White House with Black Shutters
This is the most traditional of all exterior color combinations: a soft white body, brighter white trim, and near-black shutters and front door.
The exact colors
Brand, name and code for every role, so you can order the same swatches.
Body
White Dove
Benjamin Moore · BM OC-17
Trim
Chantilly Lace
Benjamin Moore · BM OC-65
Front door
Black Beauty
Benjamin Moore · BM 2128-10
Gutters
Chantilly Lace
Benjamin Moore · BM OC-65
Shutters
Black Beauty
Benjamin Moore · BM 2128-10
Roof
Charcoal architectural shingles
not paint
Screen colors are approximations. Test a sample on your wall, in daylight, before you buy.
When it works
The body is Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17), a gentle white with a slight warm cast, framed by Chantilly Lace (OC-65) on trim and gutters. Shutters and door are Black Beauty (2128-10), a soft black that looks less harsh than pure black in full sun. Two whites give depth: the crisper trim reads as a deliberate outline instead of blending into the siding. It suits neighborhoods with an established historic look, and it rarely raises HOA objections. Remember that swatches on a screen only approximate the paint; view sample boards on the house in daylight.
House styles it suits
Colonial, Cape Cod and French country homes are the natural match, with symmetrical windows that let shutters repeat in a steady rhythm. Size shutters so each one would cover half the window if closed; undersized shutters are the most common mistake. On a ranch, use them only on the main windows.
Roof, brick and stone
Charcoal architectural shingles keep the palette soft; black shingles push it more formal. White Dove forgives warm materials, so red brick foundations and tan fieldstone work better here than with stark whites.
Sheen and maintenance
Use a low-sheen or flat body, satin on Chantilly Lace trim, and satin or semi-gloss on shutters. A gloss Black Beauty door is the classic finishing touch. Composite or vinyl shutters can be painted with a primer made for those materials.
Questions
Black or dark gray shutters on a white house?
Black looks crisper and more formal. A soft black like Black Beauty splits the difference and avoids looking flat.
Should the door match the shutters?
Matching is the traditional choice. For more personality, keep black shutters and pick a red or deep blue door.
Why use two different whites?
A brighter trim white frames the body. With one white everywhere the house can look washed out.
See this combination on your house
Upload a photo of your house; the AI keeps the roofline, windows and doors and repaints body, trim, door and gutters.