HOW TO PICK THE PERFECT WHITE PAINT

Paint selection can be a very daunting task. The paint you choose sets the tone for the space and is your groundwork for the entire design. When chosen correctly, the right paint color creates an effortless canvas for your space. One of the most asked questions we get as interior designers is “what is the best white paint?”. The answer? There are many! It all comes down to which white works best in your project. White Dove painted in one home may appear completely different in another. And the reason is simple...undertones. More to come on this later. 

In order to find the best white paint for you, it’s important to first take an inventory of all of the fixed elements in the room. These are the items that won’t be changing during your design process, such as the wood flooring, windows, and all the furnishings that are staying. Next, think about the mood you want to create. Do you want it to be cozy and inviting or sophisticated and edgy? This is where the understanding of undertones comes into play. While an undertone is not the dominant color or masstone, it’s just as important to consider because it is what makes a color either warm or cool. What a lot of clients don’t realize is a warm, creamy white will look yellow against a room full of blues. So in a space where blue is the dominant color, opt for a cooler or more neutral white. Having trouble seeing the undertones in your paint samples? Lay the deck cards out on a pure white background and the undertone will be much easier to see! 

So, you know the mood you want to create and the undertone it pairs best with. In a sea of white color options how do you pick the perfect one? Great news...we’ve done the work for you! 

Here are our top 5 Benjamin Moore whites and why we love them.

DECORATOR’S WHITE (OC-149) A great and sophisticated option, Decorator’s White is an off-white with cooler undertones. It looks great when curated with a black and white color scheme, marbles, and blues. Paired with black elements, and you’ve got a ‘wow’ factor!

WHITE DOVE (OC-17) Classic and luminous, White Dove is the perfect “greige” (grey-beige) that is soft without being yellow. It is the go-to for moldings, trims, and interior walls.

CHANTILLY LACE (OC-65) Your safest bet and the go-to of many clients, Chantilly Lace is a beautiful white that is both crisp and neutral. It doesn’t read too warm or too cool so it is a really great option in most spaces. It looks great on walls, trims & doors alike.

SIMPLY WHITE (OC-117) Simply put, a great white that’s crisp and welcoming but not too stark. Simply white is slightly warmer than Chantilly Lace, but typically won’t look yellow on your walls. It’s a great option for kitchen cabinetry and it looks great in well-lit areas.

CLOUD WHITE (OC-130) Described by Benjamin Moore as “reminiscent of vapor clouds on a clear day”, Cloud White is a creamy soft white that sits in the middle of the tone spectrum. It has the ability to neutralize a space that is either too warm or too cool.

Now that you know our favorite white paints and where to use them, let us know how you will apply these colors in your upcoming projects! Tell us in the comments below.