Extra White by Sherwin Williams has become one of our favorite whites to turn to when designing homes. It’s a stunning shade of white that’s never too stark or soft but still brightens a home easily. Our designers have used it on numerous home styles as an accent and central color with incredible results.
Keep reading to learn more about why Extra White by Sherwin Williams is a brick&batten favorite. We share our recommended color pairings, how our designers use it in their work, and all the technical details like LRV and undertones.
Picking the perfect shade of white doesn’t have to be stressful. In fact, we make it easy! We even have a paint visualizer package for homeowners who only need help with paint! But we can also assist with visualizing other design elements such as driveways, porches, and garages. Learn about our virtual exterior design services.
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Sherwin Williams’ Extra White: The specs
Sherwin Williams’ Extra White sits on the brighter end of the LRV scale at 86. (Curious about LRV? Learn more here, including why LRV is so important to keep in mind when choosing the perfect paint color for your home.)
Though the name says otherwise, Extra White isn’t exactly “extra white.” It actually appears a bit softer than an ultra-white due to its subtle green-ish undertones.
WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND SAMPLING AND TESTING PAINT COLORS BEFORE COMMITTING. FACTORS SUCH AS NATURAL LIGHTING, UNDERTONES, AND YOUR PROPERTY’S FIXED ELEMENTS WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON HOW A COLOR WILL APPEAR ON YOUR EXTERIOR. OUR FRIENDS AT SAMPLIZE OFFER EXTRA-LARGE 9 X 14.75 INCH PEEL-AND-STICK PAINT SAMPLES OF THE COLORS WE LOVE FOR EXTERIORS. ORDER YOUR ‘REAL PAINT, NO MESS’ SAMPLES FROM SAMPLIZE HERE.
Recommended applications for Extra White
Our designers love Extra White because it’s so easy to work with. If you’re looking for show-stopping contrast, try it on the trim of a home painted in a darker color like Polo Blue by Benjamin Moore. For a timeless style, you can’t go wrong with a white exterior and black trim. If you love the look of wood accents, Extra White works wonderfully with light or dark stained wood on front doors, cladding, garage doors, and more.
Moreover, Extra White is a fabulous choice for just about any home style, especially colonials, beach houses, and farmhouses.
Extra White color pairings
White paint colors naturally tend to be more versatile when it comes to color pairings. Blues, greens, browns, blacks, even pinks are all color families our designers have used with Extra White.
In the design above, Extra White graces the trim of a home painted in Benjamin Moore’s Shoreline,a light gray with a hint of lavender. This coastal home looks modern, almost industrial. Stained wood on the garage door, lintel, and entry adds warmth, and the stone skirting provides textural interest. Furthermore, the landscaping brings an organic touch to ground the façade while also complementing the lavender hues with deeper purple plants.
The charming home in the rendering above is a perfect example of Extra White on a textured surface (brick) and paired with stone, brown accents, and wood. Sherwin Williams’ Urbane Bronze can be seen on the dormers and windows. Other brown tones appear on the copper gutters and lighting.
In this design, Extra White does an excellent job of highlighting the entrance. Sherwin Williams’ Aloof Gray was applied to the shake siding of this home, while Extra White was used on the portico. Aloof Gray is a gorgeous green-gray that looks amazing on texture and maintains its appearance throughout the day’s changing light. The chunky profile of the portico in Extra White is exactly what the entry needed to draw the eye toward the front door.
Copper gutters and statement-making light fixtures tie in with wood accents, while fantastic landscaping with lots of color add a cottage-like feel.
Pros and cons of Sherwin Williams’ Extra White
PROS:
- Can be applied as a central or accent color
- Will look great on many home styles
- It’s bright but not stark
CONS:
- Could be too bright for some that prefer a softer look
- Potential to reflect the surrounding environment
Extra White alternatives
Extra White by Sherwin Williams is a great option for a brighter, yet softer white to lighten an exterior. Here are a few other choices that are a bit different but just as stunning.
Sherwin Williams’ Pure White vs. Extra White
Pure White by Sherwin Williams is another one of our favorite bright whites. So much so, we named it one of the 14 best exterior house colors for 2024. Pure White can be used as the central or accent color of a home easily. It’s a touch darker than Extra White with an LRV of 84, plus it has slightly yellow undertones for a creamy look that prevents it from appearing as a stark white.
One thing to keep in mind is that Pure White can also sometimes reflect colors of its surrounding environment. Its high reflective value means it can take on the green from a lush landscape or the blue from a large pool. That’s why we always recommend testing paint colors on your home’s exterior before committing to them.
As for color pairings, take your pick. Pure White can go with just about any color. For a high contrast look, opt for colors like Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams’ Pewter Green. Copper gutters and awnings, rich-hued stone, and stained wood are great accents for Pure White.
Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace vs. Extra White
Chantilly Lace is as nice as it sounds. Coming in brighter than Extra White and Pure White, its LRV is 92.2. As another brick&batten favorite, Chantilly Lace has all the characteristics we love about a fresh white paint color. It’s clean, simple to use, and has undetectable undertones, which makes color pairing simple and stress-free. Oftentimes, our designers apply Chantilly Lace on the trim of homes, however, it’s a go-to choice for the primary shade as well.
The only negative note we’ll mention is to be careful if your home receives a ton of direct sunlight. It could be too bright due to its high LRV.
The bottom line on Extra White
Extra White by Sherwin Williams is sure to add a lighter, breezy feel to your home. It’s great to brighten dark façades, to balance heavy features like stone and brick, and of course to apply to an exterior’s trim for contrast. As a white, it pairs well with many other colors, however we would stay away from brighter more true-whites to avoid making it appear dingy. Ultimately, Extra White may not be “extra” white, but it goes the extra mile in terms of versatility and flexibility.
If you’re ready to see Extra White on your own home, your answers to our short questionnaire is all we need. With your answers, our designers can get started creating a custom design for your home exterior. We’ll even provide a shoppable resource list so getting started is as easy as clicking a few links. Get started here.
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