When it comes to off-white exterior paint colors, there are countless shades to choose from, but Dover White by Sherwin Williams is one of our favorites. We love this light, creamy shade so much that we included it in our roundup of the best warm white paint colors of 2021 and decided it’s time to give it a proper review, too.
Keep reading to learn more about Dover White by Sherwin Williams’ technical specs, our recommended applications and paint color pairings, and more.
With so many different options available — from off-white to near-black and everything in between — picking a paint color for your home’s exterior can feel overwhelming. But there’s no need to worry — the brick&batten team of expert virtual exterior designers is here to help you visualize everything from paint colors to exterior lighting to garage door options. Learn more about what we do.
Sherwin Williams’ Dover White: The Specs
Dover White is a timeless classic with a calming, relaxing vibe. This warm shade is considerably soft — not bright — and has an LRV of 83. (Wondering what LRV means? We explain what it is and why it’s important to consider when selecting a paint color for your home here.)
Dover White has a creamy yellow base. Note that the yellow can come through more strongly if you pair Dover White with cool tones or certain greige paint colors.
Recommended Applications for Dover White
Dover White by Sherwin Williams is a great option for a main exterior paint color but also looks lovely as an accent hue. It pairs well with natural stone, wood, brick, and green accents. In the rendering above, our designers used Dover White on the brick. The black windows, roofing, and lighting make for a high-contrast color scheme, while the various wood elements play up the warmth of the field color
Dover White is equally versatile when it comes to the style of home it can be used on. Our designers love using it on Mediterranean, Southwestern, and stucco homes like the one above.
Dover White Paint Color Pairings
Our designers often pair Dover White with darker elements, such as this home’s front and garage doors and the gate — all painted with Benjamin Moore’s Black Panther. On the flip side, our designers also use Dover White with clean, bright whites, especially on the trim.
The hue also works well with greens, such as Benjamin Moore’s Rosepine, as seen in the rendering above.
Additionally, Dover White is one of the few warm whites that actually pairs well with cool blues and blue-grays to create an interesting contrast. Just look at how it makes the front door pop in this exterior home design.
If you prefer a monochromatic look, Dover White has you covered. It looks fantastic when used as your house and trim color.
Pros & Cons of Sherwin Williams’ Dover White
PROS:
- It’s a calm, relaxing hue
- It works well on a wide variety of home styles
- It’s a fantastic main or accent color choice
CONS:
- It can be difficult to pair with certain greige and light gray paint colors
- It has a yellow base to it that some homeowners might not appreciate
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.
Dover White Alternatives
As we mentioned earlier, Dover White is fairly versatile and works well on a wide variety of home styles, but if it doesn’t feel like the perfect shade for your house, consider these alternative hues.
Sherwin Williams’ Alabaster
Like Dover White, Sherwin Williams’ Alabaster is a soft, warm off-white that our designers love for its versatility. With an LRV of 82, it’s just slightly darker than Dover White and doesn’t have any yellow undertones. Alabaster works nicely in high-contrast or monochromatic designs and also plays well with softer contrasts.
Benjamin Moore’s White Dove
The names are similar — and so are the paint colors. Benjamin Moore’s White Dove is a neutral off-white paint color with warm undertones. It’s a bit closer to pure white than Dover White, with an LRV of 85.38, and pairs nicely with just about any other paint color you can imagine. It also works well across a range of home styles, from modern farmhouses to Craftsman-style bungalows to midcentury dwellings.
Sherwin Williams’ Creamy
As the name implies, Sherwin Williams’ Creamy has a creamy warmth to it, similar to Dover White. This soft, off-white shade has an LRV of 81, so it’s just a touch darker than Dover White and its yellow undertones are less noticeable.
The Bottom Line on Sherwin Williams’ Dover White
Sherwin Williams’ Dover White is an excellent creamy off-white choice for your home’s exterior. It’s versatile, inviting, and easy to work with.
Whether you need help deciding between off-whites or another color entirely, our team is here to help. Our designers can help you visualize the exterior of your home rendered in multiple paint colors so it’s easy to pick the perfect one. Get started on your exterior home design project today.
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