Behr Cottage White (W-F-200) is a creamy off-white that ranked #3 across 13,611 Behr® exterior simulations processed by FacadeColorizer in the first five months of 2026, accounting for roughly 9% of all Behr selections. It is the #2 Behr cream-warm exterior choice, sitting just behind Behr Almond Wisp (W-D-700) and ahead of Swiss Coffee, Cameo White, and Painter's White on Cottage, Cape Cod, and Farmhouse bodies.
This guide covers Cottage White specs (HEX #EAE7D9, LRV 79, RGB 234, 231, 217), four-orientation light behavior, head-to-head against Behr Polar Bear 75, Behr Almond Wisp W-D-700, and BM Sea Glass HC-30, style-fit on Cottage / Cape Cod / Modern Farmhouse bodies, plus a reference case from a Greenwich CT shingle Cottage spanning 11 months.
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Behr Cottage White W-F-200: full specs
Cottage White lives in the high-LRV creamy off-white band of the Behr® fan deck (Designer Whites collection, W-F-200 SKU). It reads as a true off-white with a soft yellow-cream signature, neither stark like Ultra Pure White nor as cream-heavy as Almond Wisp. Published specs from Behr's 2026 digital color library and the Marquee, Ultra, and Premium Plus Exterior data sheets:
| Spec | Behr Cottage White (W-F-200) |
|---|---|
| Color family | Creamy off-white |
| HEX (approximate sRGB) | #EAE7D9 |
| RGB (approximate) | 234, 231, 217 |
| LRV (Light Reflectance Value) | 79 (high-reflective, soft creamy off-white) |
| Undertone | Soft yellow-cream with a faint green softener; reads ivory in southern sun, off-white in north light |
| Behr collection | Designer Whites |
| Exterior finishes recommended | Behr Marquee Exterior (premium), Behr Ultra Exterior (mid), Behr Premium Plus Exterior (value) |
| Interior finishes recommended | Behr Marquee Interior, Behr Dynasty, Behr Ultra Interior |
| Retail price per gallon (Home Depot 2026) | $40 to $58 depending on line |
| Tint base required | Ultra Pure White base (Behr base 1) |
| Coverage per gallon | 275 to 400 sq ft; plan two coats for whole-house exterior |
| Vinyl-Safe rating | Yes, LRV 79 sits well above the LRV 25 vinyl heat-warp threshold |
| Exclusive retailer | The Home Depot (US, online and 2,300+ stores) |
Sources: Behr® 2026 digital color library; Behr Designer Whites collection sheet 2026; Behr Marquee, Ultra, Premium Plus Exterior technical data sheets 2026; Home Depot Q2 2026 retail pricing; FacadeColorizer internal simulation log (13,611 Behr exterior renders, January to May 2026).
Why Cottage White is the #2 Behr cream-warm choice
Across 13,611 Behr exterior simulations on FacadeColorizer between January and May 2026, Cottage White ranked #3 overall among Behr exterior body colors at 9% of all Behr selections, and #2 within the cream-warm subcategory after Behr Almond Wisp. Five reasons users picked Cottage White over Swiss Coffee 12, Cameo White W-D-510, Painter's White W-B-310, and Sculptor Clay PPU5-08:
- Cleaner cream than Almond Wisp. The green softener (vs Almond Wisp's pink) keeps Cottage White slightly cooler, ideal when red-orange brick is not in the picture.
- True off-white reading. At LRV 79, it reads as an off-white that holds its temperature; users describe it as "warm without being yellow."
- Survives JPEG previews. The cream weight stays visible in AI renders and photo simulations, while pure whites flatten and lose temperature signature.
- HOA approval odds. Creamy off-whites clear HOA architectural review at roughly 93% on first submission, the highest rate among all Behr exterior bodies in our log.
- Pairs broadly. Charcoal asphalt, weathered shingle, copper accents, and most stone foundations all work; cool-blue metal roofing is the only common conflict.
For the wider lineup, see our roundup of most popular Behr Marquee colors for 2026, the brand-pillar overview at best Behr exterior paint colors for 2026, and the Behr Marquee exterior paint review 2026. Cottage White appears in all three.
Four-orientation behavior: how Cottage White reads in real light
LRV 79 places Cottage White in the high-reflective off-white band, but the green softener shifts the read across the four cardinal orientations. The table below summarizes the FacadeColorizer 11-month Greenwich CT shingle Cottage test case (1,800 sq ft body, Behr Marquee Exterior satin finish, two coats over tinted primer).
| Orientation | Light quality | Cottage White reads as |
|---|---|---|
| South-facing | Bright direct sun, 6-9 hrs/day | Ivory with visible warmth; cream softener picks up at noon, off-white at golden hour |
| North-facing | Indirect cool light, no direct sun | Soft off-white; the green softener keeps the body from looking yellow or chalky |
| East-facing | Direct morning sun, indirect afternoon | Warm cream at sunrise (golden hour), cleaner ivory by midday |
| West-facing | Indirect morning, direct afternoon | Brightest read at midday, warmest at sunset; UV exposure does not yellow over 11 months |
Under-eaves on north and east elevations stay roughly two LRV points darker than the open wall, reading more ivory-tan. Use Behr Ultra Pure White (PPU18-06) on trim and soffits for a 15-point LRV gap that defines Cottage architectural lines without harsh contrast.
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Cottage White vs Polar Bear, Almond Wisp, Sea Glass HC-30
Creamy off-whites and warm-neutral pale tones at LRV 75 to 84 form the most-searched cross-brand decision in Cottage and Farmhouse paint planning. Here is how Cottage White compares against three benchmark competitors on the specs that drive selection.
| Color | LRV | Undertone | Reads as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Behr Cottage White (W-F-200) | 79 | Soft yellow-cream + faint green softener | Creamy off-white; the cleanest of the cream-warm Behr whites without yellowing |
| Behr Polar Bear (75) | 84 | Cool blue-gray base | Cleaner, cooler bright white; reads almost blue-leaning in north light |
| Behr Almond Wisp (W-D-700) | 78 | Warm yellow-beige + pink softener | Warmer cream; pink softener makes it the strongest pairing for red-orange brick |
| BM Sea Glass (HC-30) | 73 | Soft green-gray base | Pale sage-tinted off-white; reads as a soft green from a distance, not a true white |
Decision tree: pick Cottage White for the cleanest creamy off-white on a Cottage, Cape Cod, or Farmhouse body when no red-orange brick is present. Pick Behr Almond Wisp when the home has Federal brick or aged copper roofing that needs the pink softener. Pick Behr Polar Bear when the home needs a brighter cool-white (modern farmhouse, Transitional). Pick BM Sea Glass HC-30 only when the homeowner wants a visible pale-sage exterior, not a true off-white.
For the broader cream-warm and white reference frame, see white exterior paint shades 2026 and the broader market overview at best Behr exterior paint colors 2026.
Style fit: which home types Cottage White serves best
The clean cream signature and high LRV target three traditional US style families with the strongest payoff: Cottage, Cape Cod, and Modern Farmhouse. The name was chosen for a reason; this is the Behr® white that was built around Cottage architecture.
Cottage (English, Storybook, Coastal Shingle)
Cottage White is the textbook Behr® choice for English Cottage, Storybook Cottage, and Coastal Shingle homes. The yellow-cream base with green softener bridges naturally to weathered shingle roofs, stone foundations, and ivy plantings. Pair with a sage-green door (consider Behr Hidden Gem 2026 Color of the Year) and Cracked Pepper trim for the canonical 2026 Cottage palette. For broader Cottage planning, see the top 12 Cottage style exterior paint colors 2026 roundup.
Cape Cod (1.5-story, side-gable, shingle or lap siding)
Cape Cods built between 1925 and 1965 anchor on cream and off-white bodies with black or navy shutters. Cottage White delivers the coastal off-white temperature without the buttery shift that Swiss Coffee can develop after five summers. On a 1,400 sq ft Cape Cod with 1,200 sq ft of exterior wall, plan 7 to 9 gallons of body paint over two coats. For Cape Cod color planning across all 2026 popular bodies, see the top 15 Cape Cod house exterior paint colors 2026 guide.
Modern Farmhouse
Cottage White sits at the warmer end of acceptable Modern Farmhouse bodies. Where Behr Polar Bear delivers the cool-white "Joanna Gaines look," Cottage White delivers a warmer, more lived-in interpretation. Pair with black metal-roof accents, charcoal Cracked Pepper trim, and a stained natural-wood front door for the warm-modern Farmhouse palette. For the full lineup, see the top 15 Modern Farmhouse exterior paint colors 2026.
Style families that fight Cottage White: ultra-modern flat-roof homes (better served by Polar Bear or Ultra Pure White), Federal Colonial with red-orange brick (better served by Almond Wisp), and Spanish Revival stucco (better served by a warmer terracotta-leaning neutral). For the broader brand context, see best Behr exterior paint colors 2026.
Reference case: Greenwich CT shingle Cottage, 11 months
FacadeColorizer documented one 1,800 sq ft shingle Cottage in Greenwich CT across 11 months (July 2025 through May 2026), repainted from a faded gray (closest match Behr Silver City PPU18-09) to Behr Cottage White W-F-200. The home faces south-southwest, sits on a stone foundation with weathered cedar-shingle roof, and carries a small front porch with painted brick steps. Cost detail: $4,950 total for body + trim + shutters at $2.75 per sq ft, in line with typical Greater Connecticut exterior repaint costs.
11-month performance log: zero yellowing visible to the unaided eye, no chalking on south-facing siding, one cosmetic touch-up (under-eaves where a December 2025 ice-dam stained the off-white). Owner reported full neighborhood architectural-review board approval on first submission (Greenwich Architectural Review Committee, July 12, 2025) and a $7,800 increase in pre-sale appraisal estimate from a comparative Zillow market analysis run in April 2026.
For the broader off-white reference frame across styles and markets, see white exterior paint shades 2026.
Cottage, Cape Cod, Modern Farmhouse. AI renders any style in 30 seconds.
Coordinating trim, shutters, and accent colors
Cottage White pairs cleanly with all five Behr® architectural neutrals plus three cross-brand accents. The green softener prevents fights with weathered shingle and sage plantings, and the high LRV permits high-contrast trim pairings.
Behr in-brand pairings (single Home Depot trip)
- Trim: Behr Ultra Pure White (PPU18-06) for crisp 15-point LRV contrast, or Behr Painter's White (W-B-310) for a softer tonal step.
- Shutters / dark accent: Behr Cracked Pepper (PPU18-01) for near-black drama, or Behr Carbon (N520-7) for a warmer charcoal.
- Front door pop: Behr Hidden Gem (S390-5, 2026 COTY) for the textbook sage Cottage moment, Behr Cellini Gold (M280-7) for metallic warmth, or Behr Tarnished Trumpet (M250-7) for a muted-mustard front door.
- Porch ceiling: Behr Sky Sail (S490-1) light blue for the traditional Southern haint-blue treatment, common on Cottage and Cape Cod porches.
Cross-brand spectro-match pairings
- SW shutters: SW Iron Ore (SW 7069) for warm dark-charcoal, or SW Naval (SW 6244) for navy door pop on Cape Cod.
- BM door: BM Hale Navy (HC-154), or BM Black (2132-10) for the textbook Cottage black.
- BM trim alternative: BM White Dove (OC-17) if the homeowner wants a slightly lighter trim with no green softener. Spectro-match accuracy at Home Depot runs 94 to 97% on creamy off-whites in this LRV band.
How to test Cottage White on YOUR house
Creamy off-whites read radically different on a sample card vs a 1,500 sq ft elevation. Home Depot 2025 paint-return tracker shows cream-white returns running 11% of all sales, second only to sage-greens at 14%. The fix: simulate on a photo first, validate with an 8oz sample, then commit gallons.
- Take a clean front-elevation photo in daylight (10am to 3pm, no direct sun glare, no shadow across the body).
- Upload to our free AI Behr® visualizer.
- Select Cottage White as body. Add Behr Ultra Pure White trim and Cracked Pepper shutters for the textbook Cottage preview.
- Review the HD render. Save, share, or print at 11x17 for HOA submissions and contractor walkthroughs.
- If the render works, buy a $5 Behr Marquee Exterior 8oz sample at Home Depot, paint a 12x12 inch patch on the south wall, and check at 9am, noon, and 4pm across two days before ordering full gallons.
Compare Cottage White against Polar Bear, Almond Wisp, and BM Sea Glass on the same photo in one session. For the cream-warm decision deep-dive across Behr, see most popular Behr Marquee colors 2026.
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Where to buy Behr Cottage White
Behr® is sold exclusively through The Home Depot in the US, both in-store at 2,300+ locations and on homedepot.com. No big-box rival (Lowe's, Menards, Ace Hardware) carries Cottage White under the official W-F-200 SKU. Three buying paths:
- In-store at Home Depot: walk in with the SKU "W-F-200" or the name "Cottage White." Any associate tints Marquee, Ultra, or Premium Plus in 8 to 12 minutes.
- Online at homedepot.com: ship-to-home in 1 to 5 business days, or same-day store pickup. Marquee Exterior $52 to $58 per gallon; Premium Plus Exterior $40 to $46 per gallon.
- Home Depot Pro (contractors): 5-gallon pails at trade pricing; volume discount on 10+ gallon orders.
Cross-brand color-matching: SW, BM, and Valspar desks will spectro-match Cottage White on request. Creamy off-white accuracy in the LRV 75 to 82 band runs 94 to 97%, acceptable for trim or accent walls and usually acceptable on a full body, although tight tolerances on the green softener can drift. For body color, buy direct from Home Depot.
For manufacturer-direct chip ordering and product line specs, see the official Behr Cottage White W-F-200 page and the Home Depot Behr paint catalog. For broader off-white style context across home types, see HGTV's best white paint colors editorial.
Frequently asked questions
What is the LRV of Behr Cottage White?
Behr Cottage White W-F-200 has an LRV (Light Reflectance Value) of 79. That puts it in the high-reflective creamy off-white band, light enough to keep a Cottage or Cape Cod reading bright in any orientation, but with enough cream weight to register as warm rather than stark.
What is the HEX code for Behr Cottage White?
Approximate sRGB HEX for Behr Cottage White W-F-200 is #EAE7D9, RGB 234, 231, 217. This is the standard Behr digital chip approximation; screen-to-paint shift on creamy off-whites runs 2 to 4 percent. Confirm with a printed Behr chip or 8oz sample on the actual elevation before ordering gallons.
Is Behr Cottage White warmer than Behr Polar Bear?
Yes. Cottage White (LRV 79) carries a soft yellow-cream base with a faint green softener. Behr Polar Bear (75) has a cool blue-gray base at LRV 84. On a side-by-side elevation, Cottage White reads as a creamy off-white, Polar Bear reads as a clean cool-white that leans almost blue in north light. Pick Cottage White for Cottage and Cape Cod warmth, Polar Bear for modern farmhouse cool brightness.
How does Behr Cottage White compare to Behr Almond Wisp W-D-700?
Cottage White (LRV 79) is slightly lighter and cleaner than Almond Wisp (LRV 78). Almond Wisp carries a pink softener that makes it warmer and ideal against red-orange Federal brick; Cottage White carries a green softener that keeps it cleaner and ideal on shingle-roof Cottages and Cape Cods. Both rank in the top 3 Behr cream-warm whites for 2026 exterior projects.
How does Behr Cottage White compare to BM Sea Glass HC-30?
Cottage White (LRV 79) and BM Sea Glass HC-30 (LRV 73) are both pale, but Cottage White is a true creamy off-white while Sea Glass reads as a pale sage-tinted green from any distance. Pick Cottage White when you want an off-white body; pick Sea Glass when you want a visible muted-green exterior. They are not direct substitutes despite both being pale.
Can I paint vinyl siding with Behr Cottage White?
Yes. At LRV 79, Cottage White sits well above the LRV 25 vinyl heat-warp threshold. Confirm with your vinyl manufacturer (LP, CertainTeed, Mastic) and use Behr's Vinyl-Safe formulation for additional manufacturer-tested coverage. Fiber cement, wood, brick, and stucco are unaffected.
How much does Behr Cottage White cost per gallon?
At Home Depot 2026: $40 to $46 in Premium Plus Exterior (value), $48 to $54 in Ultra Exterior (mid), $52 to $58 in Marquee Exterior (premium). Volume pricing and Home Depot Pro accounts shave 10 to 20 percent on 10+ gallon orders. A 1,800 sq ft single-story Cottage typically needs 11 to 14 gallons over two coats.
Does FacadeColorizer support Behr Cottage White on photo previews?
Yes. The Behr color library inside FacadeColorizer maps to the official Behr SKU W-F-200 (Cottage White), along with Polar Bear (75), Almond Wisp (W-D-700), Ultra Pure White (PPU18-06), Hidden Gem (S390-5), and Cracked Pepper (PPU18-01). Upload a photo, apply Cottage White to body, then layer trim and shutters from any Behr accent. HD render in 30 seconds, no signup.
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Trademark and disclaimer: Behr®, Cottage White® W-F-200, Almond Wisp® W-D-700, Polar Bear® 75, Ultra Pure White® PPU18-06, Swiss Coffee® 12, Hidden Gem® S390-5, Cracked Pepper® PPU18-01, Cameo White® W-D-510, Painter's White® W-B-310, Sculptor Clay® PPU5-08, Carbon® N520-7, Cellini Gold® M280-7, Tarnished Trumpet® M250-7, Sky Sail® S490-1, Silver City® PPU18-09, Marquee®, Ultra®, and Premium Plus® are trademarks of Behr Process Corporation. The Home Depot® is a registered trademark of The Home Depot, Inc. FacadeColorizer is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Behr or Home Depot. Sherwin-Williams®, Iron Ore® SW 7069, and Naval® SW 6244 are trademarks of The Sherwin-Williams Company. Benjamin Moore®, Sea Glass® HC-30, White Dove® OC-17, Hale Navy® HC-154, and Black® 2132-10 are trademarks of Benjamin Moore & Co. All references to third-party products are descriptive and editorial, in good faith nominative fair use under the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1125). Color reproduction on screens approximates the manufacturer's chip; confirm with a physical sample before purchase. Sources: Behr 2026 digital color library; Behr Designer Whites collection sheet 2026; Behr Marquee, Ultra, and Premium Plus Exterior technical data sheets 2026; Home Depot Q2 2026 retail pricing; FacadeColorizer internal simulation log (13,611 Behr exterior renders, January through May 2026); Greenwich CT shingle Cottage 11-month reference case (July 2025 through May 2026); Home Depot 2025 paint-return tracker.
