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Exterior paint choice--white w/tiny gray tint

6 years ago

Need to repaint exterior of our concert-block/stucco house. Not sure what colors previous owners used. Looks like a white w/very, very light gray tint w/darker gray trim, garage doors...Painter using SW brand-- Went to SW store and picked some color cards but at home the whites are all TOO gray---not enough white at all... Any suggestions for white w/just lightest hint of gray---no blue or green tints??

Comments (5)

cpartist
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
The only way to see how the color looks is to get a large paper sample which the SW store can order for you and then tape it to the wall. The problem with picking a color is what's surrounding the house will affect how you see the color, as will where you live.

For example, I had a favorite color I used INSIDE my house in NY. It was the perfect tan so I was all set to use it in my condo in FL. Except in my condo in FL that same exact color appeared too red. It appeared more beige than tan.

Make sure any color you choose, you look at on different sides of the house at different times of day.
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
6 years ago
Start with paint chips taped to the exterior wall. Narrow your choice(s) and go buy pint-sized samples and brush them on in areas where both direct light, indirect light and shade will be and study all of them. Then decide. Good luck!
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We are doing this job in a very small town & everyone there said it could not be mixed or purchased. I will call BM to find out more about that Ironclad product today. www.myperfectcolor.com could be a solution for you. I use them a lot for clients in remote locations that either do not have a BenM store close by or their BenM store is small with limited product. The smaller BenM stores will have a decent stock of paints for interior but it's the exterior, like MoorGard in quarts, etc. that they don't always have handy and it takes 'em too long to order it in. And then there's Aura; not every BenM store offers Aura. Myperfectcolor almost always ships the same day. Orders over $50 are free shipping and their prices per gallon are reasonable.
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@Jan Moyer Thank you for the information! This bathroom is also gorgeous!! I am happy to report that I have all my final selections made (besides paint). I have lived with my tile samples a few days and I will be going with a 12 x 24 dolomite look porcelain for the bathroom floor and shower walls. The shower floor will be a 1 inch hexagon mosaic that coordinates with the 12 x 24. I also have my sample of the vanity which is listed as "graphite." I am going to do the top of the shower bench, shower curb, and vanity countertop in white quartz which has a slight gray speckle to it if you look really closely. I didn't like the veining of the faux marble quartz and thought it would clash too much with the dolomite look in the shower. I am attaching a photo of the samples for reference. In person the tile looks like it has a taupe or greige vein to it. Do you have any BM suggestions with all of this? I definitely want something on the lighter/white side. I will also have recessed lighting and an LED medicine cabinet with polished chrome faucet and shower fixtures. The sink and toilet are both Kohler white. Thank you again!
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loves2read
Original Author
6 years ago
I get white poster board from craft store, cut in half, and paint w/sample color so I can move it around to various walls and see at different times of the day. I know that light affects paint--that basically paint IS light trapped in a constant, solid form and transferred to 2 dimensional effect... I just don't want to try 14 samples---been there and done that when I was picking paint for master bath.
My3dogs ME zone 5A
6 years ago
Are you able to chip off a small piece of the current paint to be matched at the SW store?
loves2read
Original Author
6 years ago
Not really--went today and got samples for SW Extra White and Pure White and two grays... Will put them up on different sides after the rain stops... The tile roof we have on this house has 3 colors--red, black, and gray--makes it difficult to choose a white w/any under tints like blue or green or yellow...but don't want it a gray on gray house...

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