and black thrown in the mix.
Helpful Tip: If you’re planning on painting your interior walls white, use the same white for your trim, but use a different sheen (satin or semigloss). If you don’t, the stark white of the trim can make creamy white walls look dirty.
Hello Alli, I’m Karla been reading your blog about white paints. The same three I’m considering are WD, Alabaster & PW. We built our first home in 1975 the year we married now the kids are grown and we have 4 beautiful grandkids .so…now we are building another home at 64 years of age very stressful! My question is did you paint every room Pure White? that’s my number one choice really because I will be going with white plantation shutters mostly throughout our home. I’m OCD and thought about WD but not painting shutters! Anyway, I love your blog your home is gorgeous! Those pendants over your Island I love them! Do you have pictures of your primary bedroom and bathroom with the Pure White? Would love to see more pictures if possible I’m so nervous about white all over. I know it will be beautiful just stressed out with that big decision. our heating and cooling will be 2800sq ft a lot of white! Thanks for sharing your beautiful home, but am pretty sure those rattan pendants will be hanging above my 9 ft island! -Thanks For all the great information. Karla
Hi, Karla! Thanks for stopping by. Yes, every room in my home is pure white and I absolutely love it. It is not a bright white. I was nervous too about painting my entire house (inside and out) pure white but I’m so glad I did. At first, I was going to paint the exterior Alabaster but it looked like a pale yellow when I stuck up the samples because it’s such a creamy yellow. So I changed it to pure white as well and I love it. My kitchen cabinets are pure white except for the island and we had it painted SW Naval. I love it all!
I built my home in GA 8 years ago, we just had the inside and outside repainted (the builder grade paint wwas not the best and with 2 boys!). As I’ve been working with the painters they asked what I would like to switch to….nope not switching. 8 years later I still love my Sherwin William’s Pure White. I often regretted in the early years that I didn’t go with Alabaster – but there would be 4 homes I love in alabaster – and then 2 that were way to creamy/yellow. With Pure White you don’t have to worry about that. But it is still warm and inviting and not COLD or sterile feeling. So our
outside, inside, trim, etc is all pure white. I found your blog because I had also painted my ceiling Haint Blue, but I couldn’t remember the color I used…so I googled and found your blog – and as soon as I saw your Lauren’s Surprise I was like yep, that was it!
I know a lot designers are over the all white and desperately want to do something different, but classic yet modern never goes out of style. It’s not a trend, more of a mindset and personal aesthetic. Plus you can always add pop to other things! I’m currently transforming the old upstairs bonus kids room into my space….and I’m going BM Hale Navy on the built ins, walls, trim…and shockingly Ceiling!!!! All matte and rich, normally I would do semi gloss on trim. But not this time! Love we have similar styles and 8 years on I still love my choices!!
Yes, I’m loving my pure white – inside and out! You are right, white is such a classic and pure white is not cold at all. Thanks for stopping by!!
Hi, I am doing an addition and had planned on the Hardie Board and Battan. The roofer just tried to talk me into
Everlast composite siding. Did you consider that? Also, I was under the impression that the Hardie siding does not need to be painted. Is that incorrect? Please call me or email. Thanks so much, Carolyn 215 962 7651
You can purchase the Hardie board already painted or unpainted. My contractor preferred the unpainted. I did not consider the Everlast. Our battens are spaced 16″ apart and I’m sure you can get that with a composite.
Hi Alli,
I’m about to paint the exterior of my house with BM Swiss Coffee (a creamy white). Do you think I should use the same color for all of the trim, fascia, columns, etc, or should I go with a pure white for those areas? I’m not sure if the slight contrast would look good or bad.
Thanks!
I tend to always use the same white, just in a different sheen for the trim. Sometimes when you use two different shades of white, it can make one look dingy.