Do you love a crisp, clean, white trim? Of course you do! We also love that classic look but we know it can be so overwhelming to find the best white trim color. Which is the whitest? Is it too white? If you’ve found yourself going down this same white rabbit hole, have no fear. We’ve got a painless way to choose the perfect white for painting your trim so let’s get into it!
Determine Your Body Color Undertone
Before you’re ready to find the perfect white trim color, you’ll need to have selected a body color for your home. This is important because you need to know the undertone of the body color in order to determine which white will compliment it best. To keep things simple, think about the undertone in two categories; warm and cool undertones. Most blues and grays will fall into the cool tone category while most reds and browns would be considered warm. Keep in mind, you should generally choose a body, or base color that compliments the fixed features of your home. Fixed features are things like your roof shingle color and the color of any brick or stone on your home.
What is the Best Warm Toned White Trim Color?
If your home has warm-toned fixed features then you’ll most likely end up with a warm toned body color. When it comes to choosing the right complimentary white for the trim, it’s wise to stay in that warm family so we recommend Alabaster SW 7008 from Sherwin Williams. Alabaster is a classic white from Sherwin Williams and it has just a hint of yellow to it. That little bit of warmth will help it work with your other warm features to create a cohesive overall look. Even though this white has that small amount of coloring, it is minimal and it will still look like standard white trim which is what we’re going for, just a bit warmer.
What is the Best Cool Toned White Trim Color?
Cool grays and blues continue to be massively popular this season and if your home has cooler fixed features you may find yourself with a cool toned body color. When it comes to complimenting a cool tone, you’ll want to stick with…you guessed it, a cool toned white. Our favorite cool toned white from Sherwin Williams is Pure White SW 7005. Pure White has just a touch of blue in it and blue actually makes colors look whiter so this paint color really pops. This is a very traditional, clean, white white and it looks amazing with other cool toned colors. Similarly to Alabaster, the slight blue tint won’t be visible to the naked eye, it’s just going to really work with those other cool tones to create that seamless finished product for your house painting.
Are there other whites I should consider?
Listen, you can take a look at other white color options. Sherwin Williams alone has over 48 different whites so there is a ton to choose from. We’ve found that streamlining and simplifying the choices can help to avoid feeling overwhelmed. At a certain point, a lot of these colors will blend and all start to look the same. So, by narrowing it down to one warm white and one cool white, it just takes all of that frustration out of the equation. That being said, we always recommend grabbing some samples so you can try the color out on your home and make sure it’s the right fit for the look you’re going for.
If white is on your list for the body of the house as well, our guide to the best Sherwin Williams white paint colors goes deeper. And if you would like a second opinion before you commit, get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Sherwin Williams white for trim?
It depends on your body color's undertone. For a warm-toned house, Alabaster SW 7008, which carries a hint of yellow. For a cool-toned house, Pure White SW 7005, which has a touch of blue. Match the trim to the temperature of the body and the whole exterior reads as intentional.
How do I know if my body color is warm or cool?
Simplify it to two buckets. Most blues and grays are cool; most reds and browns are warm. Work back from the fixed features you are not changing, such as roof shingle color and any brick or stone, because those decide the temperature of everything else.
Will the undertone in the trim white be visible?
No. In both Alabaster and Pure White the tint is minimal and will not read as anything other than white to the naked eye. What it does is let the trim sit correctly alongside the body color instead of clashing very slightly with it.
Should I look at more than two whites?
You can, and Sherwin Williams alone has more than 48 of them, but past a certain point they all start to look the same and the choice gets harder rather than better. Narrowing to one warm white and one cool white removes most of the frustration. Always sample before committing.
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