Follow along as I share with you my top go-to popular Sherwin Williams Exterior paint colors. Selecting an exterior paint color can be daunting, but with a little help it can be fun and turn out beautiful.
Once I received a phone call from a client who was in tears because she was painting the exterior of her house and after many tries couldn't find a color she liked.
My heart went out to her because she had lost all the excitement in decorating because of the paint, which is why I am sharing my top 10 go-to popular Sherwin Williams exterior paint colors.
Update: I have added a printable list at the bottom of this post for easy access to the colors when you go pick up samples at the paint store.
RATHER WATCH THAN READ?
POPULAR SHERWIN WILLIAMS EXTERIOR PAINT COLORS
Anytime I get a call about selecting exterior colors I begin with a list of my most popular Sherwin Williams Exterior colors.
You see, if they are popular, then most likely the color has been tried again and again. It's going to be a great color for your house, too!
Once my client narrows down to three colors, we searched Pinterest for houses with that paint color. To make this easy for you, I have collected some great examples for you in this post.
So, without taking up any more time, let's get to the fun part and see how lovely these colors look on houses.
SEA SALT SW 6204
Sea Salt is a personal favorite color. It is refreshing and charming and one of the popular Sherwin Williams exterior colors. See how lovely it goes with the stone on this Bell Custom Home?
This color looks fabulous on this door. If you need ideas for door colors check out modern front door colors.
ALABASTER WHITE SW 7008
You know you have the right color when you are featured in a magazine like Atlanta Homes and Lifestyle.
But honestly, you cannot go wrong with the color Alabaster.
It is such a versatile and popular color; Sherwin Williams even had it as the color of the year in 2017. So if you are looking for a great white color then look at this white exterior paint Sherwin Williams color.
Some other great white colors by Sherwin Williams are Pure White and Extra White which you will also find on the popular Sherwin Williams paint colors list.
REPOSE GRAY SW 7015
Gray colors are super trendy right now, and repose gray is both great on the interior or exterior of a home. Personally, I think it is one of the best exterior gray paint colors, Sherwin Williams carries.
Look at this adorable cottage in Watercolor, Florida. The soft color of Repose Gray is perfect against the pine trees and landscape of North Florida.
Repose Gray is such a versatile color which is why it landed on the popular Sherwin Williams Exterior colors list.
Other popular Sherwin Williams gray colors are Mindful Gray and Agreeable Gray.
ACCESSIBLE BEIGE SW 7036
Now, this was a big decision on which color to feature because I have two colors I like to use in the beige family on the exterior. Accessible Beige won because it was the easiest to find a picture to show you, but I love Kilim Beige very much, too.
Here are more popular Sherwin Williams beige paint colors if you are a lover of beige and want more ideas.
Can you see why this color is on the popular Sherwin Williams paint colors list?
Don't forget my other favorite beige is Kilim Beige.
REAL RED SW 6868
Talk about a timeless and traditional look! We love a classic red door. If you're looking for a shortcut on How to Paint A Front Door Without Removing It, we have the perfect post!
A red door color can be tricky, though, because, if you are not careful, it can come out too orange. So check out this eye-catching red door featured on Southern Living Magazines website. See how the color Real Red made the list for popular Sherwin Williams exterior colors.
It is a perfect red for a traditional white house!
See how timeless these colors are too. They really are the best Sherwin Williams exterior paint colors.
TRICORN BLACK SW 6258
For the last color, I think you will be surprised at how beautiful it is on an entire house. Typically we use black on shutters or doors, but think outside of the box and consider painting your whole house Tricorn Black. Here is a beautiful example of it from GR Interiors.
What are the most popular exterior house colors for 2019?
- Sherwin Williams Sea Salt SW 6204
- Sherwin Williams Repose Gray SW 7015
- Sherwin Williams Real Red SW 6868
- Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black SW 6258
- Sherwin Williams Alabaster SW 7008
- Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige SW 7036
- Sherwin Williams Pure White SW 7005
- Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray SW 7016
- Sherwin Williams Repose Gray SW 7015
- Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray SW 7029
Shop the post:
What is the whitest white from Sherwin Williams?
Extra white is the whitest white but usually for exterior I recommend toning it down a little to alabaster or snowbound. See more about the best Sherwin Williams white exterior paint colors.
HONORABLE MENTION
This is a favorite that didn’t make the most sold popular list but it's great for homes and doors.
SHOJI WHITE SW 7042
Shoji White is a great off-white color by Sherwin Williams that is a subtle white on the exterior of a home, but on the interior, it is more off-white depending on how much light and what kind of light the room gets. This makes the light color extremely versatile and a good option both inside and out. You can learn more about Shoji White at my post Discover the Versatility of SW Shoji White.
CONCLUSION
So your probably wondering what happened to my client. Well after she narrowed down to those three colors and found houses online that were in those colors, she called Sherwin Williams. They gave her some addresses so she could see in person what it would look like on the house.
She finally found the color she loved!
And it all started with the simple step of looking at my top 10 popular Sherwin Williams exterior paint colors.
Now if you are planning to DIY your paint job here is another post with What is in my Paint Crate to help you get started.
SHOPPING LIST
Happy Decorating!
With all those different colors to choose from no wonder your client was in tears. Good thing she had your input to help decide.
Ooh, I love all the colors. Wish I had a house I needed to paint!
I have painted mine repose gray, but now I can’t figure out shutters, awnings and door. I have very little architectural details. I seriously need help. I know the style I like, cut can’t seem to achieve it.
Picking paint colors can be a challenge. Have you looked at Pinterest for ideas? I recommend looking at exteriors on Pinterest and find some you like that have grey doors. Then all you need to do is pick your paint colors based off of the house you like the most.
These are great choices. I have been going back and forth between SW useful gray, repose gray, and alabaster white. I get thrown off and overwhelmed by the red/orange clay tile roof I have. I was interested in a warm gray/cream color. Not sure what trim color to use as well.
All of these colors are perfect. If you go with Alabaster white and you need to paint your door consider a fun color like Wythe Blue by Benjamin Moore or even a darker color like the color of the year for Sherwin Williams which is Oceanside.
Would you be able to recommend any paint exterior paint colors for homes with a orangish clay tile roof?
Great question! I usually don’t share my personal favorite but any shade of white looks great with a terracotta roof except for extra white. Keep it more ivory and off white. However, if your not a white person then try tans or grays and if you are a more adventurous person look at pale greens, mints or any ocean color. I hope this helps.
Hi Linda,
Love your blog!! I’m having a hard time choosing a paint color for my mediterranean style home with the red/orangish terracotta roof, as well. I have recently painted the exterior wall of my home BM white dove because I had to make a quick decision and I knew I wanted a soft white color. I would love a stucco color that is light/nice coordinate to white dove if possible. I’ve been looking at some colors like accessible beige, agreeable gray, and edgecomb gray among others. I just really want a soft white house(without crazy undertones) but don’t want to paint both house and wall the same! I have a tricorn black front door and love it. I would appreciate your input because it is so difficult to find any information on this style home. Also, any ideas for trim colors would be greatly appreciated (I have white windows and brick front walk). Thank you so much!!
Hi Kindra! Your house sounds lovely! BM white dove is a great color for a Mediterranean house. Is there any chance you could email me some photos of your home. It helps a great deal to see what it looks like at this point. [email protected]
Hi Linda,
I just saw your message(not sure how I missed it!) and sent you an email with some exterior home photos. Thanks so much for getting back to me! I’m so grateful!!
Which finish of SW Alabaster white do you recommend for the exterior of a house ?
Hi Penny! I would go with satin or eggshell on exterior paint for siding. For trim, I would do semi-gloss. However, I always recommend you take a photo fo your home with you to the paint store and double check with them to be safe. I hope this helps. If you have any other questions please feel free to contact me. Linda
What color are the door and shutters on the alabaster Atlanta Home in this post?
Very good question. If my memory serves me correct the shutters were Pavestone by Sherwin Williams and the door looks like Wythe Blue by Benjamin Moore.
Do you know by chance what color the roof is on the Alabaster Atlanta home house?
That is a good question. I wish I knew so I could share it too. This is such a pretty house.
I have a pink splitface brick ranch, didn’t want to just use white or black as that’s really all I ever see on this color brick, so I pulled a color from the roof shingles, it has three different colors in it. I went with a green-grey on all doors including garage. It’s different, but I like it.
You’re message made my day! I am so glad you went for what makes you happy and it turned out just right. Thank you for sharing!
What color trim would you pair with SW Alabaster brick exterior?
That is a very good question, Erin. If I was painting my brick and had shutters I would do the trim and brick Alabaster. Then the focus is on the shutters and front door. Consider making the shutters and front door two different colors.
Hello,
have chosen alabaster for new home exterior with alabaster trim…. will it look ok with white(NOt cream) windows?
For interior paint, do we use eggshell and for walls and semi gloss for trim? Using repose gray for living, kitchen, dining walls with extra white trim…..other colors for guest bedroom walls…
Thanks…
Yes, I would recommend eggshell for walls and semi-gloss for trim.
I also am seriously considering painting the exterior (brick) of my house in SW Repose Gray. Not sure if I should use SW Pure White or Extra White for a white trim or do a darker gray trim. What would look best for a ranch style home?
I love painted brick!!! If your windows are white I would consider matching the white of the windows. If they are a darker color I would do Pure White or Alabaster. That is a softer white against the Repose Gray. I hope this helps. I would love to see a photo when you are finished.
Hi! If you were going to paint a two story brick house repose gray and wanted to do a darker trim and shutters, which paint would you pair it with?
Thank you so much!
That is a very good question. What color is your windows? What color are you thinking about painting your front door or is it stained?
Hi!
We have a Tri level home. The home is mostly brick, with the top level being wood. It’s currently natural red brick with a (not so awesome) cream color on the wood. I’m wanting to paint the entire home Alabaster, including the trim, with Tricorn black doors and shutters. We have a detached one car garage behind/off to the side of our home. I thought I may change it up and paint the whole thing Tricorn with Alabaster trim and doors. I keep going back and forth. Thoughts?
I think your ideas would look great!
Hello,
I have a house that is one level, 2 bedroom, with a light gray asphalt roof. Which exterior paint color combination would make the house stand out? I was going to go with Sherwin Williams colors and do a white front, red, door, and black shutters. If I go with this color combo, can you recommend a good white, red, and black color that goes perfect together? Thank you very much!
This is a very good questions. I would look at Tricorn Black for the black and Pure White or Alabaster for the white and Real Red for the door these are all Sherwin William colors. Let me know how it goes. I would love to see a photo when it is finished. 🙂
I think I finally narrowed down my choice to repose gray. My windows are white and the roof is a dark charcoal color. I need some ideas for selecting a front door color that would look good with Repose Gray???? I just found some vintage brown stained shutters to replace the black ones I have up.
Repose grey is a good choice.
what color would you recommend for the front door that would pair nice with repose gray?
That is a great question. Repose gray is like a pair of jeans. There are many options that will work nicely but I love white. Think about your door as the jewel you want to stand out. Consider a color that would allow it to draw a person eye to the front door. I also think blue colors look nice with repose gray. Blue is a welcoming pleasant color. Darker blues like navy or more medium tone blues work together very well. Do a search on Pinterest for an exterior house in grey colors and see what door colors they chose. I believe that seeing a color scheme is a safe way to pick colors for your house. I hope this helps! Come back and share what color you selected. I would love to know.
What colour would you put on a white bungalow with oak windows
Hi Geraldine! Is there any chance you could email me a photo of your bungalow? [email protected]
I am looking to update my split entry home. It is an outdated grey color and I hope to update they grey home look. I am struggling with picking a lighter grey, light trim and peppercorn or tricorn black door or painting the house a dark grey like pepper corn or gauntlet with light or white trim and door color unknown. Any ideas? I hope you answer soon! clueless ER nurse
Sometimes a little change is easier to adjust to than a bigger change but if you love the look of a lighter gray house then know that it may take you a few weeks to adjust to the change. I always tell my clients to not panic but give it some time and most the time they love it after they adjust. If you want to go with a lighter grey house look at repose gray and white duck for the trim. The black door would be great with this. I hope this helps. Let me know how it goes.
Hi! My husband and I are in the throws of choosing a paint color for our exterior. The lower level is reddish/orange brick and the upper level is siding. I thought I had it narrowed down to SW Alabaster or SW Snowbound but after seeing them on the house, Alabaster seems more yellow, especially in the sunlight, and Snowbound appears to be a stark white (vs. a soft white with gray undertones). Every time I read about them they’re talked about like they’re the perfect choice so I had high hopes for both! I’d love to get your thoughts on the yellow I’m seeing in Alabaster or the starkiness of Snowbound. Have you seen this before? Thank you so much!
These are really good thoughts. I recently had this conversation with a friend and she was looking at white duck. Give this color a try for a less stark white with a gray undertone. Let me know how it goes.
Really appreciate the recommendation. One more question, looking at Westhighland White, Greek Villa and Alabaster, what’s the difference across those three? Besides Alabaster, have you seen the others used on exterior brick? Thanks again Linda!
Hi Ellen, I absolutely agree with everything you said! I have brick at the lower level of my house and hardi plank siding towards middle/top and I am in between alabaster and west highland as well! Did you end up choosing between the two, or going with another white?
Do you prefer Sherwin Williams Duration or Ben Moore Regal Select for exterior paint? The painters swear by Ben Moore and others. The choice in white paints and finishes is overwhelming. Your recommendations are spot on, I have been able to find the best info on pinterest. Seeing colors on a home is the best. Yellowing of the white paint is a concern, and showing grime. I live in Florida, grey paint chalks up easily near beach. Any suggestions. I am looking at Dove White Ben Moore.
I have little experience with Benjamin Moore paints except selecting some of the colors. I always refer to the local Sherwin Williams for help on the right kind of paint. If you stay with latex your white paint should not yellow but again I would talk to the people at your Sherwin Williams. As far as paint colors let me think and do some research on coastal paints. This might lead into a good post. 😉
I have a two story home with a raised front porch. Thinking about pure white for exterior brick and either sea salt or repose gray for shutters. My house is very large and staggered in front. Southern style. My roof is grey architectural shingles. What are your recommendations?
I think this would be beautiful! What color are you thinking for the front door? Also, check into the limewashing brick. It has a white look without a solid white painted finish and it looks great too. You can apply it regularly or distress it.
Hi!
I am about to paint the exterior of my 2 story Williamsburg style home(siding). You touched on all of the colors I want to use(white, red, black, and blue.) Would the body of the house in alabaster, tricorn for shutters, real red for door, and wythe blue for porch ceiling go together? I’m still undecided on whether I want a red or blue door. Would wythe or sea salt be a good option for door or ceiling with the alabaster has tricorn? Also, any advice on which types of paint to use on the house, shutters, door and ceiling(eggshell, semi gloss, etc? Thank you!!
Thanks!
Hi Nicole! I think the Alabaster would be good for the exterior. Also, look at White Duck by Sherwin Williams. It is white with a grey tone. Tricorn is perfect for the shutters and either the red or the blue for the door. However, on the ceiling color ask Sherwin Williams to show you the color Blue Heron by Duron DCR054. This is apart of the Charleston collection. I used this blue on my porch ceiling and it worked out great. Click this link to see it on my porch to get an idea of the color. https://lifeonsummerhill.com/screened-in-porch-decorating-ideas/ I hope this helps! Also on the type of paint to use I would take a picture of your home to Sherwin Williams and ask for their advice. They are very knowledgable and helpful!
Hi I’m looking to repaint our home irs a parsnip beige color stucco with white Columns in the front with white Double doors I would like to soften And update the color keep the white trim and white color on the columns and windows I’m into cream or beige grays what color would you suggest or combo of whites and cream or beige grey in light colors ?
I think what you describe sounds lovely. I am not sure I would add color unless you do color on your door. Have you thought about color on your door?
Hi!
I’m painting my home next week. I have chosen Alabaster for the body, Tricorn for the shutters, and Wythe Blue for the front door. I have 2 questions. I am painting the porch ceiling blue and I’m not sure if I should use the wythe also. Or a lighter or darker color? Also, I have 3 doors on the back of my house. Should I just paint those the Tricorn also?
Robin, I am so sorry I am just now seeing your message. I hope I am not to late to help. These are all very good questions and I love your paint choices. For the ceiling I would have the paint store cut wythe blue by 20% and get a sample paint. I would also get a sample paint of the wythe blue. Then I would paint the ceiling sample onto the ceiling and door or on a piece of foam board and have someone hold the ceiling board over your head on the porch and place the door board on the door. It is important to have someone hold it up like it is on the ceiling because colors get darker when in that position. Now stand back and see how they look together. If you feel like the ceiling color is not quite the right haint blue go to my haint blue ceiling color post and get samples of some of these paints and hold them over your head to compare them to the front door. https://lifeonsummerhill.com/haint-blue-paint-colors/ Remember one thing if God can put different shades of blue together like the sky and ocean then you can too. But do what feels right to you. I hope this helps! Linda
Hi! What’s the color of the shutters on the Atlanta Homes home? Thanks!
Yes, the shutters are Pavestone by Sherwin Williams.
We are painting our house SW Charleston White. Should the trim be Charleston White also or just regular trim white? Thanks!
I am not sure what Charleston White looks like. Is it an off white? If so extra white trim would be beautiful with it. If it is a white color then I would go with Charleston white for the trim too. I hope that helps. 🙂
Do you know which white color they used for the trim on the repose gray home?
TIA for your help
That is a good questions. I do not know what color they used. Did you try clicking on the link and going to their site? They may have it written in their post.
I just found your blog and I love it. I like all the exterior paint colors and combinations you suggested, especially the one from Atlanta Homes magazine. We’re about to paint our house and I’ve narrowed it down to SW Alabaster siding with beige or taupe shutters or light beige siding with white shutters. I love the look of a shop in Sag Harbor NY called Bloom. It’s light beige with white shutters. I know colors look completely different on a computer screen but on line it looks perfect, a light beige with no lavender or green tones. I’ve considered calling them to ask the color but am a bit hesitant to do that. Is there any chance you could help me figure out what color it is? Thanks again for all the suggestions in this post.
I will give it a try. Can you email me a link to the photo of the shop. [email protected] Put in all caps EXTERIOR PAINT COLORS in the subject so I won’t miss it.
Thanks. I’ve got the pictures of Bloom in Sag Harbor saved on Pinterest. I’ll send you an email when I figure out how to do it.
I love and appreciate your site! We are building our second custom home, but first one with Hardy Board. We are so torn on the perfect gray exterior. We are torn between City Loft and Agreeable gray. We will have a stone skirt around the house. We are also torn on which color front door we should choose!!! Please help! Hah!
Both gray colors are great! I have not used City Loft before but I love it. Agreeable Gray is a great color to use on the exterior. Either one will work but the only one I can honestly say I like is agreeable gray. For the front door what about a darker gray like Earl Gray or Benjamin Moore Kitty Gray. Or a white color like Alabaster. https://lifeonsummerhill.com/modern-front-doors/
Hi, I know this post is old, but do you have any experience with SW Modern Grey as an exterior paint? We have an 80s Modern home that is currently (for 35 years) Ben Moore Seagull Grey…we want to lighten it up and we are leaning towards SW modern Grey. We have the very common 80s diagonal cedar siding and live in a nicely wooded coastal beach town.
Hi Eliza! Modern grey looks like a great color for your home exterior. I do not have experience with the color but it looks very pretty. I would go to Sherwin Williams and ask them if they know any homes in your community that have the color modern grey on it. Many times they know of a home you can ride by and look at the house.
do you have color recommendations for french stucco home. Can you include your favorite color for body and dark grey trim
How about Sherwin Williams alabaster white or white duck for the exterior. Here is a house with white duck on the body of the house and a medium to dark tone grey for the trim. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/764837949204436047/
HI! I love your work! wondering your thoughts on my house. I am considering painting the brick alabaster, thinking paverstone for the trim at the windows and iron ore for the shutters. What would you do for the door and gutters? Or would you do anything differently?
Thank you!
I like the colors you have picked out. Alabaster would be beautiful on your brick and pavestone and iron ore look great with alabaster. I would paint my gutters alabaster too and possibly a blue color for the door like Benjamin Moore Wythe blue. If you are using all Sherwin Williams they will be able to pull the Benjamin Moore color and mix it for you. I hope this helps! I would love to see a photo after it is finished. Please remind me of who you are if you send a photo.
I inherited a green shingle roof when I bought my Dutch colonial revival. It’s a new roof so I don’t want to switch out the shingles but the green shingles are limiting me on colors. I like the alibaster color with the idea of a dark navy trim and windows. Thoughts?
Hi Jackie! I think Alabaster would be a great color for your Dutch colonial revival home. If you google green roof white house and then click images you will find lots of examples. For trim and windows I would look at a green that is so dark it almost appears black or match up the roof color. But when you look for examples of houses keep an eye open for the navy idea. If you find one and you love it then I would go with that color scheme. I hope this helps!
Thanks for this question and reply. We are in the same boat with our 100+ year old home with a hipped green tile roof wanting to change them gray paint to a neutral or creamy white! We’re considering alabaster or maybe Greek villa.
We still have a family home in my hometown and the roof is green. We painted it divine white with alabaster trim and it looks great. However, there is another house with a green roof that has alabaster white as its exterior. It looks amazing! If you like Alabaster I would stronger consider it. I hope this helps and good luck!
Hi Linda! I have referred to your amazing post several times over the past week, and I have decided to reach out hoping for some advice. The house is a craftsman farmhouse( is that a thing, maybe I just made that up) and the builder painted the window pane trim(long 4 pane windows with transom tops) a different color than the trim and the hardiplank was also different. I would like to simplify this by painting the hardiplank exterior as well as the trim the same color and am leaning towards Sherwin Williams White Tail. I am having a hard time choosing the window pane trim color- we tried sea salt and it was to bright. Can you recommend a muted gray/green? Would you paint the door a third color or keep it simple and paint it the same as the window trim? I am not sure what other color would coordinate well. Thank you so much for any advice you could provide!
Hi Jaime! Is there any chance you can email me a photo of the outside of your home? My email is [email protected]. This will help me see the style and put the colors you are thinking on the house. Then I can guide you on the grey color and door.
We have red brick with weeping mortar so painting the brick is not an option. For siding on front window and back of home we would like to do Repose Gray and a lighter color for the trim. Black shutters. Thoughts?
This sounds just like an email I received. Are you the same person? LOL! Repose gray is a great color for the exterior. I think repose gray will look great along with black door and trim. However, if your door is in a dark area consider something brighter like white so it will stand out more. I hope this helps!
I love your blog post!!! We are looking to paint our little cape cod Alabaster White. Our home was built in the 1950’s so it has some siding on the peaks on each side of the home that needs to be replaced. Do you have any recommendations on what color to do the siding? All the siding I find doesn’t match alabaster white, we are going to do Pavestone batten board shutters, & front porch for the door color. I would love to hear back and get your ideas because I am such a bind.
Hi Allison! Your home sounds so charming! I would love to see a photo when you are finished. Here is a thought on the paint color. Take a sample of the white siding to Sherwin Williams and ask them to match it. Then paint your whole house that color unless you want a different color on the siding. I hope this helps and good luck!
Love your post. Just bought a centennial farm house that we are looking to paint. I have chosen blueprint for the doors. But am at a loss on the house color. Torn between a white grey or even yellow. Please help
I think a white grey would look beautiful with blueprint.
What a great article! We are doing a color match with the James River Gray and looking at SW whites for a trim to make it pop as the house is a modern Victorian style. I am looking at SW Snowbound and SW Pure White to make some of the trim features pop. Any recommendations on how to decide between the two?
I honestly don’t think you will go wrong with either of these colors. They are both great trim colors.
Hi,
I need help choosing front door color. My house is SW Gray Clouds and Extra White trim. I’m thinking a color in the grays/ blue gray range, would like a little contrast I think.
Thanks
Hello,
I came across your blog post and I love it! Before seeing your blog I had some colors in mind: gray clouds, repose gray, agreeable gray and Alabaster. I need some help in choosing body color and trim for my exterior stucco home. This will be our first time painting our home (exterior) since we moved in 7 years ago. I’m so nervous. Not sure if to go neutral body on light trim, or neutral body color with dark trim. Would it be helpful if I can email you an image of my home. Please let me know. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance. ????
Picking a paint color for the first time can be stressful. I have not had any experience with gray clouds but the other colors I know look very pretty. You will not go wrong with any of them. Which are you attracted to the most? A light body color with dark trim or a neutral body-color with light trim? I usually encourage people to look at houses on Pinterest and see what is stopping them in their search. Then ask yourself if you can live with it. I love black but I cannot live with black. LOL! I hope this helps.
Hi! Just found your blog and it was incredibly helpful. I find selecting an exterior paint a bit overwhelming. We just finished our color consultation and ended up going in a different direction than expected. We have what you might call a transitional home with some scalloped and detailed trim. We ended up choosing between the darker SW greys for the body, a few shades lighter for the detailed trim, and extra white for the rest of the trim including our upper balcony. Curious: Would you recommend a darker body with lighter grey detail or would the reverse look better (lighter body and darker accent for the trim)? Appreciate your guidance!!
I am so glad my post was helpful! That is a good question about the dark and light gray trim. Have you seen a photo of a house with this on it? I would look for an example of a house to see if I like it or not. Pinterest is a great place to search or you can search on google. I usually type in dark gray house and then click the images tab on google. I hope this helps! Good luck!
Hi! I’m considering either fleur deal sol or snowbound for the body and either Dutch tile blue or storm cloud for the shutters ( only have 2)
Would you recommend a wood stained glass lite door ? Thx
Stain on the door would be very pretty!
I love that the Atlanta Homes house is in our neighborhood so we can drive by. We painted our house Snowbound and left our cedar accents natural. We have bronze brown downspouts and are looking to stain the mahagony front door a darker brown to go with the bronze brown accent on the gutters/downspouts & shed roof. We want to tone down the red of the mahagony. What stain do you recommend for the mahagony door? Our interior floors are a combination of simply white and provencial but we think provencial will be too light on the front door. Thank you!
That is exciting that the Atlanta house is in your neighborhood. Your house sounds lovely! I do not have a lot of experience with stain. If I were you I would go to Sherwin Williams with a photo of my front door and a photo of what I want it to look like and ask them. I wish I could help more. Good luck! I would love to see a photo of your house when you are finished with the door.
Thanks for the great start (our interior is sea salt!) Our home is a single story L- shaped ranch and is the most awful tan heavy lace stucco. We are looking for some way to modernize without having to re-stucco or put on siding. We are really wanting a fun door possibly Whythe Blue or a sunny yellow. Any thoughts about what would look good on stucco? Do you offer virtual consults?
Hi Jaci! Sea salt and Wythe blue are both fun beautiful colors. Here is a post of other door colors and there is a lovely yellow in it. https://lifeonsummerhill.com/modern-front-doors/ A few great colors for stucco are Alabaster white and agreeable gray. Here is a post about Alabaster white https://lifeonsummerhill.com/sherwin-williams-alabaster-white/. I hope this helps and good luck with selecting a color for your house.
Amazing House Paint! when I saw your house paint on your blogs, it gives a truely relaxation on the eyes of someone who gazed on it. And thank you posting this one.
http://www.paintingnanaimo.com
Hi. This is very helpful! Thank you. Can you offer any recommendation for a white color to go with Urbane Bronze garage and front doors? I found an example that uses Alabaster for the body of the house and Skyline Steel for trim. I love it but I worry that Alabaster is too white for my house. I do not want to highlight imperfections in my track home stucco and brick. I am thinking Moderne White but I am nervous because it does not seem “tried and true.” I have thought about and like Eider White, but worry that the purple undertone will end up popping on the large scale (maybe that is okay?). And I have also considered Reserved White since it seems like a very neutral nondescript white. But it seems no one has ever painted their exterior that color. I am in white color purgatory. Help!!
Elisabeth
I can see your dilemma. It is hard to make suggestions without seeing a house. Alabaster sounds like it will work even if your home has imperfections. Have you thought about asking Sherwin Williams? I would take a photo of your house for them and ask their opinion. Another thought is to ride around neighborhoods that have houses similar to yours. Look for a white house and see how the white has held up on it especially if it seems to have imperfections. I hope this helps! Good luck!
Thanks for sharing this beautiful content.
Hello! I really love the sherwin williams alabaster white house you’ve shown on here, but I’m a Benjamin Moore girl, do you know which color would be the equivalent?
Thanks!
Meg
That is a good question. I do not have a match but if you go to Benjamin Moore I can almost guarantee you that they have the formula for Sherwin Williams Alabaster. The two companies usually have formulas for each other popular colors. I hope this helps and good luck with your paint project.
I recently painted my home alabaster with pavestone shutters and wythe blue door. The shutters aren’t giving the same vibe as the picture you have posted and I can’t figure out why. Would tricorn black shutters matcha either blue door or would it look off? I need shutters that are a little darker. What would you suggest?
Hi Angelia! If you are wanting a lot of contrast then tricorn black would be a great option. Another black option that is not a dark black but a more charcoal black is iron ore or peppercorn. I recommend getting a sample and painting it on a piece of foam board then standing it up against your house so you can back off and look at it. I hope this helps and good luck!
Hello Linda,
I am loving Accessible Beige and I am considering it for the exterior body of my home that faces west in Florida. Will it read creamy or will it look to washed out? My gutters, eaves and windows are white. My roof is a warm tan that has gravel colors in dark orange brown and white. Sometimes I think it has a pink cast and I do not want a beige paint color that has a pinkish undertone. Not sure if it would my trim around my 2 big windows and my garage door would look better in Extra white, Pure White or go 2 shades darker and trim out using Tony taupe. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
These are all good questions. Colors are affected by many factors. To play it safe I would get a quart of paint and paint it on the house in a large area. Then watch the color for over 24 hours. This is really the only way to see how it will read over on your house. Accessible beige, extra white, and pure white are all great colors. I hope this helps and good luck with your painting project.
Hello. I am downsizing and building a small cottage near my daughter. The siding is a pure white and I’d like to use cedar columns on porch with brick halfway and cedar window box on front. My roof is castle gray and I need help with shutter and door colors. I do not like black or red. Leaning towards fields of green by valspar for door but am open to suggestions. I thought about cedar shutters but I think that will be to much wood for such a small house. Please help. Wish I could add a picture
It sounds like your home is going to be lovely. I like the idea of green on your door and fields of green would be a nice green. I have two thoughts.
First, consider painting the shutters the same color as the door. And two have you considered a gray color for the shutters? If gray is a consideration look at Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray and Light French Gray. I hope this helps and good luck.
Hi Linda! This post has been a life saver. I love all of your recommendations. I to feel stuck on choosing an exterior color and I wanted your opinion. I live in Florida in a one story stucco exterior. I have white windows and glass front door and a dark garage door. I haven’t painted in years and need a refresh. I plan to paint the the body either Alabaster or Pure White and accent ( garage door and roof in tricorn black. I have a thin trim around windows of the house. My question is should I add a gray trim around windows like a repose gray, amazing gray or pavestone or leave it all white? Any suggestions would be great and relieve the stress of a lifetime. HELPP 🙂
Hi Rachel! Your house sounds lovely! These are all good options. My first choice is neutral. Repose gray is a great color for a neutral. If you know you are painting your house I would pick up samples and paint around a window with the white and the repose gray. Leave it for a day or two and see how you like it throughout the day as the lighting changes. If you feel the repose gray is too light then I would try Pavestone. I hope this helps and good luck!
What color trim is used on the Repose Gray exterior body? How about an accent color for the front door (no pastel please. Area gets an awful lot of morning sun, hence not black either.). Thank you
That is a good question. I do not have the exact color of the trim but if I had to guess it looks like pure white. As far as a front door color check out my blog post on popular front door colors. https://lifeonsummerhill.com/modern-front-doors/ It is a great place to look for ideas.
Repose gray matches almost all colors but I love blue tones with it the most.
Do you know what paint color is used on the shutters of the first house (painted Alabaster)? Thank you!
This is a very good question. If my memory serves me correctly it is Pavestone by Sherwin Williams. If you want something a little lighter try Repose Gray. I think that would be pretty too. Good luck on your exterior painting project!
Can I see all your colors of paint that I could use on my porch? Maybe in the Gray family.
We are having a really tough time choosing paint colors for our house. We have painted the brick white and trim white but want to paint the siding a pretty color. We want black shutters and a red door. We live near the beach but it’s not a beach house. It’s more traditional and our decor is traditional. Please please help!!! I can send a photo
Hi Ann! It sounds like you have a lovely house. I love a white house with a red door and black shutters. Email me at [email protected] with your photos. I will do my best to help. Also, include what colors you are thinking of for the siding. I check my emails daily, and sometimes things end up in spam, so reply here when you send it so I will know to check for it.
We are retired and downsizing to an eco-friendly farmhouse in the future. I want to paint the exterior Sherwin Williams Alabaster. The porch columns and garage doors will be a dark cedar stain. The front door is to be Sherwin Willams Georgian Bay blue. Window frames are black. It is on a slope, so the foundation is going to have an old red/gray brick facing. I am hoping (against the advice of friends & family) to have a white shingle roof, or a VERY light gray. Summer temps above 110° need to be reflected! With alabaster being on the warm side and most white & gray shingles having a “cooler” edge, I need an objective opinion. Please let me know your thoughts.
Thank you!
Hi Terry! This is a good question. I feel like what you are describing will look good. My sister, who recently retired, moved into my parent’s old wood house, which has a white/grey tin roof. If my memory serves me correctly, I think we went with Alabaster for the siding. I am checking with her to see if it has been painted. If so, I can email you a photo to see what a white roof and white siding will look like. Last, I always encourage my clients to search google or Pinterest for houses with the same elements. In other words, search google for (white house with white roof) and then click images. This will show you lots of photos. I hope this helps, and I will be in touch with a photo if it has been painted. Good luck and have a great day!
I need some help in selecting a trim color. We are using the Certainteed Herringbone colored siding. We have white windows and garage doors. I would like to do some kind of off white for the trim around the windows and front entry. I tried Simply White, but too bright. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Patti! Here is a blog post sharing off-white paint colors. Look at shoji white by Sherwin Williams as an off-white option to test. Good luck with your exterior project!! https://lifeonsummerhill.com/sherwin-williams-off-white-colors/
Hi Linda,
What color SW White was used as trim on last image provided of home painted in Tricorn Black?
Thank you!
Laura
Hi Laura! That is a good question. It looks like the link to this photo no longer exists. If I had to guess I would try Alabaster white for the trim. Sorry I cannot help any more than this. Good luck on your paint project.
Hi Linda,
After reading your articles many times, I have decided to paint my Cape Cod house Repose Grey and the front door Wythe Blue. My windows are white with black shutters and a black roof and I need your advice on what color white to paint the trim?
Your house colors sounds similar to my sisters. She used Alabaster for her trim and it turned out beautiful. I would try Alabaster.
Hi Linda,
I read all 120+ comments and didn’t see my question.
We’re trying to go for an English cottage vibe for our South Atlantic home,and we don’t get much sun because we have a very wooded yard. We need to replace our roof and paint. I love the look of the Atlanta house, yet I’m worried it might show a lot of dirt. And, I’m thinking grays will look dreary. What exterior colors/ trim, etc. would you suggest for our little cottage in the woods? Thank you so much. Happy Holidays!
What about accessible beige? Check out that color as an option.
Hi Linda,
I have seen Sea Salt online as an accent color- doors and shutters but we are considering using it as the main color. I am worried it may feel too intense? Do you agree it could be a successful exterior color perhaps paired with a creamy white trim? Would love your thoughts or even suggestions for a green blue grey that is more muted?
Thank you!
Hi Michelle! This is a very good question. Sea Salt is a great green/blue grey in my opinion. My best advice for picking an exterior paint color is to ask your local Sherwin Williams if they know of a house that is painted in that color where you can drive by and see how it looks. Another idea is to paint a large section of one side of your home to see how it looks throughout the day. Last, from my experience this color can be more vibrant on houses near the coast. I hope this helps! Thanks for stopping by the blog and good luck!
good morning, I am getting ready to paint this little yellow farmhouse alabaster white with the seasalt door as shown above. I have 2 questions:
1. I am curious what the gray on the shutters is?
2. The lines on my house aren’t as clean because this farmhouse has had several additions and I am trying not to reside the entire house,perhaps just the mudroom additions and the front porch. I won’t be able to achieve the smooth streamline look above, mine will definitely be a little more rough but cute. Any suggestions?
Your house sounds charming!
Alabaster is a great white/white color and I love sea salt for the door. Another pretty color option for your door is Wythe Blue by Benjamin Moore. I used it on my door for years and so many people loved it. Here is a post where the door is painted Wythe Blue. https://lifeonsummerhill.com/modern-front-doors/
As far as the gray color for the shutters I do not have that information but look at Repose Gray or Mindful Gray by Sherwin Williams. I think it might be one of those.
Good luck on painting your house. I wouldn’t worry about the lines. I think old houses with imperfections give it character and charm! You house will be so pretty with a fresh new paint finish.