Jean Carroll
The gorgeous, white, modern farmhouse style houses that are popping up all over the place? White can be a beautiful, but tricky paint color for exteriors…too bright, and you risk blinding drivers passing by…too dark, and it just looks “muddy.” If you’re considering painting your house white, keep reading this post! I know you were ready to dive into paint colors, and I’m being a total buzzkill, but LRV is important for white exteriors.
LRV is a measure of how light or dark a paint color is on a scale of 0 (darkest) to 100 (lightest).
I really don’t want to go into too much detail, because the specifics are a bit boring, but a good rule of thumb is that an exterior LRV should be no higher than 85. Sherwin-Williams chose Alabaster as its Color of the Year for 2016, and Joanna Gaines painted her own house with it, so you know it’s good!
Seapearl and China White are the exact same color, just a different name (confirmed with Benjamin Moore). While it can sometimes look a bit dingy when used for interiors, when you paint it outside it blossoms into a beautiful, clean white. With its greige notes, it pairs just as beautifully with blues and greens, as it does with dark brown or bronze accents, and can give a smoother transition with gray stonework.
Shoji White is a solid choice for a softer overall look, without being too creamy or too gray. It’s so light of a beige that it will read like a soft, creamy white, and its gray undertones will keep it subtle and fresh for today’s more muted looks. Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of BM Olympic Mountains HERE.
It is similar to BM Seapearl/China White, in that it has gray undertones, but it has a lower LRV at 74. Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of SW Moderne White HERE.
White Duck is a great choice if you are looking for a creamier, off-white exterior appearance. It has greige undertones, so it stays neutral in a variety of lighting conditions.
With an LRV of 74, White Duck is a good option for creating a softer overall look. Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of BM Ballet White HERE.
You’re one step closer to that gorgeous white house you’ve been daydreaming about! Don’t be the white house that blinds passersby, or the one that ends up looking slightly blue!
