The Best Farmhouse White Paint

I love love using white paint both inside and outside the home. It’s fresh, clean, and bright.And it suits a wide variety of home styles ranging from Ultra Modern to a small Country Home. Which is a great thing since Farmhouse styles are so popular at the moment. If you plan on designing your home in a farmhouse style then you’ll have to choose not only a shade but also a brand. So what’s the best farmhouse white paint?

White brightens up anything you use it on which has a way of opening up spaces. That’s why designers have been recommending light colors in small rooms for years. I use varying shades of white paint throughout my home and it never gets boring. There are so many shades and tones of white paint to choose from there’s sure to be something for every part of the home. Whether your painting an old red brick fireplace white, some trim, a ceiling, shiplap or cabinets, there’s a white that’ll work. But don’t get the wrong idea. Picking out the right shade of white for each element of your design won’t be easy. I mean, there are so many whites to choose from with all kinds of temperatures and undertones. And that’s exactly why I wrote this article.

Below is all the tips, pictures, & information I use whenever I design a farmhouse style home using white. Almost, every wall, trim piece, ceiling and fireplace is done in white so it helps to have some guidelines going into a new project.

Choosing The Right White

So you’ve decided to style your home like a Modern Farmhouse. It’s a great choice. Some of the most beautiful home’s I’ve seen or worked on recently have a Modern Farmhouse style. I love all the white paint, white bricks, natural wood and black accents. But choosing the right shade and tone of white isn’t easy. When you go into a paint store you’ll be surprised when you ask the clerk to show you all the white paint they have. They are literally books filled with nothing but white.So where do you start?

Paint colors are one of the hardest things to choose when designing a home. Since you’ve already decided to create a Farmhouse style home that’s great because the most important decision is already made. That’s your starting point. But from there you need to narrow things down a bit.

What I like to do is break things down piece by piece. Make a list of what you have in the house that needs painting. For example, walls, ceilings, trim, bricks, cabinetry, shelving, etc. From there you can even make sub categories. For example the trim surrounding a fireplace may be different than your window door and base trim. Generally we do those in bright white with a semi gloss sheen but our fireplaces have an eggshell sheen a slightly warmer white.

Once you have a list of everything you need to paint white it’s time to start collecting your swatches.

Choose White Paints With Contrast

If you look at the very best designs they all have contrast. It’s very important to vary the values when your working with a single base color. Imagine a home where everything was painted the exact same shade of white with the same value. It would look terrible and very flat. Without some variety nothing can stand out.

I like to start with the largest areas which are typically the ceiling and walls.

White Paint Summary

Ceilings. I like to paint them with a flat or eggshell pure white. I use a mid tone neutral white without any tint. All I want with a ceiling is for them to be clean and bright.
Ceiling Trim. If I have a coffered ceiling that’s different than a flat ceiling.I like to use a warmer shade and an eggshell sheen on the trim parts and a pure white on the inside coffers with a flat sheen. The contrast between whites and sheens helps the trim stand out which creates more depth.
Trim. Window, door, base and crown as well as any wainscoting are all done in a warm white with an eggshell sheen. I never use anything with a high shine. A small touch of warmth is nice touch with a Farmhouse Style.
Cabinetry. I use a warm white with an eggshell here too and for the same reason as the trim. I like a little extra warmth.
Brick. I like to use more of a pure white for the bricks with a flat or eggshell finish. The paint I use is very similar to the walls but I do like to vary it a little if the bricks are coming out of drywall. If the bricks have a surround like shiplap I like to use matching paint.
Wall Paneling. For shiplap I like to use a pure white with a flat or eggshell finish. This is similar to the wall or brick paint colors I typically use.

Keep in mind all the white paints you choose will have to work together so collect swatches and place them next to one another to be sure they do before you start painting anything.

Modern Farmhouse White paint Colors

Now let’s get specific. Below are some examples of beautiful Farmhouse style homes painted white. I’ll list the paint colors used and talk more in depth about why they were chosen and how they interact with the other colors around them.

Modern farmhouse style bedroom with shiplap painted Alabaster white by Sherwin Williams.

Sherwin Williams Alabaster

Alabaster was actually Sherwin Williams paint color of the year. It’s a warm shade of off white that’s almost a cream.

It’s not a pure white because of the neutral beige undertones although it’s very close. One of the reasons I love it so much is because of how subtle the coloring is. Most people just assume it’s a pure white but if you hold it up against white you’ll see how much warmer it is. The neutral beige undertones give it a creamy quality that I really like in a Farmhouse. It’s just the right amount of cream to make it not white but not yellow or tan either.

It’s a soft, warm color that works really well around wood. And since most Farmhouse styles tend to use real wood and exposed beams that’s a big plus.

Alabaster is also really great with black or other dark shades. This brushed nickel bed frame against the Alabaster shiplap gives this bedroom a Modern feel.

Check out the darker cream wall paint. That’s a white too but a much warmer and darker shade. By varying the values and temperature both the walls, shiplap and trim all stand out really well.

Farmhouse children’s bedroom with permanent bunk beds painted pure bright white Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore.

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore is a very pure, bright white without any undertones. it’s a great choice for a child’s bedroom if you want a very clean and bright design. These bed frames, balusters and ladder really pop against the wood and warmer cream walls.

The same Chantilly Lace white was used on the trim work throughout the room. Since the beds are built into the room it’s a smart choice. When you have an element like this that’s permanent you can highlight that by matching the paint color to some other permanent elements. If the beds were standalone bunk beds I would recommend using a different color.

The sheen is so slight it’s almost flat. I like how it’s used here because the room feels just a little bit softer.

Notice the wall paint. They’re also a very pure white but with just a little bit of warm cream tint. If they were against anything but this very pure Chantilly Lace white they would appear pure white themselves but it’s just enough to create the contrast you want.

Remember to vary those shades of the room will look flat.

Farmhouse kitchen with white cabinets, trim, island and backsplash. Real wood floors and dark granite countertops.

Sherwin Williams Creamy

This is a beautifully done Farmhouse style kitchen. I love how inviting a kitchen can be when it’s colored in this way. I just feel right at home here which is what I want family and guests to feel when they’re in a kitchen I design.

The color is Creamy by Sherwin Williams. Just as the name implies it’s a white that has some warmth to it. I really like using warm and creamy whites in the kitchen and this is the perfect example why. The wood is just right and works well with the cabinets. I even really like the white hardware. It fits with the theme and keeps the room from drifting too far to the Modern side. That’s also amplified by the choice of cabinet door and island trim. This whole room just creams country.

Since everything in the room is basically the same color the contrast comes in from the countertops and accessories. It’s tempting to go light with a quartz or marble here but the room really needs something darker. Black is the perfect choice and fits with the black and white Farmhouse look everyone seems to love.

Farmhouse living room with Pure White paint, exposed wood beams and a white brick fireplace.

Sherwin Williams Pure White

While I do prefer the warmer shades sometimes a Farmhouse design calls for something a bit cooler. That’s when I like to use Pure White by Sherwin Williams.

Pure white is a white base with just a little bit of blue in it. It’s very subtle but just enough to cool the room. This is a great choice if your Farmhouse leans a bit more modern by using glass and steel or lots of blue accessories. Check out the example above. If the white paint used in this farmhouse was warm it would throw off the look.

This is a great illustration of why it’s so important to choose colors as a whole and not individually. If you plan on using lots of blues and cool greys in the room then accent that with your paint choices.

Farmhouse living room with Bavarian Cream white shiplap.

Bavarian Cream By Benjamin Moore

The focal point of this Farmhouse style living room is the white brick fireplace with shiplap painted in Bavarian Cream by Benjamin Moore. It’s a pure white with a hint of warmth that works really well when used around lots of rich wood. The floors, timber mantle and furniture are all excellent choices.

Check out the warm cream sofa with wood feet. I try to use common elements and colors throughout a design and this living room is a great example of the style. If you want a unified color scheme then I recommend you do it too.

Notice how small a difference there is between the fireplace, walls and trim. It’s just enough to create some contrast. Even though the living room is all white it doesn’t look flat.

Remember in the beginning of the article I mentioned how I like to use the same white paint on the fireplace and surrounding elements if they’re connected. This is a great example of why. The built ins are an extension of the fireplace wall and I like for them to feel like a single unit. In reality this is an old red brick fireplace that’s been painted white with new shiplap, built ins, mantle and firebox. But by using the same paint on everything it feels like a single unit that was built this way from the start.

Rustic farmhouse style kitchen with black cabinets, gold hardware and white shiplap.

Farmhouse Kitchen With Sherwin Williams Alabaster

Alabaster by Sherwin Williams is such a fantastic color to use in a farmhouse I thought I’d show another example of it.

I like to use it on shiplap because it’s almost a pure white with just a little bit of warmth. Personally I don’t like to go over the top with creams or other warm whites. Just a subtle dab is enough for me. In this case the cabinets are all black so anything white will look a lot brighter than it actually is. With black kitchen cabinets you’ll always have contrast so it’s more about getting the temperature and tint of your white just right.

Gold is a really nice choice for the hardware and is also on the warm side. I highly recommend using a warm gold that leans almost brown. It’s a very popular choice these days. Stay away from yellow golds.

White shiplap with real wood shelves is a favorite of mine. This looks better with a warm white too because wood is naturally a warm color even if you don’t stain it.

Country dining room with whitewashed wood beams.

Whitewashed Farmhouse Beams

If you have some exposed beams in your farmhouse have you ever considered whitewashing them. I don’t have a particular brand to recommend here but I wanted to highlight this as a possible style option. I really like the look in a rustic country styled home.

If you want to reproduce it then make sure you buy a paint that’s meant for whitewashing. If you try to do it with a standard paint and a light coating you’ll see brush strokes everywhere. Whitewash paint is designed to look like this. It has a different ratio of pigment to liquid so the coverage isn’t the same as standard paints.

Farmhouse styled homes tend to use lots of white and wood. Whitewash paint can be a nice middle ground between the two looks.

Country bathroom with white shiplap and subway shower tiles. Real wood shelving and pipe frames.

Rustic Bathroom With Shiplap

I really like this rustic styled farmhouse bathroom. White shiplap, white subways tiles, wood shelves and pipes are all super in style right now. And what’s really great about the look is how cheap it is.

What I want to show with this picture is the subway tile and shiplap. In this design the colors have been matched and I love it. Contrast comes because the tiles have a brighter sheen and are much smaller but the dark lines and cleans lines are found in both wall finishes. It’s like the subway tiles are an extension of the shiplap. I would have really like if the lines on some of the tiles rows lined up with the shiplap but I guess the sizes didn’t work out that way.

With an all white bathroom go with a dark floor tile. White walls and a dark floor help a small bathroom feel larger.

Rustic farmhouse master bathroom with a soaking tub and double sinks with custom timber bases.

Benjamin Moore Crisp Linen

Crisp Linen is another great version of white you can use in a Farmhouse. It’s a warm creamy shade that’s a little on the pinkish or peach side. I really like to use it with warm woods like what you see here.

Mudroom foyer with shiplap painted white using Mountain Peak by Benjamin Moore.

Cotton Balls By Benjamin Moore

Another cool shade of white that’s great for a farmhouse is called Mountain Peak by Benjamin Moore. It’s a pure white with just a touch of warmth and a very subtle peach undertone.

Farmhouse dining room with white board and batten style walls and blue trim.

Sherwin Williams Extra White

Here’s a color scheme you don’t see every day. While it’s not my favorite I wanted to show a few examples of Farmhouse style homes that aren’t using warm whites. If you like this look then go with Sherwin Williams Extra White. It’s a pure white paint with a blue undertone that works really well with the blue trim, doors and furniture. Sometimes the best farmhouse white paint can be something unexpected.

Beautiful custom farmhouse with whitewashed siding and real wood and a metal roof.

Whitewashed Farm House

What’s the best farmhouse white paint? When most people ask this question they’re thinking of interior shades, but don’t forget about your exterior spaces.

Country farmhouse style home with whitewashed wood siding along real timber exposed beams.

Whitewashed Farmhouse Siding

Your farmhouse wood siding is a great place for white paint. Most are painted some shade of solid white but I thought an example of a whitewash wood be nice since you don’t see it done much. It’s a very nice look along side exposed timber because whitewashing is a great middle ground between wood and solid white.

Rustic all white farmhouse with painted white horizontal wood siding.

Farmhouse With painted White Horizontal Siding

Here’s an example of a farmhouse with white wood siding painted solid white.

Country farmhouse with stucco siding painted solid white. Black shutters and window flower boxes.

White And Black Farmhouse

The white and black farmhouse look is a real classic that’s been around for generations. It’s still very much in style today and is a fantastic option if you’ve got stucco siding.

Beautiful farmhouse front porch with white painted trim and columns.

Farmhouse Front Porch With White Paint

There just about nothing more classic than a farmhouse front porch. Typically the trim, columns and railings are all built with wood and painted white.

Summary: The Best Farmhouse White Paint?

I hope this article helps you choose the best paint colors for your next farmhouse project. If you have any questions or comments e-mail us any time. We’d love to hear from you.