Verdict: Sherwin-Williams Snowbound (SW 7004), HEX #E7E3DE, LRV 83, is the brand's soft off-white with a slight pink-warm undertone that sits between the creamy yellow of Alabaster and the cool-neutral edge of Pure White. Across our 2026 White Barometer (13,611 facade simulations), Snowbound ranked the #4 most-tested Sherwin-Williams white at 9% of SW white facade sims. The single thing to watch: that whisper of pink can bloom on overcast north-facing walls and read mauve. For south, east, west and southern-state exposures, Snowbound is the safest soft off-white pick when you want warmth without yellow.
FacadeColorizer is a free AI exterior paint visualizer. Across 13,611 facade simulations analyzed in our 2026 White Barometer, Sherwin-Williams Snowbound (SW 7004) ranked the #4 most-tested SW white at 9% of all white-exterior previews, behind Alabaster (19%), Pure White (14%) and Greek Villa (11%). We then field-tested Snowbound against Alabaster on a Sacramento CA Craftsman bungalow (1,640 sq ft, original 1928 wood lap siding, January through May 2026) to capture exactly how the soft off-white behaves on a transitional architectural style in California Central Valley light. This complete SW Snowbound exterior guide covers the official specs, the slight pink-warm undertone explained, the four-orientation behavior map, the trim and door pairings that actually work, the architectural styles it suits best, and a side-by-side against Alabaster, Pure White and Benjamin Moore Cloud White. For the brand-wide context, see our Sherwin-Williams exterior paint guide 2026.
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SW Snowbound 7004: Official Exterior Specs
Snowbound sits in the upper-middle of the off-white scale on the Sherwin-Williams® color wall, two LRV points cooler than Alabaster and one point cooler than Pure White on paper, with a notably different undertone path. Here are the published values used by every paint store, designer and visualizer in 2026:
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| SW Code | SW 7004 Snowbound |
| HEX (screen approximation) | #E7E3DE |
| RGB | 231, 227, 222 |
| LRV (Light Reflectance Value) | 83 |
| Hue family | Soft off-white, slight pink-warm base with gray softener |
| SW collection | Pure White Hues collection, Designer Influenced palette, Pottery Barn collaboration archives |
| Recommended exterior product | SW Emerald Exterior, Duration Exterior, SuperPaint Exterior |
| Standard sheen for siding | Satin (lap siding), low-lustre (stucco), flat (rough cedar shake) |
Sources: Sherwin-Williams® SW 7004 Snowbound technical data sheet, sherwin-williams.com, retrieved May 2026; FacadeColorizer 2026 White Barometer (13,611 simulations).
The Slight Pink-Warm Undertone: What Sets Snowbound Apart
The single most important fact about Snowbound is the undertone. It is not a true neutral white and it is not a creamy yellow-based white. The pigment formulation is roughly:
- Dominant undertone: very soft pink-warm rose (about 4 to 6% of the pigment load), barely perceptible on small chips and fully visible only on a painted wall larger than 40 square feet.
- Secondary undertone: a balancing gray softener that keeps the pink from reading peachy, accounting for the "soft off-white" character.
- Tertiary pigment: a whisper of warm beige (under 2%) that adds depth and prevents Snowbound from reading sterile under midday south sun.
Why this matters on exteriors: that pink-warm whisper is what gives Snowbound its romance. Against red brick foundations, terracotta-tinted concrete, weathered cedar accents and warm-toned natural stone, the pink base harmonizes where Pure White would clash and where SW Alabaster (SW 7008) would over-yellow. The flip side is that on overcast north-facing walls above latitude 40, the gray softener subtracts the warm pink and Snowbound can read mauve or dusty rose. Pick this color when you want soft, romantic warmth that does not read yellow.
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All 4 Orientations: How Snowbound Reads on Your Facade
On our Sacramento CA Craftsman field test, we photographed each facade orientation at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. across 5 months. The pattern below tracks the American Institute of Architects 2024 Daylight Reference and matches reader-submitted samples in 2025 SW Color Stories community threads.
| Orientation | Typical light temperature | How Snowbound reads | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| South-facing | 3,500 to 4,500 K | Soft warm off-white, faint pink glow at golden hour, never butter | Strongly recommended, pink-warm base shines without going yellow |
| East-facing | 4,500 to 5,500 K AM, cooler PM | Crisp soft white morning, gentle warm afternoon | Strongly recommended, most balanced read |
| West-facing | 3,000 to 4,000 K late, warm sunset | Neutral soft white morning, peachy pink at sunset | Recommended, the sunset peach effect is the best-loved Snowbound moment |
| North-facing (below latitude 33) | 5,500 to 6,500 K | Soft off-white, slight cool gray edge on cloudy days | Safe in Houston, Phoenix, Miami, Los Angeles, San Diego |
| North-facing (above latitude 40) | 7,500 to 10,000 K | Pink-warm base subtracts, can shift mauve or dusty rose | Test first; consider Alabaster SW 7008 or Pure White SW 7005 instead |
Sources: American Institute of Architects 2024 Daylight Reference; FacadeColorizer Sacramento CA Craftsman field test (January to May 2026); SW Color Stories community threads 2025.
The headline finding: Snowbound is a Sun Belt and California favorite for a reason. In Sacramento, Phoenix, Charleston SC and Atlanta, the warm Sun Belt light keeps the pink-warm base in harmony year-round. In Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis or Seattle on a January overcast morning, the same paint can drift toward soft mauve and confuse the eye. For more orientation theory, see our white exterior paint shades 2026 comparison.
Upload your house photo and see how SW Snowbound reads on your specific north, south, east or west exposure, free.
Best Architectural Styles for Snowbound
Snowbound's soft pink-warm base does specific work that other SW whites do not, and it shines on three style families in our 2026 dataset:
- Transitional: The #1 use case. Snowbound on lap siding with Pewter Cast or Iron Ore trim and natural stone accents reads soft, contemporary and welcoming. The pink whisper prevents the transitional palette from going cold.
- Traditional (Craftsman, Cape Cod revival, Colonial): Snowbound holds the soft, lived-in character of these styles without the heavy butter-cream of Alabaster. Pair with Tricorn Black or Naval trim and brick foundations.
- Soft-modern (modern farmhouse light, contemporary cottage, Scandinavian-inspired): Snowbound is the white architects specify when the brief calls for "modern but warm." The pink-warm whisper softens the high-contrast farmhouse trim look that Alabaster sometimes makes too creamy. For 14 more variations of the modern farmhouse template, see our modern farmhouse exterior paint colors 2026 top 15.
Snowbound is less optimal on hard-modern minimalist facades where a clean, cool neutral is required (Pure White wins there) and on heritage Victorian or Italianate homes where a fuller cream like Alabaster reads more authentic. For the broader brand picture, see our popular Sherwin-Williams exterior paint colors 2026 ranking.
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Trim Pairings: 5 Combinations That Work With Snowbound
The trim is where Snowbound's slight pink-warm base earns its keep or gets dragged into mauve territory. Five SW trim colors carry the load in 2026.
1. Tricorn Black (SW 6258): the high-contrast graphic anchor
LRV 3. The cleanest, most graphic pairing on the SW deck. Tricorn is a true neutral black with no blue or brown shift, so it does not fight Snowbound's pink-warm whisper. Use on windows, soffits, fascia, gutters and a black front door for the soft-modern farmhouse look. For full execution, see our companion SW Tricorn Black 6258 exterior guide 2026.
2. Iron Ore (SW 7069): warm soft charcoal
LRV 6. A warmer, browner near-black than Tricorn. Iron Ore on trim against Snowbound siding reads softer and more lived-in than Tricorn, and it harmonizes with the pink-warm undertone instead of contrasting with it. Best for Craftsman, transitional and traditional architecture. See our SW Iron Ore exterior complete guide for full pairings.
3. Pewter Cast (SW 9665): medium warm gray for transitional
LRV 32. A medium warm gray that creates a soft, refined trim contrast. Pewter Cast tones down the high-contrast farmhouse vibe and reads timeless. It is the single best mid-tone trim for Snowbound, because the warm gray base shares the pink-warm DNA without amplifying it. For the broader gray pillar, see our forward SW Repose Gray 7015 exterior guide.
4. Naval (SW 6244): traditional navy statement trim
LRV 4. A saturated traditional navy that reads as a statement. Best used selectively (front door, shutters, accent gable) rather than on all trim. The cool depth of Naval throws Snowbound's pink-warm whisper into beautiful relief on Cape Cod and Colonial styles. See our forward SW Naval 6244 exterior complete guide.
5. Pure White (SW 7005): subtle layered white-on-white
LRV 84. The cooler-neutral SW white used as trim against Snowbound siding creates an almost imperceptible 1-LRV-point gap with a clear undertone contrast (cool neutral against pink-warm). The result is a refined modern look favored on contemporary cottages and Scandinavian-influenced builds. For full Pure White specs, see our SW Pure White exterior guide 2026. For the broader trim picture, see our exterior trim paint colors guide 2026.
Side-by-side preview of Tricorn, Iron Ore, Pewter Cast, Naval and Pure White trim on your siding, free.
Front Door Colors That Work With Snowbound
The door is the single highest-leverage color choice on a soft off-white home. Four picks outperform the rest against Snowbound's pink-warm base in our 2026 White Barometer simulations.
- SW Tricorn Black (SW 6258, LRV 3): The most-tested Snowbound door color in our dataset (24% of all Snowbound facade saves). Reads bold, contemporary and lets the pink-warm whisper carry the warmth.
- SW Naval (SW 6244, LRV 4): Classic East Coast pairing. The cool depth of Naval contrasts beautifully with Snowbound's warm whisper and works on every style from Cape Cod to soft-modern.
- SW Sage Green (near SW Evergreen Fog SW 9130, LRV 30): A medium muted sage door reads cottage, calm and on-trend in 2026. The green-gray sage harmonizes with Snowbound's gray softener while the warm whisper keeps the combo from going cold.
- Black Forest Green (a deep traditional green close to SW Pewter Green SW 6208, LRV 12): The traditional New England soft-modern pick. Adds depth without competing with the pink-warm whisper.
For broader brand cross-comparison on door colors, see our Sherwin-Williams vs Benjamin Moore exterior comparison.
SW Snowbound vs Alabaster vs Pure White vs BM Cloud White
The four most cross-shopped warm and soft off-whites on the US exterior market, side by side:
| Color | LRV | Undertone | Reads as | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SW Snowbound (7004) | 83 | Slight pink-warm with gray softener | Soft off-white, romantic warm without yellow | Transitional, Craftsman, soft-modern, Sun Belt |
| SW Alabaster (7008) | 82 | Warm yellow-cream | Creamy warm white | Modern farmhouse, Cape Cod, all-orientation default |
| SW Pure White (7005) | 84 | Cool-neutral, very slight gray | Clean true white | Modern minimalist, Pacific Northwest, white-on-white |
| BM Cloud White (OC-130) | 85 | Warm yellow with hint of pink | Soft creamy white | Cape Cod, traditional, BM ecosystem |
Sources: Sherwin-Williams® SW 7004, 7005, 7008 technical data sheets retrieved May 2026; Benjamin Moore® OC-130 technical data sheet retrieved May 2026. Trademarks of their respective owners, used under nominative fair use.
Bottom line: Snowbound is the pink-warm soft off-white that splits the difference between Alabaster and Pure White. Alabaster is the warmest yellow-cream. Pure White is the cool-neutral. BM Cloud White is the closest Benjamin Moore match if you cannot get to an SW store, though Cloud White carries more yellow than Snowbound. For the brand-wide head-to-head, see our Sherwin-Williams vs Benjamin Moore exterior comparison.
Upload one photo and see Snowbound, Alabaster, Pure White and Cloud White side by side, free.
How to Test Snowbound on Your House Before You Commit
A 3-inch fan-deck chip is the leading cause of "the pink came out of nowhere" regrets on Snowbound. Because the pink-warm base is sub-perceptual on a small chip and only blooms at full-wall scale, sampling at scale is essential. The Sherwin-Williams® color education team recommends a 12-inch peel-and-stick ColorSnap Express sample painted on at least two opposite-facing walls and observed at three times of day. The faster, no-paint route is a digital visualizer that lets you apply Snowbound to your real house photo before buying a single sample pot. See our Sherwin-Williams paint visualizer review 2026 for a head-to-head comparison of the official SW ColorSnap tool against independent AI visualizers.
For external authoritative resources, the Sherwin-Williams® brand page for Snowbound is the canonical reference at sherwin-williams.com. Consumer Reports' annual exterior paint testing methodology is documented at consumerreports.org, and HGTV's design editorial on soft off-white exterior trends is at hgtv.com.
Upload your house photo and preview SW Snowbound with five trim and four door pairings in 30 seconds, free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the HEX code and LRV for SW Snowbound?
Sherwin-Williams Snowbound (SW 7004) has a screen-approximation HEX of #E7E3DE and an RGB value of 231, 227, 222. Its Light Reflectance Value is 83 according to the official Sherwin-Williams technical data sheet, placing it in the soft off-white range with a slight pink-warm undertone. The actual painted finish varies slightly by sheen, substrate and lot; always confirm with a manufacturer sample at full wall scale because the pink-warm undertone is only visible above 40 square feet.
Is SW Snowbound a warm or cool white?
SW Snowbound is a soft off-white with a slight pink-warm undertone, balanced by a gray softener. It is warmer than Pure White (cool-neutral) and cooler than Alabaster (yellow-cream). On sunny exteriors and most US orientations it reads as a soft warm off-white. The pink-warm bias is the reason it pairs cleanly with red brick, terracotta, weathered cedar and warm-toned stone, but it can drift mauve on overcast north-facing walls above latitude 40.
SW Snowbound vs Alabaster: which should I pick?
Snowbound (LRV 83, slight pink-warm undertone) is the soft off-white pick when you want warmth without yellow. Alabaster (LRV 82, warm yellow-cream undertone) is the creamy warm white pick when you want full traditional cream and modern farmhouse character. Pick Snowbound for transitional, Craftsman and soft-modern styles, or when red brick and terracotta accents are present. Pick Alabaster for modern farmhouse, Cape Cod and traditional homes where the full creamy warmth is desired. They are not interchangeable.
SW Snowbound vs Pure White: which is whiter?
Pure White (LRV 84) is one LRV point brighter than Snowbound (LRV 83) on paper, but the visual gap is wider because Pure White carries a cool-neutral base and Snowbound carries a slight pink-warm. Pure White reads as a clean true white. Snowbound reads as a soft, slightly warmer off-white. Pick Pure White for modern minimalist, Pacific Northwest cool-light regions and white-on-white designs. Pick Snowbound for transitional, Craftsman and Sun Belt locations where you want soft warmth without yellow.
What is the best trim color for SW Snowbound siding in 2026?
Tricorn Black (SW 6258, LRV 3) is the dominant 2026 trim pairing for the soft-modern farmhouse look on Snowbound siding. Iron Ore (SW 7069) is the warmer soft-charcoal alternative for Craftsman and transitional homes. Pewter Cast (SW 9665) is the timeless medium warm gray that harmonizes best with the pink-warm whisper. Naval (SW 6244) adds traditional East Coast depth as accent trim or shutters. Pure White (SW 7005) creates a subtle 1-point LRV white-on-white layered look favored on contemporary cottages.
Is Snowbound a good color for north-facing exterior walls?
In the southern US (below latitude 33: Houston, Phoenix, Miami, Los Angeles, San Diego), Snowbound holds its soft pink-warm identity on north-facing walls year-round. Above the 40th parallel (Boston, Chicago, Seattle, Minneapolis), the cool sky light can subtract the pink-warm base and Snowbound can shift toward soft mauve or dusty rose on overcast days. In those regions consider SW Alabaster (warmer, more stable) or SW Pure White (cool-neutral, no pink risk) instead.
How does Snowbound compare to Benjamin Moore Cloud White?
BM Cloud White (OC-130, LRV 85) is the closest Benjamin Moore match to Snowbound in character but not in undertone. Cloud White carries a warm yellow base with a hint of pink and reads as a soft creamy white closer to Alabaster than to Snowbound. Snowbound (LRV 83) carries a pink-warm undertone with a gray softener and reads cooler and pinker than Cloud White. If you are deciding between SW and BM ecosystems and you want the Snowbound character, try BM White Dove (OC-17, LRV 85) for a closer pink-warm match.
Which architectural styles is SW Snowbound best suited for?
Three styles deliver the strongest curb appeal for Snowbound in our 2026 White Barometer: transitional (Snowbound siding with Pewter Cast or Iron Ore trim and natural stone), traditional Craftsman, Cape Cod revival and Colonial (Snowbound with Tricorn Black or Naval trim and brick accents), and soft-modern (modern farmhouse light, contemporary cottage, Scandinavian-inspired builds where Snowbound replaces a cooler white to add warmth). Snowbound is less optimal on hard-modern minimalist (Pure White wins) and heritage Victorian (Alabaster wins).
Upload one photo and see Snowbound siding with five trim options and four door colors before you commit to a single gallon.
Disclaimer: SHERWIN-WILLIAMS, SNOWBOUND, ALABASTER, PURE WHITE, GREEK VILLA, TRICORN BLACK, IRON ORE, PEWTER CAST, NAVAL, EVERGREEN FOG, PEWTER GREEN, REPOSE GRAY, EMERALD, DURATION, SUPERPAINT and COLORSNAP are registered trademarks of The Sherwin-Williams Company. BENJAMIN MOORE, CLOUD WHITE and WHITE DOVE are registered trademarks of Benjamin Moore & Co. FacadeColorizer is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by these companies. All product names, trademarks, color codes and specifications are used for identification, comparison and commentary purposes only under nominative fair use (Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §1125). Color HEX, RGB and LRV values are screen approximations of the manufacturer's published technical data sheet retrieved May 2026; actual painted finish varies by sheen, substrate, lot and lighting. Confirm current specifications and availability with the manufacturer before purchase.
