If there’s one question that I get asked more than any other question it is about paint color! Sometimes choosing colors can be tricky and overwhelming, to say the least, especially if you aren’t familiar with paint or how to choose the best color and tone for your space which basically amounts to most people in the world.
Over the years I have had my fair share of run-ins with bad paint colors and through lots of research plus trial and error, I have learned a thing or two about paint. So in an effort to share that with you, last year I wrote a post about the best dark green paint colors to use in your home and you guys went absolutely crazy for it so I thought that you’d love to know more about white paint as well!
Having a love for neutral interiors it will probably come as no surprise to you that white paint is my favorite out of all of the paint colors in the world. Even though white is a classic color that has been around for years, some have a preconceived notion that having white walls is boring, to each their own.
But if you are a white lover like me searching for that perfect shade or even if you’ve never given white much of a thought, today I want to go over some classic white paint colors that look stunning in almost any home and in my opinion, are anything but boring!
BEST WHITE PAINT COLORS
Sherwin Williams Alabaster: Alabaster is a hugely popular choice when it comes to white paint color. Pictured above in Addisons Wonderlands Brittany Hayes’s entryway, she used this color in such a unique way and I love it paired with the soft blue hue on the door.
Sherwin Williams Pure White: Pure white is a go-to for thousands of homeowners and designers alike. Think white with the edge taken off… Warmed up just a little but not enough to make it creamy. This custom built-in looks absolutely amazing paired with pure white ceilings and the backdrop of the pure white walls. Built by The Meter Company and Designed by AGK Design Studio the entire home is a total showstopper! The built-in color is Sherwin Williams Smoky Candle IMPORTANT: This color is an old Frazee color Smoky Candle #8633 you have to tell Sherwin Williams to look it up they bought Frazee paints.
Sherwin Williams Extra White: If you’ve been searching for that perfect clean + stark white then SW Extra White is your girl! Extra white tends to lean more on the cool side when it comes to tone and works well with other cool tone paint colors. Some whites you can use for both warm and cool tones but Extra White isn’t one I would recommend doing that with.
This kitchen by M House Development is one of the most beautiful kitchens I have ever seen! You can see the whole home featured in this Home Bunch Article here. The home is decked out in a gorgeous black + White combo throughout and I love how they carried the tuxedo style into the kitchen as well.
Benjamin Moore Simply White: If I had to say one thing about simply white it would be that this is the perfect creamy but not cream-y white. I hope I’m not confusing you… Basically simply white has just a slight milky white feel to it and honestly, I love that because it works well with warm and cool tones, not to mention that it keeps you from having that stark hospital feel that some white paint colors can give you. Simply white is a go-to for many designers because of its versatility, like this sitting area designed by Studio Mcgee.
Benjamin Moore White Dove: White Dove is a great soft white and reads more toward the warm side. It is quite a bit warmer than Simply White above and Chantilly Lace below. This white adds a touch of softness but still reads like a clean white. If I had to define it I’d say its a bright white but warm if those two can coincide. This kid’s bedroom and dining room featured in the Home Bunch Article here was built by Barrow Building Group a true stunner, the white dove paint gives it a very laid-back, natural appearance that instantly feels like home to me.
Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace: If you’ve been into home decor for any amount of time you’ve probably heard of this one. Chantilly lace is the perfect crisp white paint color and as my girl, Erica from Designing Vibes says ” High regarded white” Erica did a full review on Chantilly Lace that you can check out here. You can also see how she used it in her amazing powder room as well as her newly updated Dining Room here. Chantilly Lace is a good pure white free of any yellow undertones so if that is what you’re looking for it’s a winner all day long!
Farrow & Ball All white: Know to be pure and fresh All White is perfect for those you looking for a bright clean white with no undertones. This color is perfect for cabinets in the kitchen or even a bathroom. It also comes in Estate Emulsion finish which is known for its powdery finish which looks great in this casual yet sophisticated office and living room.
Behr Polar Bear: This is the lightest of all of the options and the one with the most beautiful milky powdery look to it. Polar Bear is a great option for those of you looking for a brighter white, in my opinion, this is the brightest least creamy out of all of the options and is actually the closest to my favorite white paint color below. Nothing screams clean like white and I love it in this fresh bathroom design by Monica Hibbs.
Behr Ultra Pure White: This one is my absolute favorite white paint color and it is the one that I have splashed on almost every wall in my own home and I’ll tell you why. The first reason I chose Ultra Pure White for our home is that it has ABSOLUTELY no undertones whatsoever which is very hard to find in a white paint color.
The second reason is although we get tons of natural sunlight in our main living area, minus the tiny narrow window next to the front door that lets a small amount of light in from the eastside, we only have windows on the backside of our home and because of that we tend to get a lot of shadowing and shadows equal dark and of course, if you know me at all you know that dark just doesn’t work for my light + bright loving spirit. The final reason is that Ultra Pure White is the base color that Behr uses for every paint color in their color wheel so it makes it easy for me to remember.
If you are here you are probably looking for that perfect white paint color and I hope this post can help you pinpoint exactly what it is you’re looking for! Our home was painted Sherwin Williams Repose Gray before this and you would not believe how much a new coat of white paint brightened it up. In our home, we used the same color in the same sheen on the walls + ceiling + the crown and baseboards, although it is recommended to use glossy on trim work we just went to town and painted it all. So far everything has been fine but I would love to update all of the crown molding and base with something more modern at some point and when we do we will do it right but for now we are both good with our little short cut.
If you end up using any of these gorgeous colors in your own home please tag me on social media or send me an email of your freshly painted space because I would love to see it!
Don’t forget to show your support by pinning the image below.
Best Paint Products That Make The Job Easier
Assuming you’re here because you are fixing to dive into a painting project or will be soon. If there is one thing I dislike about designing a home it is painting… The task can be downright hard depending on the size of the job and for the longest time, I avoided painting like the plague… Luckily over the years, I have found products that I love because they help me cheat the backbreaking paint system and you’re in luck because today I am going to share some of those with you below!
Frog Tape: The days of blue painters tape have come and gone… Today homeowners everywhere are reaching for Frog tape and rightfully sp, this stuff is amazing and the things you can do with it go so much further than just taping off your walls prepping for paint. If you haven’t tried this stuff out yet next time you are planning a paint job give it a try, I think you’ll love it.
Wagner Multi-Room Powered Roller: Before you scoff at this one hear me out… Yes, it can be a little bit nerve-racking figuring contraptions like this out the first time you try it but other than just feeling weird about not dipping your roller, this thing is an absolute Godsend! The amount of time you save from not bending over every few mins adding more paint to the roller makes painting so much faster and I think you’ll love it as much as we do!
Graco TrueCoat 360 VSP Airless Paint Sprayer: If you plan on doing projects like painting cabinets, doors or anything else in your home this is a great tool to add to your arsenal! It sprays unthinned paint so there is literally no guesswork and completely changes the amount of time it takes to paint just about anything, making your projects much faster. We started out with a super small handheld and have graduated to this bad boy and it is a beast! It also comes in a more expensive battery-powered version which we hope to upgrade to at some point.
Tarp: One day I decided I didn’t want to tape off or lay a tarp down before I painted… It didn’t end well, to say the least. There are lots of small drops of paint on the carpet in my daughter’s bedroom. They are mostly hidden down in the carpet and aren’t noticeable unless you go hunting for them but I know they’re there. If I had just taken the extra time to do it right that never would’ve happened so do yourself a solid and make sure you get plenty of these tarps to cover the flooring in your space.
Handy Paint Pail With Strap + Brush Magnet: When you have to climb a ladder to cut in around the ceiling and you don’t want to lug the paint can up there and risk dropping it or worse it causing you to fall this Handy paint pail will save you the hassle. We’ve had ours for years and I love it! You simply buy these clear liners that go inside which makes clean up as easy as throwing the liner away and the magnet that holds your brush is such a huge plus!
Purdy Paint Brush: Last but not least is the granddaddy of all brushes in my opinion… The Purdy! If you don’t have one get one, the quality is seriously unmatched and they come in many different sizes and shapes. The thing I love about them is the fact that we can rinse them out and use them over and over again. Plus the bristle quality is just flat out amazing when compared to other brushes.
Your home just keeps getting prettier and prettier, my friend. Loving all of the inspiration you selected (and thanks for including me). xoxo
Aww thank you Erica, that means so much coming from you! 🙂 You are so welcome, you have literally been killing it and I couldn’t resist that gorgeous powder room & dining room of yours!
But what is that beautiful blue grey color?
The color is Sherwin Williams Smoky Candle, such a gorgeous color!
SW has no record of this color Smoky Candle either on their website, and I visited their store and inquired in person. This color doesn’t exist.
Love your ideas! What finish do you use throughout house in Behr Ultra Pure White. I too love white and am so tired of the floor to ceiling off white of the new construction home we bought 2 years ago. Thank you.
Thank you Angel! We went with eggshell finish throughout the house and love it. We had a matte paint finish before when all of our walls were gray and it left everything feeling very washed out mainly because we only have windows on one side of our house in all but 3 rooms (none the main living area) and it always had so many shadows so I wanted the paint finish to reflect the light. Good luck on your paint project, it is a chore but you will be so happy you did it.
I too am a White Paint Person and have just painted my home with Behr Pure White. I am a bit concerned about using Behr for the doors and trim, as I’ve read some not great things about the results. Have you used Behr’s door and trim? Do you also use Behr for cabinets?
Thank you!
🌻
Hi, Ashley-
Thank you for the advice!! I really wanted white walls. I settled with Behr Ultra Pure White, but I was struggling if it was too white. Your statement made feel a lot better! Now I can’t wait to see it done. I really appreciate your time!!!
Hello, what sheen of white did you paint everything?
Hi Marta, we use eggshell in our home. In the past our walls were painted with flat paint and I hated it, they were horrible to clean and I like the way light bounces around the room with the eggshell and it’s way easier to clean. We did our ceilings, trim and walls all in the same sheen.
Hi! I’m loving the alabaster but the home we’ve bought has white trim. Thoughts? Thank you!!!
I’m loving that blue on the door in the first picture with the alabaster! Are you able to share the color??
What do you suggest for trim and doors? Same color as walls ?
Thank you so much – your home is just so pretty!!!
Hi,
Hope you are well.
What exact paint color did you use on your doors and built ins?
Thank you,
Cin
What color light blue are the built ins around the TV in this post?
I’m dying to know this answer as well. following.
The color is Sherwin Williams Smoky Candle, such a gorgeous color!
My house has all doors, trims and kitchen on SW Extra Pure White!
Wanting to paint all walls white as well do you think the Behr Ultra Pure White would look good??
Can you share the color of paint for that built-in that went with the Sherwin Williams Pure White? Love that color!
What color is the built in?
I’m a horrible “edger-in.” Just awful. Instead of taping off my ceiling to edge in the wall paint, I use a single loose blade from a window blind as a kind of movable masking tape. Just hold the blind against the ceiling, brush on the paint & get down to move the ladder. Saves hours & nerves, & makes a sharper, cleaner edge.
What is the blue color on the inside of the front door. Love that color combo. I think it would look great with the Swiss Coffee we used.
Hi Marta, I just want to say thank you for this useful advice.
Could you please tell me the color of blue the door is painted in the picture with the Alabaster-colored walls?
Thank you,
Jan
Hi Ashley, I loved this breakdown of white paints. We have SW Pure White on every wall and ceiling in our house. I love it, but it does cause snow-reflection headaches for the whole family in the winter because it bounces around so much light. I’ve been slowly repainting all the walls darker for this reason, but in a climate without snow it would be my go-to. Also, last year I bought a door glass insert from Pease Doors (I got Low-E glass since we live in the cold). Our fiberglass front door didn’t have any glass so with careful measuring and cutting I now have glorious natural light in my entryway. Thought I’d mention it since you like natural light. 😉
Do you think a lighter color floor trim is best?
Not necessarily, one popular option is to do a warmer trim color which looks great in my opinion. At our house, we painted everything the same color, ceilings, walls, and trim. I would recommend looking at some images you love and disect the color combos used in them and use that as a starting point.
Hi! Do you happen to know what color paint was used for the built in by the Meter Company? I’m looking for a perfect light robins egg blue and that looks just about right to me! Thanks.
The color is Sherwin Williams Smoky Candle, such a gorgeous color!
Help! They said Smoky Candle is not originally from SW. Need to know the original company who the color belongs to even though the company was purchased by SW.
I have researched this to no end and this is all I have been able to figure out, first people said it was an old Frazee paint color but that did not work so I kept searching and I have found it listed on Duron paints color chart which SW purchased Duron paint in 2004 and if that is the case then Sherwin Williams may be able to find it under Duron paints.
Duron Paint color Smoky Candle #8633 they bought Duron in 2004 and should have it.
If not I have found this page that contains information such as hex codes etc. you could opy the info and print it off before going to SW, that may help. The color looks more gray than baby blue in real life.
I have researched this to no end and this is all I have been able to figure out, first people said it was an old Frazee paint color but that did not work so I kept searching and I have found it listed on Duron paints color chart which SW purchased Duron paint in 2004 and if that is the case then Sherwin Williams may be able to find it under Duron paints.
Duron Paint color Smoky Candle #8633 If not I have found this page that contains information such as hex codes etc. you could copy the info and print it off before going to SW, that may help. The color looks more gray than baby blue in real life.
Hi there! I bought several different “white” samples and finally decided on Alabaster. I’ve been considering painting my interior doors Whipped Mint but love your blue paint color (door and built-ins). Would you mind sharing the paint name of it pls? Absolutely stunning rooms! Thanks so much!
This is the color we’ve chosen too, but wondering the same thing about the trim
Ive settled on Alabaster too, did you paint yet?
Hi! Can you tell me the shade of light blue paint used on the front door in the first picture? I love it.
that color is a custom color from Ace hardware, you can try having them match the photo but unfortunately, I have been unable to find the codes for that particular one anywhere on the web. Sherwin Williams Smoky Candle is a good light blue as well.
“Pacific Wonderland” was created by Brittney Hayes at Addison’s wonderland for an ace hardware paint of the year contest.
Where did you get your white couch? I love it.
What color did you do for the crown trim through the house?
We used the same colors on our walls. trim and ceilings.We absolutely love Behr Ultra Pure white because it is truly the cleanest white on the market and has the highest LRV (light reflectance value)
Could you tell me the color on the built in and front door. The light blue.
Kelly that color is a custom color from Ace hardware, you can try having them match the photo but unfortunately, I have been unable to find the codes for that particular one. Sherwin Williams Smoky Candle is a good light blue as well.
the front door color is a custom color from Ace hardware, you can try having them match the photo but unfortunately, I have been unable to find the codes anywhere on the web for that particular one. Sherwin Williams Smoky Candle is a good light blue as well, it was used on the built-ins in the post.
Hi, debating on painting a room white. If you paint the room white do you paint the trim the same color?
Thank you,
Anna
Hi Anna,
White walls are my absolute favorite… Some see white as boring but I instantly see endless possibilities without having to repaint, not only that but it is the single best thing we have ever done for our home, it literally came to life. We are lazy so instead of switching paint cans constantly, we painted the walls, trim, and ceiling all the same color + same sheen. The tradition here says to paint the walls whatever sheen you wish (typically eggshell) and the trim in a semi-gloss or gloss to give the trim and doors more cleanability plus a slight contrast from the walls. This is not something that you HAVE to do nor is it likely that a soul would notice either way. If you are feeling adventurous you can try painting the walls white with a greige trim color like Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray, the two colors look AMAZING together. Truly it all comes down to preference and how much work you want to put into the project.
I’m so stuck between Sherwin Williams Pure White and Extra White. These are the only two whites being offered and I am unable to go check the lighting because there is no house yet! I’m afraid Pure White will be too yellow (although it looks AMAZING in the picture you have here, I feel like it shows yellow sometimes) but I’m afraid Extra White will be too cool. The cabinets are a super bright ice white and I’m afraid the Extra White will look like I tried to match but failed but the Pure White might be too warm for the cool cabinets and the trim, walls, and ceilings would all be Pure White so the trim wouldn’t match the cabinets. I wish they offered the same color for everything! I love a seamless look. Thanks for any advice!
I would do the extra white, it is a cleaner white vs the pure white will likely show fewer undertones. For white paints always look at the LVR which is the Light Reflectance Value and the higher the number the brighter the paint. For example, Behr Ultra Pure white has an LRV of 94 which to date is the purest white paint I have ever seen in person which is why we went with it on our walls. I am kind of in the same pickle right now. We just finished painting our cabinets, and the whitest white that Sherwin Williams carries in the Enamel Urethane paint is HIGH HIDE WHITE which isn’t even close to being as clean as our walls which are Behr ultra-pure white, it has more of a blue undertone but for the most part, it isn’t noticeable. Good luck, I’m sure the house is going to turn out amazing!
I used SW Extra white in my entry and one bedroom and it has too much blue undertone and looks dull and dark, not bright white at all due to lack of sunlight . Very disappointing! I am going to try Behr ultra pure white for the bright crisp white I was looking for.
Hey Ashley,
We painted our walls BM edgecomb grey and did our doors and trim ultra pure white which I love. We recently got our countertops done with quartz Blanca statuarietto. We are now looking to paint our cabinets. I’m worried it’s too warm to match with the ultra pure white, but I read that if you don’t match trim and cabinets whichever is warmer will look dirty. Any thoughts?
I also love that color blue and understand it was originally from Ace. What floor color is that in room with blue TV cabinet? Building and been searching for that exact color floor without success. Thanks
I have researched this to no end and this is all I have been able to figure out, first people said it was an old Frazee paint color but that did not work so I kept searching and I have found it listed on Duron paints color chart which SW purchased Duron paint in 2004 and if that is the case then Sherwin Williams may be able to find it under Duron paints.
Duron Paint color Smoky Candle #8633 If not I have found this page that contains information such as hex codes etc. you could copy the info and print it off before going to SW, that may help. The color looks more gray than baby blue in real life.
I love all of your suggestions. I desperately need help with suggestions. I am remodeling a home and the painter just started today. I have agonized over paint and finding a good painter. So far, I have choses extra white for ceilings and trim. I am considering all of the options you have written in your blog. I want a warm white. Not stark white. Not yellow white but just a contract slightly different than extra white by SW.
Hi, thank you! I have seen many blogs about UPW being the purest white paint and I want to go for the monochromatic look with white for ceiling/wall/trim. My reservation is that some painters just hate Behr (they complain about the thickness, the way it sags when it goes on the wall). Do you feel that way? Which Behr line did you use–premiere plus? scuff defense? marquee? I would do SW since painters love SW but my ceilings are already UPW and I want to color match it. Thanks again!
Diana
We usually use the paint and primer in one because we have used all of the options in Behr’s line for ultra pure white and although it likely makes a difference going with something like Marquee with other colors, due to ultra pure white being Behr’s base color I have found that it truly doesn’t matter painting anything (especially gray) is going to end up taking at 3 coats so I have just started priming everything we are painting white. Last time we painted our guest bathroom we used bin primer first then the ultra pure white and we did one coat of primer and two coats of ultra pure white. You can also try Sherwin Williams has a new white called
SW 7757 High Reflective White
it has a 93 LRV vs Ultra pure whites 94.4 and
KMW43-1 KELLY MOORE WHITEST WHITE it has a higher LRV by a hair at 94.62 but Ultra Pure White is still the cleanest purest white in my opinion.
I wish I had better advice but I think the options are limited
A. Keep using the UPW and add a good primer.
B. Compare SW High reflective white to see how it looks with the UPW ceilings and if the difference isn’t super noticeable maybe you could get away with finishing up with the HRW.
C. Repaint the ceilings in HRW and use it moving forward.
Good luck, I hope it all works out and would love to hear what you end up going with.
Hi Ashley, Thank you for this well written article on white colors. We recently bought a house on the ocean and plan to use various whites so your article gave us the confidence to select every recommendation of yours. I keep reading the article over and over again. Many thanks.
Had a question, in the second photo with the coffered ceiling with SW Pure White, are the crown moldings also painted in the same sheen as the ceiling color. We loved that look and hoping to achieve the same. Typically crowns are semi gloss and ceilings flat or eggshell. We plan to spray paint our ceiling so same sheen will make that section easier to complete, hence the question.
Another question would be which whites would complement each other. Your guidance on that would immensely help. Thanks again for the article.