Home / The Best Paint Colours / Neutral, Gray, Greige Cream and White

How to Choose the Best White Paint Color: Cabinets, Trims, Walls

ByKylieMawdsley

PICK THE RIGHT SHADE OF WHITE

It’s time to get your tighty-whities on, because today, you’ll learn to pick the best white paint color for your cabinets or walls! But, before we get into the nitty-gritty, let me save you a LOT of time, energy, and sanity by saying this…

If you already have something painted white in your room (e.g., TRIM or cabinets) and are not repainting it, I highly suggest you paint, whatever it is you want to paint, the exact same color. 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

How to choose best white paint colour. Benjamin Moore Glacier White, black built-in bench entryway storage. Kylie M Interiors client photo

Mixing and matching whites is risky business, as one white can easily make another look dirty, warm, cool, etc. Therefore, if you already have a white surface in your room that you don’t plan on repainting, it’s best to stick with it for your soon-to-be-painted surfaces.

However, you might not know which white you have if a previous owner painted it. In this case, take a cabinet door or piece of trim to the paint store and have them color-match it for you (with a machine, not by eye).

Staircase, wood treads and railing, white risers and wood spindles, soft white shiplap painted Sherwin Williams Snowbound,

NOT SO FAST…

If you’re not building or remodelling, the white you currently have on trim, cabinets, or walls might not suit your finishes (very common). Be prepared to paint with a new, more suitable white.

If you don’t have a solid paint foundation to start, you won’t get where you need to go.

White quartz kitchen, Benjamin White Dove upper cabinets, Antique Pewter green lowers. Maritime White beige walls. Kylie M Edesign update ideas

Now, moving along to the guts n’ glory of this blog post, starting with the types of white.

THE 5 TYPES OF WHITES IN PAINT COLORS & FINISHES

These 5 types of white don’t just apply to paint colors; they’re also a guideline for the types of whites you may (or may not) have in your finishes. You’ll find more details in this blog post.

Let’s start with TEMPERATURE…

1. WARM WHITE PAINT COLORS

Warm whites aren’t stark and clean; they can look softer, warmer, and have slightly (or more) lower LRVs compared to other whites.

This next countertop might look pretty darn ‘white’, but it’s a soft, warm white that loves the soft warmth of Benjamin Moore White Dove…

Benjamin Moore White Dove on walls in small powder room, black vanity, white countertop, round mirror gold light and faucet. Kylie M Interiors Edesign

The 3 Best Warm White Paint Colours from Benjamin Moore

Benjamin Moore White Dove: IMAGES, Info, & More

If they’d used a BRIGHT or COOL white on the above walls, the countertop would look dingy in comparison. 

FUN FACT: Most of the popular white quartz countertops are soft, warm whites – NOT true or cold ones. 

2. COOL WHITE PAINT COLORS

Cool whites aren’t flexible or foolproof, which means they are not used as much as warm and true whites. Cool whites can look…

  • Fresh
  • Icy
  • Cold and flat
  • The most like a ‘true, bright white’ in its absence. However, once you compare, you’ll see their colder edge. 
  • Cool whites are most commonly found on white kitchen appliances. 

Benjamin Moore Decorators White is a popular COOL, SOFT white…

Benjamin Moore Decorators White, Chantilly Lace, Super White compared to marble tile or countertop. Best white paint color. Kylie M INteriors Edesign

Decorator’s White is on the bottom – here’s its REVIEW

Numbers 3, 4, and 5 relate to how strong or soft a white is…

3. SOFT WHITE PAINT COLORS: LRV 82-88

Soft white paint colors have more moderate LRVs, averaging around 85, give or take 3. Again, the 5 types of white paint colors blog post hits all the details.

Soft white paint colors include the most popular whites, like Sherwin Williams Pure White and Benjamin Moore White Dove.

Benjamin Moore White Dove modern farmhouse dining room, rustic wood table and home decor

Benjamin Moore White Dove: IMAGES, Info, & More | Sherwin Williams Pure White Images, & More

Soft white paint colors can be soft and WARM or soft and COOL, combining two of the five types. Warm soft whites are often found in interior finishes such as countertops and tiles.

Here’s a Peel & Stick sample of White Dove…

benjamin moore white dove samplize peel and stick

4. BRIGHT WHITE PAINT COLORS: LRV 89-91

Bright white paint colors hover around the 89-91 range, including colors like Benjamin Moore Simply White and Chantilly Lace (I have reviews for all of these; use my SEARCH to find them!)

Benjamin MOore White Dove textured walls, taupe carpet, Benjamin Moore chantilly Lace built in tv cabinet, crown molding,

When it comes to bright whites, you can have WARM bright whites and COOL bright whites. (although there are fewer of the latter.) That’s right, a combination of two of the five types of white!

5. TRUE WHITE PAINT COLORS: LRV 93+-

True whites are whiter than my pasty little butt cheeks on a hot summer’s day (blinding at best)…

  • These whites sit at the top of the LRV range (approx 93, give or take).
  • They can be quite stark. Most ‘contractor’s whites’ are true whites.
  • The most commonly used true white is Sherwin Williams High Reflective White and Behr Ultra Pure White. Benjamin Moore’s best version of true white is Chantilly Lace (but its LRV isn’t quite high enough). 
  • True whites are often found on white subway tile backsplashes, but even then, some of those can be a wink warm!

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace, popular white paint colour. Wood vanity, white marble look quartz countertop, vertical shiplap, gray tile floor. Kylie M Interiors

FUN FACTS: Countertops (quartz, granite, and laminate) often contain warm whites rather than true or cold ones. Tiles often contain true or warm whites and are rarely cool. Whites found in stone and brick can vary from warm to cool to true! 

The 5 WHITEST White Paint Colours

Now that you know the basics of the 5 types of white, let’s chat about where to look for them.

FIND YOUR GUIDING LIGHT (EXISTING HOME)

If you’re starting from scratch with an entirely new design/color palette, don’t get your knickers in a knot (if you even wear any); I’ll get to you shortly. 

If you’re living in your home and just making some tweaks to your color palette, chances are there’s already a surface in your room with white in it. 

This white is your GUIDING WHITE; you don’t want to stray off its path.

For example, if your countertop has a warm white fleck or backdrop, you’ll want to choose a warm white paint color for your cabinets, trims, or walls, rather than a true or cool one. 

Benjamin Moore White Dove painted kitchen cabinets, golden oak floor, green island, Peale Green, soft white quartz countertop, Cambria, marble backsplash, Sherwin Williams Pearly White walls,

The Best Dark Green & Blue Cabinet Colors

In the next photo, notice how the original warm white of the cabinets is too warm for the TRUE WHITE of the marble backsplash and countertop – the backsplash should have called the shots, as it contains the GUIDING WHITE… 

The best paint colours for cabinets, white, with marble backsplash, countertop. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint colour advice and consulting

The taped-up sample shows a much better partnership (it’s like I know what I’m doing or something). Because the countertop and backsplash are permanent surfaces, the white paint color must be chosen to coordinate with them.

Choose the white for the home you HAVE, not the home you WISH you had. 

In other words, if the white that best suits your home has more warmth than you like, you should listen to your home. If you go with your tastes over the needs of your home, it ain’t gonna look good.

Kraftmaid Frost (white) kitchen cabinets and Silestone Et Calacatta Gold white quartz countertop

The Best White & Off-White Quartz Countertops

Here are a few places you might find your Guiding White. 

  • TRIM (the number one shot caller)
  • COUNTERTOPS
  • TILES
  • STONE OR BRICK
  • FABRICS (ones that you’ll have in your home for a loooong time)

But how do you know the type of white is in your finish? 

Get your fave brand’s WHITEST WHITE (listed below) and compare it to your finish. If the white or off-white in your finish looks warmer or cooler than this white, that should tell you which type of white you should explore.

Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog, sage green painted kitchen cabinets, white herringbone subway tile backsplash, white quartz countertop, black hardware

The Best Medium to Dark Green Paint Colors

  • SHERWIN WILLIAMS: Pick up a sample of Sherwin Williams High Reflective White 
  • BENJAMIN MOORE: Pick up a sample of Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. It’s not quite a true white, but it’s as close as BM gets. 
  • You can also put a piece of white paper on your finish (as shown above). Just keep in mind that white paper is a COLD white and can make a warm white look even warmer in comparison. 

Of course, some rooms don’t have a bossy white, in which case you might lean into the color family of your finishes, which gets more complicated.

Here’s the short n’ curly…

IF YOUR FINISHES ARE WARM-TONED (BEIGE/CREAM/TAN): You might choose bright, warm whites or soft, warm whites. 

Sienna Typhoon Bordeaux granite countertop, gold, taupe, with beige tile floor and cherry cabinets (2)

How to Update Your 2000s Home: SERIES! 

A Peel & Stick Collection of Kylie M’s Top Warm Whites

IF YOUR FINISHES ARE COOL-TONED (COLD GRAY/BLUE/GREEN): You miiiight choose a cool white, but most choose a bright or soft warm white or a true white (they’re more flexible overall). 

Benjamin Moore Gray Owl is one of the best cool gray paint colours with subtle undertones. Shown with black and a gray leather sectional. Kylie M Interiors

On the other hand, if your room doesn’t have a single finish with white in it, you can take cues from the white trim/needs of the adjoining rooms; this way, there’s a flow from one space to another. Only change whites from one room to another if you absolutely HAVE to. It’s best if all of your whites match.

WHAT IF YOU DON’T LOVE YOUR GUIDING WHITE?

Sometimes our Guiding White isn’t our type. Too warm, too cold, too bright, too soft; with all of the whites out there, we can only HOPE our Guiding White suits our tastes. 

Sherwin Williams Pure White painted wood cabinets, Cambria Lakedale white quartz countertop, beige tile floor, taupe subway tile backsplash

However, sometimes the stars don’t align, and the white you’re given isn’t your jam or your peanut butter. 

In this case, you have two choices…

  1. Embrace it – it is what it is, and short of replacing it, it isn’t going anywhere. I say this about the junk in my trunk (baby’s got back) – it ain’t goin’ anywhere. 
  2. Shift gears away from white cabinets or walls and consider an off-white or light-depth color instead. This is WAY better than a mismatch.   

I see mismatches all the time, in particular…

  • White cabinets that are too stark for the surrounding countertops.
  • White walls that are too creamy and warm for the surrounding tile or carpet. 
  • White trims that are too cold and crisp for newly installed finishes.

This one hurt me bad and was so preventable…

Sherwin Williams Snowbound walls with warm white cabinets, wrong undertones in kitchen (1)

The warm white cabinets were chosen first, and the walls should’ve been painted the same white. Instead, they were painted a different shade with the wrong undertones. THE CABINETS WERE THE GUIDING WHITE, and they were ignored – son of biscuit!!!!!

This next home is so STINKIN’ GORGEOUS, it deserves well-coordinated whites, or ideally, the same white on every surface shown here…

Matching white paint colors, trims, cabinets, Delicate White trim PPG Paraffin walls, blue accent chairs, open concept home, traditional and transitional, drapes, high ceiling

While the transition from cabinet to trim isn’t as off, look at where the crown molding meets the top of the range hood. It’s like deja-poo, as I’ve seen this shit stuff before – in fact, way too often.  

If your white(s) are wrong, it might be time to regroup and start from scratch. 

CHOOSING YOUR WHITE FROM SCRATCH

This section covers a whole wiggedy-whack of situations…

  • You’re building your home from scratch.
  • You’re doing a full remodel and haven’t chosen any finishes yet.
  • The white on your existing trims, walls, or cabinets isn’t the right shade, and you need to repaint with a more suitable color. 

No matter what you’re doing, you might not know which white to even START with.

The difference between the best white cabinet colors, Sherwin Williams Pure White, HIgh Reflective White, Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace, White Dove

FIGURE OUT THE TYPE OF WHITE YOU WANT OR NEED

When designing a room from scratch, you have two choices…

  1. Decide which type of white you love (SOFT WARM whites being the most popular). Narrow down your options to one or two favorites. Sherwin Williams Best Warm Whites | Benjamin Moore’s Best Warm Whites. Bring your favorite Guiding White(s) with you to showrooms and suppliers to coordinate your finishes. It’s nice to have two whites, as you might fall in love with a finish that suits one over the other (always take your finishes home, though; never choose anything in a showroom.) 
  2. Choose a main finish (usually the countertop) and see what type of white it needs as a partner. This will be your GUIDING WHITE and the one you’ll use on trims, walls, cabinets, etc…

living room arched curved doorway opening, Sherwin Williams Alabaster warm white built in cabinets, fireplace surround

Choose the white that suits the home you have, not the home you wish you had.

You should now be able to go to the paint store knowing which type of white you’re looking for. Personally, I’m a pinot gris fan myself, but I’ll settle for a nice chardonnay.

If you don’t know what to do, get these whites…

KYLIE M’S TOP 5 WHITE PAINT COLORS

There are a handful of whites I use ALL the time in my Online Paint Color Consulting – rarely do I have to go outside of these shades for the average home. 

If you want to learn more about them, click on their REVIEW link! 

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE SW 7005

Pure White is one of my favorite white paint colors because it’s so dang flexible and versatile. While it’s most popular on trims and cabinets, some use it on walls and exteriors.

Sherwin Williams Silverpointe, gray paint color on walls, Pure White beadboard, trims, freestanding bathtub, window, marble look tile floor

Even though it’s a soft, warm white, it LOOKS like a bright white, as long as there isn’t a brighter white it’s being compared to. If all else fails and you don’t know what white to choose, Pure White is often a great choice if you don’t need much visible warmth. 

Open layout dining room, kitchen dark wood cabinets, tile wood look floor. Sherwin Williams Pure White. Paint color consulting Kylie M Interiors Edesign

Sherwin Williams Pure White: IMAGES, Info, & More! 

2. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE OC-17

White Dove is a soft, warm white that’s similar in depth (slightly darker) to Pure White. 

When it comes to the most popular whites for walls, trims, cabinets, and exteriors, White Dove tops the list, especially when ALL surfaces are being painted the same white. 

Family room in split level layout, greige furniture, greige walls and White Dove trim. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, diy decorating and design blogger, consultant

Dining room with church pew for bench, white chairs and table, white oak flooring, BEnjamin Moore White Dove paint color on walls, ceilings

Benjamin Moore White Dove: IMAGES, Info, & More!

3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ALABASTER SW 7008

Alabaster is softer and warmer than Pure White and White Dove. This makes it a great choice for finishes that need a more muted, slightly creamy white look (common with granite counters from the early 2000s).

Arched or curved doorway opening to hallway painted in popular warm white paint color, Sherwin Williams Alabaster

While Alabaster isn’t as popular as White Dove, it has its place as a whole-home white paint color for walls, trim, and cabinets.

Kitchen with granite countertops, painted wood cabinets with Sherwin Williams Alabaster and Creamy, wood island, subway tile. Kylie M Online paint color consultant

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Alabaster

4. BENJAMIN MOORE CHANTILLY LACE OC-65

If you’re looking for a bright shade of white, but not a true or stark one, Chantilly Lace is a stunner. 

With its LRV of 90.04 and lack of noticeable undertones, Chantilly Lace is a great option for a classic, timeless approach to white walls, cabinets, and trims. 

MSI Calacatta Miraggio Duo, marble subway backsplash tile, Benjamin Moore chantilly Lace cabinets, stainless steel appliances. Kylie M Interiors design consult, finishes, Truley home design

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace: IMAGES, Info, & More

SHERWIN WILLIAMS WHITE SNOW 9541

White Snow has more recently made my top list as it’s a newer color from Sherwin Williams Emerald Designer Collection – 9 Whites. 

Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, warm off white gray, Sherwin Williams White Snow trim, Charcoal Slate painted front door, black hardware

While it comes at a higher cost, White Snow is a glooorious shade of white with only a wink of softness, most comparable to BM’s Chantilly Lace. 

READ MORE

Which Two White Paint Colors Go Together?

How to Pick Paint Colours When You’re An OVERTHINKER (OR HAVE ANXIETY)

The Best Paint Colors to Go With GE Cafe Matte White Appliances

Benjamin Moore White Dove vs. Cloud White, Pure White, Chantilly Lace, & More

6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Painting Your Cabinets White

Need Kylie’s help?

Check out my fun Online Color Consulting packages! 

E-design, virtual online colour consulting expert. Kylie M Interiors. Paint color ideas. Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams circle (5)

kylie m signature chat soon

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2018, COMPLETELY UPDATED IN 2025

Similar Posts

60 Comments

  1. Wow, super timely post… We just had Ikea Hemnes white stain bookcases trimmed out to look built in and I’m trying to find the right white to use that won’t require me to paint the inside of the bookcases. I also need to paint a fireplace on the opposite wall with the same color. I picked two whites and painted them on a board a few hours ago and after reading this post, before even taking them to the shelves, can see they are too warm for the white stain. Back to the drawing board!

    Reply

  2. I’m in love with the counter in the 1st Kitchen picture under “Warm Whites” (Benjamin Moore Cloud White) I was wondering on your thoughts on how that would look with cloud white on the cupboards and Benjamin Moore’s Natural Linen on the walls? Or would that counter be better suited with a grey wall colour?

    Reply

    1. Hi Patricia, Natural Linen could look quite lovely, I don’t see any problem with that at all and it might be nicer than a lighter cooler gray…

      Reply

  3. Kylie, I just love your posts and have learned so much from them (can you say LRV!?). Whites are so hard and I’m wanting to paint my 2 story gambrel roof house white. Which Whites work best for exterior use? I live in sunny Florida…….

    Reply

    1. Oooo Susan, great idea for a blog post! The only thing is that I use only my own photos and I don’t have any clients exteriors in the best whites – so it would be hard for me to reference them! Mind you, sometimes just info is helpful! BTW, I would check out SW Pure White…

      Reply

  4. This is amazing. You cut right to the chase and clearly explained what was what lol Compare, compare! I always learn so much when reading your posts. It def sinks in mi cabesa lol. Excellent and so funny!! Thanks again. Not going to be uptight with white!

    Reply

    1. Lovely comment, thank you Robin! Whites can be SUCH a bugger so hopefully the bits n pieces help!

      Reply

  5. We just bought a home and wanted to repaint the trim. There are a million whites to choose. I was in a dilemma until I read your blog. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. I plan to use your online help once we move into the home.

    Reply

  6. Thanks, Kylie, for condensing this subject into a great resource for your readers!
    Would you please share the names of a couple of your favorite SW off- whites that fall into the SUPER light gray family as mentioned above? Perhaps a grayed-white?

    Reply

    1. Ooo Shari, you know what – SW just doesn’t have great ones in the super light off-white gray – nobody does really! It seems that undertones come up so much in that range. Eider White is a popular off-white, but it can cast a touch purple. Egret White is a bit warmer/greige and same thing. The best as far as I’m concerned is SW Crushed Ice, but it’s getting closer to the ‘light’ range as it has more depth to it. Ice Cube is a lovely, cooler off-white, but again, you will likely see those cool undertones coming up a bit more than you’d like…

      Reply

      1. So, if I’m reading this correctly, there’s not a great white that is a very very small bit on the warm side that has gray undertones???? And, I have serious doubts that I’m reading this correctly…. HELP!

        Reply

        1. This is true…kind of ;). The thing is, a white like White Dove has a bit of gray to it, but the gray only acts to calm down the warmth. As soon as it’s a VISIBLE GRAY, it’s not a warm colour anymore. I know, it’s a hard one to wrap the ole noggin’ around ;).

          Reply

  7. Hey Kylie,
    I’m doing a color consult with you. Love reading your analysis of whites and all undertones for that matter!
    Thanks!

    Reply

  8. Thank you for your informative articles! I know that once a white is chosen for trim, it should be used throughout the home for continuity’s sake. However, if there is a separation of rooms, can another white be used? i.e. I have a corner utility room that was recently painted SW Vital Yellow with recommended Pure White trim and cabinets. Walking out of that room is my mudroom which has stained wood trim, and into the open area kitchen and family room–all trim and cabinets are stained. The hallway leading to the bedrooms and the bedrooms themselves have painted trim and doors in need of freshening up. The bedroom bath areas have stained cabinets and painted trim. However, I feel that Pure White is not warm enough to compliment all my stained woodwork–I sometimes see a hint of blue in the trim and cabinets in my utility room, and don’t want to see that in the rest of my home. I’m considering SW Alabaster for all remaining trim and doors in these areas. Would that be acceptable? Or do I need to stick with Pure White for the whole house?

    Reply

  9. Thanks for this post! I think SW Pure White is the best match for my kitchen countertops. If I use Pure White for cabinets and trim, can I use Alabaster on the walls?

    Reply

  10. I’m helping out with a Church/community children’s area . There are north facing windows only. The prep/activity areas tops are White with some grey bits, not sure of material but easy to clean, may be quartz.. Warmer white would be so nice for the north room but now I see it might clash with the white tops. (thanks to you Kylie!). I think I’m going to suggest pure white now because this sure is a difficulty I have no idea what to do with, and I think you said pure white is great for that ????) …but hm.. I wonder if the north light is going to kill it.
    When you don’t know where to go, I think it’s pure white?

    Reply

  11. Hi Kylie!

    I have rainwashed in my entryway (which I just love) but can’t find a color to put on the top of my small dining room. Afraid to go with too much blue or similar shades. Looking for a subtle greyer blue color and failing. Any thoughts?
    Thank you!
    Dylan

    Reply

    1. Hi Dylan, thank you for your note! When it comes to questions like yours, I actually created an Edesign business – this way I can look at photos/questionnaire and come up with ideas that work, otherwise I’m TOTALLY guessing on what things look like on your end! It is affordable and fun! If you find that the complimentary blog post info isn’t working, it might be the next step! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
      ~Kylie

      Reply

  12. Hello. Just started following your blog, which I love. We are closing on a new home soon and I am looking at tons of colors. Your information has really helped. I am absolutely in love with the edgecomb gray and white dove pic by BM that you have posted. The look is similar to the home we are purchasing. Do you have recommendations for similar/equivalent colors in Sherwin-Williams? Thanks for all the great info!

    Reply

    1. Hi Haddie, unfortunately there isn’t really a comparable in SW – but you could ask them to colour match it for you? It won’t be 100% but close, just check it with the original sample 🙂

      Reply

  13. Hi Kylie ! I love your site; I think I’ve read every article multiple times in the last 3-4 weeks. We plan to paint our southwest facing DR in BM Newburyport Blue, and the adjoining northwest facing FR in BM Stonington Gray. I was thinking about painting all the trim in White Dove, but the room can we quite dark. What trim color would you recommend ??

    Reply

    1. Oooo, I’m liking the sounds of that! White Dove is just a versatile, easy white to work with! I also like the slightly more clean approach of Oxford White. If you have a lot of ‘white’ in your home, Oxford might be a better fit, but if you have some softer whites, White Dove could be better (I also love SW Pure White which is kind of in between the 2).

      I’d LOVE to see the Newburyport all done!

      ~Kylie

      Reply

      1. Thanks Kylie! I will definitely send you pictures once it’s done. But it looks like the room actually has a northeast / north / slightly north west orientation (as opposed to NW-SW). I’m worried that the Stonington will read too cold with the northern light …. so now I’m shifting to Silver Satin (FR) and Newburyport Blue (DR) instead. What do you think about Simply White trim? The southwest side of the house will be Smoke Embers … lots of sunlight there, so no issues there.

        Reply

  14. Hi I’m having my kitchen completely redone. I have to pick a white for my cabinets. I don’t want that cold steel look. I’m looking at both cloud white and dove white. I have one white shutter in my kitchen that is in between two cabinets- I would like to keep that shutter and would like the new white cabinet to match my shutter. Is that going to be problematic? I worry about how it will match my new cabinets. I’m going with a warm wood look on my floor, stainless steel appliances. Considering the anthracite silgranite sink, or cinder colour. I want to add warmth to the room. My countertop will be quartz- Looking at callacatta tuano which is white, but has warm greyge tones,I also saw another that is cooler, but nice and I like it as well. It has a black vein with a cooler grey in it. What’s a safe white with my current situation??

    Reply

    1. Hi Paula, without knowing the exact white of your shutter, there just won’t be a safe white that I can recommend! Between Cloud White and White Dove, I would lean MORE toward White Dove, but again, we just can’t know! If you want it to match the shutter perfectly, you’d want to take it into the store and have them colour match it for you… 🙂

      Reply

  15. Hi Kylie,
    Thank you for this post and all your responses to your reader’s questions. It has been very helpful! I have narrowed down my wall paint choice to Cloud White. I’m stuck as to what color to paint the trim (the painter just started using a basic white w/o checking with me first). Before he goes any further, what do you recommend- should I be using cloud white on all the trim as well? I am concerned about different undertones competing… Just not sure if there should be contrast between the walls and trim or not.
    Thanks in advance for your advice!
    Kim

    Reply

    1. HI Kim, well if it were ME, I would do Cloud White trim too! The cool thing is that because trim is generally a satin or semi-gloss finish and the walls are either ulti-matte or eggshell, there can be a weeee subtle shift between the 2 surfaces to set things off slightly, without worrying about undertones. I wouldn’t do white…I hope that helps 🙂

      Reply

      1. Hi, Kylie

        I love reading your posts. The information is always very informative. We are in the process of repainting our master bedroom and master bathroom. There is a large cut glass window over the tub in the bathroom, and the window faces northwest. We have a new Caesarstone Taj Royale countertop. We installed Crema Cappuccino marble in the shower and the floor of the bathroom. The cabinets are painted BM Whital Brown. We decided to paint the walls BM Maritime White, but are having difficulty choosing the trim color. We’ve used Maritime White trim in the rest of the house, but the color looks very brownish in the bathroom on the wall facing Northwest. We are considering BM White Dove and BM Cloud White. The bedroom will be painted BM Manchester Tan, and we hope to use the same trim in the bedroom and the bathroom. Do you have any recommendations? We appreciate your time and your expertise.
        Thank you,
        Dana

        Reply

  16. Hi Kylie, thank you so much for sharing your experience and knowledge! We are trying to find the best white paint color for our kitchen cabinets. Our trim and crown molding is a close match to BM’s Super White but I’m afraid the kitchen will come across too stark if we go with that. I’m wondering if BM Simply White or SW Pure White would work without it clashing or looking awkward with the trim. If it matters, our walls are Revere Pewter (1/3 darker), Verde Peacock granite (black with green and brown) and yellowish oak floors. I’m also open to other neutral paint colors for the cabinets as long as it won’t go out of style any time soon! I so appreciate any direction and insight you can provide.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jen! Without knowing what that trim is, it’s hard to say, but i AM a big fan of matching my whites for consistency…definitely. From the sounds of it, Pure White might be a better choice as it isn’t as yellow as Simply White, but not AS stark as some whites (but it is more white than not…)

      Reply

      1. I wanted to come back and thank you for your input but couldn’t find my post! We had to put our cabinets on hold but are revisiting the idea again. It seems that BM Decorator’s White blends the best with our trim but I am nervous to pick a white that leans cool. SW Extra White is the other contender. Hopefully we will pick the “right” white 🙂

        Reply

  17. Hi Kylie, you are very color savvy! Hope you have some advice for me.
    We are building a new home, so a fixed white starting point for me is the Alpine White of my maple Homecrest brand kitchen cabinets. I also fell in love with LGHausys Viatera Minuet quartz for the countertop. I asked Home Depot to do a custom color match of the cabinet sample – I saved the formula but did not buy a sample pot. They also analyzed which of their current colors would be the closest match – Behr Arcade White (Behr is the brand our builder suggested, but could use another brand perhaps at additional cost). When I brought some swatches home to compare, it did seem to be a close match to the cabinet sample, but I was shocked at how dark it was! Not sure I want that on all the trim and doors in the house, and not sure that it would look ok with the other wall colors I like. I want a light bright, but warm feel to the house – we are building in a Great Lakes beach town. Our floors will be a light finished red oak hardwood. Would using the matching formula, but requesting to lighten it 50% be a possible solution? How should I proceed? Colors all look different depending on weather, time of day, light direction, and what they are paired with! Any advice would be most welcome! Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Nancy! When it comes to Behr, I’m just not as familiar with their colours to really be able to touch on that for you – my focus is primarily BM and SW. There is no harm in asking them to do 50% lighter, but at that shift you can expect the undertones to change, so be sure to do a LARGE sample to make sure you like it. Personally, I’m inclined to keep cabinets/trim/ceilings all the same, but that’s not always possible 😉

      Reply

  18. Hi Kylie,
    I’ve read your articles on whites at least a dozen times since we’ve started building our new house. My problem is that I keep going back between simply white, cloud white and white dove for cabinets and trim. We have lots of windows facing north east in our open concept and I would like a warm white that is not too bright and doesn’t look dingy either. I love white dove online, but the sample I’ve painted looks a bit green (or dingy). Could that be because the sample is a flatter sheen than cabinets will actually be?? What do you suggest?

    Reply

    1. Hi Monique – you are SO right, the sheen of the cabinets will ABSOLUTELY affect how the colours look! Cabinets are usually a satin/pearl finish (I love BM Advance) and that can make things look that bit brighter. From what I’m hearing, don’t do Cloud White. I wonder if you might like White Dove slightly lightened. Sadly, it’s not an easy thing to sample, but the idea is that they add 4-6 drops of white to the gallon of White Dove, which just lifts it a stitch. That is my BEST thought for you 🙂 I do love Simply White, but find it can look a wink yellowish for my tastes 🙂

      Reply

  19. Do you ever work with Dunn-Edwards paint? My trim in the entire house is semi gloss Whisper white. The ceilings are flat whisper white. I want to paint my kitchen cabinets semi gloss whisper white and the walls the same white in a velvet. Would this be okay? Is Whisper white a warm white?

    Reply

  20. Buying a “Cape ” house and want the entire inside to be white . I have to paint trim , 3 built in bookcases and an 80’s brick fireplace and kitchen cabinets. I don’t want any cream but just a white that will go with grays and beige in furniture and rugs. I need to do this asap and my head is spinning. I envision a crisp white on walls and kitchen cabinets and all the trim and builtins a slight different….please help. I thought maybe BM Chanitilly lace but now after reading a bit I’m totally confused. Any suggestions

    Reply

    1. Hi Kathy, you might want to check out Sherwin Williams High Reflective White, which is just pretty darned white and flexible! I love SW Pure White too, but it is a wink warmer/softer. As for the built-ins, I wouldn’t do them a different white. If you’re doing white throughout, I would do the same white, otherwise, you’ll enhance the undertones in the different whites.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *